Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

packardinfo.com/xoops/html/uploads/photos/4709.jpg

Great picture of the chassis.

But i don't know whether to laugh or cry. Top man on Mahogany Row of PMCC and he's standing around with his hands in his pockets?????

I assume that it is a Clipper since I can only see one muffler, not dual exhaust. The air cleaner looks like a Packard, the tires are wide white walls are on both sides. I can not tell if the horn button is a Clipper or Packard.

Probably is a Clipper chassis but might have had Packard identifiable items-air cleaner, hubcaps maybe. The Predictor was also built on a Clipper chassis, surprisingly--maybe because smaller was easier to ship..

I would think only one exhaust was because they didn't want a pipe to be crossing around or in front of compensator mechanism to obstruct the view.

i am going to have to say Clipper Custom 4dr. if you look close two of the body mount ears are missing.....which would indicate the 4dr. version and the Custom had the Packard air cleaner and torsion suspension pretty much standard. the horn button looks like a ships wheel in the middle to me.

i like how the suspension components are all in a white color. it must have been purpose built as even the steering column has a special piece holding it up. Also i beat the paint job was quite a bit better than the factory put out on the normal cars. it looks really really smooth and shiny to me.

later,

Hank

I saw that logo Gerd. Didn't pay much attention because if you look at other Packard show booths, they're all petty much the same format. Clippers & logo on one side, Packards & logo on other and then the transmission, engine, whatever cut away displays and other stuff in the middle.

Hank is probably right about the custom chassis. For some reason they did use the Clipper chassis on special things--maybe had more of them, cheaper, smaller who knows. Yes, Hank the white does set it off on purpose. It was special built and highlighted to show the suspension components and how they worked & integrated into the car. Believe they were specially adjusted or built so the leveler performed properly without the weight of the body etc for demo. Revolutionary at the time--but there were also lots of people that wouldn't touch & wanted no part of any new fangled ideas.

just like today....i remember my dad would look for cars in the early 90s that had the least amount of computer control.....he was abit afraid....now he just gets the warranty so he doesn't worry.

he always would say....less to go wrong and have to worry about fixing.

p.s. my wife is going to mail back your U-Bolt on Thursday. sorry it has taken so long, but as i am sure you know...i have been a bit preoccupied. sorry, i am usually more punctual.

Nice to hear from out your way, Henry. Hope all is swell.

I agree, on the LIFE pic that is definitely a ship's wheel center.

Unfortunate shot of Mr. Nance, though. Especially when you can't see what he's looking at. Appears to have stepped in something bad.

For some reason they liked to chrome plate the air cleaner on these show pieces, although I don't think chrome was ever actually available.

Maybe they chose the Clipper because early in the model year, the TL was still officially an option on the Custom--a required option on the seniors (which I believe could be deleted on special order, someone help me out here)--but the Clipper Custom/Constellation was the test-bed for actually selling the TL option--and did it ever sell.

Apparently the public wasn't too squeamish about it, as most ordered the option whenever it was available, and dealership demand for it was also high.

A while back on AACA, Craig H posted a couple of pics from a '55 Dallas auto show that included an overhead view of the chassis and other Packards on the showroom floor.

There's more discussion of these special show chassis in addition to pics in the first post from this long-ago thread:

forums.aaca.org/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/251631

I hope it's OK to post these links... if not someone let me know. I just remembered this one and did a search for it.

If you just want to see the pic straight from Craig's website, here's that link, which I don't think he'll mind if I post:

1956packardpanther.com/1955_Packard_DallasAutoShowT-L1.jpg

I honestly don't think it matches an model. i think it was strictly a put together show peice. think about theses things: which model dose the color of the drive train most closely resemble? i know the supers were red, packards ivory, i don't member on customs. CHROME single exhaust? show peice! look at the steering wheel. no off-setting color grips on it like a Packard. This would indicate a clipper. However, look at the button again. i can not truely see a wheel in it. It dose appear to be light colored. which would leave me to believe it to be packard due to the fact that every one of my clipper centers has/had a dark colored back ground. it also has chrome valve covers. any one else notice that the tires are www on BOTH sides?

well now that i wrote that i viewed the dallas pic. the dallas chassis is a sr. it has black painted dual exhaust sr bumpers and the center of the wheel covers is dark. i.e. red hex with a black ring around it. clipper would be red center with bare stainless wheel in it.

Guscha,
I like HH56 saw the sign, but as has been discussed usually see it with a Packard sign when other period pictures are shown.

All of the show chassis I have seen picture of, including the 1956 Dallas show one, and in person at the PPG (2006 PAC meet) have been senior cars. Learn something new all the time.

Are there any other pictures from that Life magazine?

Greendragon, no grips on the steering wheel, and chrome valve covers, good eye!