Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Guy -

The Packard parts book only lists one outside rearview mirror for use on all 55th-56th Series models, and what is shown in both the 1955 and 1956 accessory catalogs corresponds to the images I posted above. (The 55-56 parts book and accessory catalogs are available, free, for download, here.)

Though I've never seen a mirror such as what you've described, I'm not denying the existence of it. However, it is more likely an aftermarket piece. I have seen plenty of key blanks, fobs, etc. billed as rare, factory-original, genuine Packard items, that weren't listed in parts books, but closer inspection revealed them to be aftermarket in origin.

In one sense, we should be grateful that someone thought the Packard segment of the market was still substantial enough to merit attention. Also, I doubt if Packard policed the aftermarket, back then, for counterfeit items as ruthlessly as the each of the Big Three have since the mid-'80s.

Now, I'm not saying it's wrong if someone wants such a mirror on their car - just that it is not authentic.

Yet, if such a mirror turns up, it would be nice to see a pic, here. Perhaps we could at least document it as period-correct aftermarket accessory.

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Thanks why I bought a scanner that could scan up to ledger size (11" x17") for the website. Scanning in pieces and trying to splice them back together got old real quick!

Thanks for the response Brian. It may very well have been aftermarket, but it was definitely classy and worthy of mounting on a senior Packard.

(sorry about the diversion from topic, but thought it was worth mentioning on a thread titled "fender mounted rear view mirrors" as it was fender mounted as I recall--only a pic will testify to its existence, if I find one)

Just tossing in my 2 cents.

Guy, the mirrors (Yankee style -not original) on my '55 400 prior to the restoration were mounted on the doors, immediately outside the vent windows. Somewhat useless being positioned there IMHO. Then on my '55 parts Patrician, the original styled mirrors were mounted on both front fenders midway behind the headlight's leading edge.
I found it hard to use them from that vantage too. So.....I have no intentions of placing any outside mirrors anywhere on my car now that it has been restored. I'll just try talking myself out of the ticket if I ever get stopped on the roadway.

Attached are a couple of pictures of 400's I've seen over the years with mirrors mounted.

Sort of nice being in this position where we can make such decisions with our cars??

Best regards.

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Mount the mirror to the stainless trim strip that runs horizontal directly below the door window. That's how i mounted my mirror. Works great there. Mite want to re-enforce the trim strip at that point but mine isn't re-enforced and serves well over the last 8 or more years.

In the pic it appears to be sticking out a long way but it's not.

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Kevin writes: "I'll just try talking myself out of the ticket if I ever get stopped on the roadway."

Can u give us some education on how to do that???

I need a good excuse for tossing empties out the window.
Also need good excuse for running 10-15 mph over the Interstate speed limit.

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Sure,

Stay in the car, get out your wallet, roll down the window, have the wallet open to your driver's license (should have it in the clear plastic sleeve so you don't have to pull it out). When the officer approaches the window, be polite, say hello, have your wallet with license in view. Especially at night, they'll want to know two things, where you're coming from (don't say the bar), and where you're going (don't say the bar, or a party). You should have thought of your best answers to these two simple questions before they got to the window to ask. It's especially good if you can tell them two addresses, but you can just say something like "I'm coming from my house and driving to a friend's house."

They should tell you then what you were doing wrong, in their opinion. If you were wrong, just say, "sorry, I made a mistake." And offer to be more careful, watch your speed, check your equipment, get something fixed, (like your mirror) etc. If you treat them decent there's a much better chance that they'll let you go with a warnting or a "fix ticket" that's just a promise by you to get the problem rectified.

If they tell you that you were doing something wrong that you weren't doing, especially speeding, just say "I wasn't going that fast, I checked my speed." If they don't have you on radar, they are just guessing or were looking for "probable cause" in case you were drinking. No need to be belligerent, they know if they don't have any evidence and will let you go.

Be pleasant, but not overly apologetic.

This actually works, in my experience.
I have been pulled over, conservatively, at least 15 times all over the state of Minnesota, in the country and the city, and in many other states, over my 37 years of driving, and have received ONE ticket for a moving violation.

Have a nice traffic stop![

Template for door or fender mount of accessory mirror PA469482 on 55/56 Packard and Clipper. The template is "life-size" so I'd suggest printing each page off at approximately 8-1/2 x 11, checking contour lines of fender and door for accuracy, enlarging or reducing as needed, and taping together. Template is for the left side, flip over for the right side.

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I seem to remember that, in the 50s, outside mirrors were an accessory and not installed on most cars from the factory. Maybe that is why the outside mirror shows up in the accessory catalog to begin with. I don't think the police can give you a ticket for something that wasn't factory installed. Like the right hand tail light on a model A or seat belts for that matter. I would just tell the cop that the only mirror that the car had at manufacture was the inside one. He may still write you a ticket but I think in court you will win. The law states that you are not required to have anything that wasn't on the car when it was new. If you think about it there are many things that fall into that category, 4 wheel breaks for one.