Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Have you prices Bugs lately? No more $300 deals to be had. Even the crappy ones are getting nearly $2,500+.

Yeah they had a little bump here in the last few years. However, the mid to late 70's square windows are still priced pretty low (as long as its not a triple black or triple white). There are two, sans engine but tranny included, in our local pennysaver for $500-600 obo.

You can get a decent revamped motor for cheap too. Still cheaper than Packard parts, on a first car, and NOT a Honda civic.

unrestored T style steering wheels (the K wheels are scarcer)are pretty easy to find. You can decide on a credible home restoration or they can be professionally done. You can do a decent job yourself if the splined socket that goes on the steering column is OK.

My 2 cents: keep the Packard and restore it together as great father-son project to original specs..that model is one of the finest Postwar cars ever made. Buy a SAFE but fun car as a first car, maybe a vintage Volvo 240 or Saab 900. 2 of my kids got the former, and one got the latter. They all survived their initial inexperience and lack of judgement, thanks to those 2 well designed cars.

I know of a father and son team who restored a '49 22nd series Custom touring sedan. They love showing the car at shows and driving it. It is neat to watch the interactions of these two, obviously they both are closer because of the experience. Priceless.

(o{I}o)

Aden, for including Rick's '47 Custom Super Clipper Eight Touring Sedan in the Packard Owner's Registry.

One thing that comes up a lot is swapping engines, frames etc.

We all get the same thought when we first buy an old car. Gee it would be a lot easier if this thing had a late model drive train in it (true). So the thing to do is put a late model drive train in it (false).

The reason the second thought does not logically follow from the first, is that it is usually a lot harder and more expensive to change the drive train and chassis than to fix the one it has.

A beginner would not know this. A beginner who dives in and tears his car apart, is going to wind up with a wreck of a car and a lot of time and money wasted.

9 times out of 10, the car will never run again.

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Fully agree with this.