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The rear speaker on 2 and 4 door closed cars was on the rear package shelf and the metal was punched for a speaker. Caribbean convertibles of course did not have a package shelf. The rear backrest cushions on a Caribbean Conv were left and right halves, there was no armrest in between them as on 2 door closed cars so the speaker could not go where the armrest was.

It's a mystery to me where a speaker could have been placed on a convertible. Maybe the Andrews Sisters sat in the back seat.

The codes on 5687 3882 are:
SPEC I now think this means special paint as it is
........ in place of the normal paint code
85 trim code 85, black jacquard white & white leather
PB power brake
3.54 rear-end gear ratio
HEUH heater with underseat heater
RUA three-way tuning with dual rear antennas
BU power brakes (no insect repellent)
PS power steering
WL window lifts
ST power seat
WS white side walls
TL torsion level
PL power lok

I bought two new doorskin panels from ebay. They are NOS as I need the Patrician door panels as the existing one have been damaged over the years. I just noticed this rubber stamp printing on the original and thought it interesting enough to show it.
The stamping reads:
INSPECTED
MAY 23 1956
MITCHELL - BENTLEY CORP
OWOSSO MFG DIV

We have always been aware that Mitchel-Bentley did a lot of work for Packard. As this interior is not normal production at all, I submit that it was done at M-B as any out-of-norm production job. They may have done the paint also???
The NOS doorskins have no such printing except the trim code
6482425 was hand-written on the inside.

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Randy, I've always assumed Packard made their own interior upholstery panels like this in house - God knowns they had enough room over in East Grand to do for half the industry. Perhaps your car wasn't a special order for a customer, but was a special job for display at one of the auto shows or even a dealership and that would explian Mitchell-Bentley's involvement? You should chat with Fred or Dan Kanter about their 51 or 52(?) Patrician (the so-called "furry" Patrician) which also has a special interior and had some label or other identifying information they found about who did the work or supplied the material. I don't recall the details but I'm sure they will.

Pretty late date on there, especially considering that the car assembly must have come later yet and the plant was shut down in a matter of weeks. This very late date would seem to preclude it being made with special treatment for some promotional event, but I suppose anything is possible. As you may recall this Patrician has the highest known body dash or thief-proof number known. Remind me, where did the shipping order say it was shipped to?

The Pat was ordered by a dealer in Rocky Mount NC. The car was ordered for his own personal use according to his son.
The dealers name was Flake B. Chipley. I speculate Mitchell-Bentleys involvement was because the upholstery and trim was
not any normal Packard trim set but was special ordered. Note the NOS door panel has no such name on it because it was a production interior.

Ah yes, Flake B. Chipley. How could I have forgotten a name like that.

Who is selling these doorskin panels on Ebay.Have been looking but don?t find anything

There were not multiple doorskins - just one pair for the front doors. He advertised them several times. I hesitated to buy them because I am only going to use the backing and stainless, but they were cheap.

Our '52 Patrician with the fur and salmon wool broadcloth interior has a tag under the rear seat bottom with the name of the manufacturer (not MItchell Bentley) and in pencil 1 of 1.

We had a '56 400 in the early '70's which was ordered by someone working in the NY Zone Office as told to us by the second owner. Mojave Tan with an all leather interior in antique white. Seats, seat backs, door panels all 100% leather, one tone. Interior code was blank. Never had the door panels off. It was a very handsome car.

Thanks Fred. I was hoping you read this because O_D told me of your "furry" Patrician. Of course the name Mitchell-Bentley immediately rang a bell, and I am glad I noticed it before I tossed out the old board.