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Nice tub! You'll find that these are very solid, well-built cars that never fail to turn heads. I had a lot of the same problems with my lights. Most of them turned out to be either cut wires near the back or just dirty connections. Feel free to check the project blogs because chances are that anything you get into has been done before and most are willing to help.
Really nice dash by the way!

Hi Mike,
Welcome to Packard info.
I hear your Project Blog question.
I would advise you to ask BigKev move this to the project Blogs and you will have already started one.

I DIDN't start one when I first got my 41 Clipper and really wish I had.

Send Kevin a personal message at:
bigkev@packardinfo.com

Ask him to do the 'magic' and make "MikeVango's 48" or whatever you want to call it. This will possibly be your easiest 'repair' for the next several years of Packarding.

DanL

The car does appear to be an Eight but note the double-row of stainless trim at the door bottoms - I believe this was a Custom 8 feature which the car obviously is not; perhaps a prior owner modified the car? The venicle number from the patent plate, or the Briggs number will verify.

Welcome to the site! Keep us posted on your progress with the '49.

Quote:

I'm voting on modification, as it has the taillights of a 22nd Series, but the fully chromed bumpers are from a 23rd Series. It also has the instrument cluster from a 22nd Series, as it doesn't say "Packard" on it. It and the speaker grille shouldn't be painted, it should be chrome. On the taillights, they look more like 1947 style, as they're ribbed more than the 22nd Series taillights. I think someone has put on parts that were better than what was originally on it. Not correct, but looks ok in my book.

Wiper motor: My 23rd series (50)'s wipers didn't work...i re-connected the vacuum hose and nothing. Then i oiled it with 10wt fork oil via the input and the bleed on the other side and moved it some, and they came alive! They work great except when accelerating hard, but it's time to rebuild my vacuum/fuel pump that's supposed to help with that anyways :)

If you're going to drive it a lot, i HIGHLY recommend pertronix's 6V positive ground ignition kit for our car. A bit pricey at around $100, but no condenser or points to replace or adjust, my 288 loves it. No permanent modifications so you can go back at any time.

I put a modified 6V pos ground alternator on (although it's ugly next to everything else stock) and the hotter flamethrower coil, and a new set of wires after getting mine out of it's 15 year storage. Filled and bled the brakes (BONE DRY) and then i put 3500 miles on her in 6 months.

That car will be dead reliable and just a nice cruiser. Not many cars of that era will ride that well over crappy roads!

Good luck and welcome to the packard club.

Please, use only vacuum oil to lubricate the internals of the wiper motor. Mobil makes a good one. Comes in quarts and one quart will be enough to do every vacuum wiper motor within 1000 miles. I buy it thru MSC in Harrisburg PA though there are no doubt many other outlets and brands.

Wow! Thanks for all the help so far! I am loving this site!!! I was wondering if petronix made a kit for me. I will get one soon, I have used their conversion in my 69 econoline.
I want to customize the car a little anyway. I like the packard tail lights that fit on the corners of the fenders. Got to get back to work. Be back tonight.

I agree that it is a 22nd series Eight - made before the switch to 23rd series in May 1949. The door trim with a lower stainless hoop and no chrome in the garnish,and no stainless over the door openings are correct. Not all 22nd series cars had the painted center bumpers, especially the 49's , so the all chrome bumper is not incorrect. The Clipper style tailights may or may not be original, but Eights did not have the dividing chrome, so these look possible. The second strip of stainless is a later add to look like a Custom Eight. The optional fender skirts often show up for sale - you may wish to add them if you like the look - they include a stainless piece that continues the trim line.

As to the shifter, welcome to the Packard column shifter club - you might want to look up previous threads on this.

other options that are a matter of personal taste: This car has the original standard hood ornament. There was optionally a cormorant, a stylized goddess with a wheel (the "donut pusher"), and a relatively rare disk that looks like a 49-50 Ford one, called "the Egyptian. The first two are pretty common. Wheel trim rings were another common accessory. There are auxilary bumper guards that are a more polarizing choice. Your front bumper is the "closed mouth" version - you will see many cars with an open space in the lower middle. This is another reason I suspect your car is a late build. Try reaching over the outside of the glove box liner - sometimes the original build sheet is there!