Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Could well be Randy, Cunningham only says 50 were painted that way. There was a pair of them at the Centennial.

Any number of Cormorant articles of E.C. Anthony over the years, next time I get snow-bound I'll trek to the archives and see if I can learn more about it. BTW, snow has just about stopped here, appears to be about 15 inches or so.

"trek to the archives" You make it sound like your going down to Jack Benny's vault. Probably shouldn't have posted that - younger folk are asking "who the H__l is Jack Benny?

Quote:Exactly, younger folk could be confused with Star Trek, and wouldn't know Jack Benny from Jack Rabbit!

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"...Rrrrochester?" (Another reference the whippersnappers won't get).

Seriously, so then according to Ed C. there were as many as 6 or so cars (each) painted in nitrocellulose in various non-standard colors for evaluation and then sent out for sale through regular channels... wonder how many different colors were being evaluated in this way, and how many exist today? Have any been documented or spotted in the field? He makes it sound like a significant number; one would think that some of them would certainly have survived! Fascinating!

That's exactly how I interpreted Ed Cunningham's comments. And maybe it gives us something new to watch out for; we might have seen a old, original-appearing but non-stock paint color and assumed it to be an old repaint.

There is an Ed Cunningham listed in the PAC directory, down in NC. Maybe the same man, someone might take the initiative and give him a call and see if can provide some more details.

A press release dated October 20 1955 says "The new Packard models will be offered in more than 60 single-tone and two-tone combinations. On a special order basis, Packard models will be available in any color or color-combination a customer specifies. Special color or color combination orders will be reviewed by Packard color stylists who will offer counsel to the customer if, in the stylists' opinion, color requests are not in the best of taste"
the 5687 build sheets show the following paint codes 1-NO 1-0M 9-MO 12 UNPAINTED (sent to Mexico knocked down) 16 special and 69 sheets are missing

It certainly makes it sound as if anything goes, almost, colorwise... one wonders if out of desperation! Here's one that to me does not look like a 56 factory color, unless it is Tahitian Green that has faded and is much blue-er and darker than it appears in color chips that I have seen:

The pic I meant to post, sorry:

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56executive -

Interesting that one of the Four Hundreds you cited was painted "NO" - with a Maltese Gray (Code "N') roof and lower body and Flamingo (Code "O") upper body. It appears to be an exception to the regular production offering, as stated - perhaps a "special".

Now, I wonder where the vehicle cited by packards1 fits in with your production records. While trim set 85 was the only one offered with Flamingo paint on a Four Hundred, I suspect that black and white interior was available with nearly all colors that year. Also, the blank paint code area on the VN tag still has me wondering. Clearly, 5687-4051 has been cut up for parts and scrapped, but do your records show it as a genuine Flamingo car or some other special paint job?

BTW, I knew you had records on the '56 Caribbeans, but only recently heard that you also had them for Four Hundreds as well. What other models do you have those records for?

The 400 I had I believe was all pink. It certainly did not have a gray roof but it is possible that the roof was dover white. I am looking for some old photos to figure it out.