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

I'm curious as to the "special order" features on your car. I noticed that she doesn't have a spotlight. I'm lucky enough to have found one that really doesn't need a re-paint. I'd be more than happy to bs about our Cavaliers! If you feel more comfortable with PM's, I'm alright with that. Congratulations on owning a roadworthy Packard! By the way, I've found all of about 12-15 of our vehicles that are still on the road (Here in the U.S.) Someone, please tell us different! Welcome to the club,

Scott

By the way, I've seen several Patrician's of the same year that had the 288 ci engine instead of the 327. I often wonder if the Cavalier wasn't a better buy! I look forward to more communication.

Scott

If you've reached that conclusion by looking at the cast number on the cylinder head, most likely they only had a 288 head, not an entire 288 engine though of course that's possible also. Lots of cylinder head swaping went on over the years, but especially on the 1954 359 engine. The engine# will tell for sure if it was just a head swap or an entire engine replacement.

so what parts interchange as far as sheet metal like fenders and such, are door the same on say a 400 series fit a 300 series and what years did or would

All 51-54 front fenders fit if you move around the trim holes. Front doors exchange all 4-dr sedans 53-54, and rear doors are all the same 51-53 on the 127" wheelbase cars like yours. You can even install 54, 55, or 56 rear doors for a quite different look.

This is one of the big advantages of the cars built by the small indepenents. Since they could not afford to make big changes every year, you have a lot more options for interchange.

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so what about quarter panels would 51's fit or are some different
i need to find some as mine are pretty bad

Answers that aren't apparent from the service manual and parts book can aften be found in supplemental factory publication, like the Service Counselor (SC) and Service technical (STB), and we are building a Packard Service Index, hotlinked to scans of those publications.

Take a look at the 1951-54 Service Index. In the Body section, you'll find articles with details on rear fender supersessions in SC Vol. 28, No. 6 and SC Vol. 28, No. 8, which should provide some insight as to interchange.

Also, look in the Fenders & Sheetmetal section, and you'll find similar articles for front fender supersessions in SC Vol. 27, No. 2 and SC Vol. 27, No. 8 and SC Vol. 28, No. 3.

The 300 or Cavalier tends to get overlooked between the more common Clippers and the prestige Patricians.

What you need to know is the Cavaliers and Patricians were "senior" cars and differed in quite a few respects to the "juniors".

They had heavier suspension, wheels, and rear axles. Different motors as well. The chassis was a longer wheelbase.

The bodies were different but all the difference was from the rear door back. The rear doors are alike except for the cutout at the bottom for the rear wheel. The Patrician and Cavalier have a smaller cutout due to the longer wheelbase.

The whole rear part of the body is different, the rear window, roofline, and rear fenders.

The trunk lid I am not sure about but I think they interchange.

Front doors, windshield, front fender basically the same as the juniors. Just the rear part of the body is different.

Once you know the difference it is easy to spot.

Beyond that there are detail differences in trim, trim holes etc.

The Cavalier is a classy car and deserves to be preserved.