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

Hi

The plot thickens! Glad those Ebay photos turned up, I went looking for the disk I had saved them on, but no luck. Thanks for posting them.

Typically, Derham mounted their coachbuilder script at the front fender edge, just above the trim. While they appear to be missing, one wonders if a couple of telltale mounting holes might be there?

I sure hope such a worthwhile coachbuilt Packard has been saved, love to see it restored.

Steve

Steve, yes this really has been interesting, dare I say thrilling, and all the credit goes to Stu Blond and Robert Neal for digging out the photos, but my thanks for your making the effort to recover information. None of the photos I posted came directly from the eBay offering, though it might have used some of the same ones.

This argueably is the most extensive custom coachwork on a postwar Packard with the possible exception of the two LWB convertible sedans by Derham for the King of Lebanon and Sheik of Kuwait. The 53/54 Derhams and the 53/54 LWB cars were far less complex, and it sure would be a shame if this car hasn't fallen into benevolent hands.

Not to digress to far, but I just saw some pictures and watched a short video of the recovery of a 1937 Chrysler Imperial, one-off by LeBaron, built for Mrs. W. P. Chrysler. Quite a exceptional car to say the least. Only the nose clip looks like factory.

vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/video_chryslers_chrysler_gets_a_new_home#

That's Steve Babinsky (flannel shirt) of Automotive Restorations with the diesel truck doing the moving. Couldn't think of a more qualified shop for the restoration if that's what in store for it.

PS - enlarged section of another photo of the 52 Pat showing the location where one might expect the Derham name to appear, if indeed it's Derham. Picture not all that sharp but no identification and no apparent holes either.

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For those that had an interest in this unique postwar Packard, some new information and photos can be found at:

packardclub.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1519&p=6391#p6391

Dave, in addition to your main interests on the car hope you are able to get decent pictures or an idea of the workings on the rest of the AC setup. Looks like only two blower switches so apparently no temp control. Also they are in the front so if that's a limo, nothing for the passenger to play with??

What is interesting to me is it doesn't appear they went thru the package shelf for any of the cold air supply or return like a typical trunk unit would have done. Looks like supply ducts go under to somewhere and return is a question.
Would be very curious where things come out. Maybe vents are up on the sides of the quarter section somewhere -- or go all the way to front?? Return under the seat??

Don't see a reference to Comfo-Aire or Toledo on that list of the main aftermarket suppliers of the day--although what is seen looks very similar to pictures posted earlier of the NOVI unit built for S-P.

Howard, I'll certainly take my camera and will add your interest in the A/C unit to the other things I hope to examine. But when thinking about the A/C unit and it's origins, keep in mind that, based on the body #, fabrication of this car most probably started in 1951.

It appears the A/C outlets are routed beneath the floor pan; one might have expected the discharge to be in the rear of the fixed front seat but no sign of them there. Perhaps beneath the rear seat as the heater outlets were in the postwar LWB cars? I have perhaps a dozen other photos I haven't posted, no clues there.

Edited: Our local CCCA region is having a tour of the Kanter Bros. collection next Sunday, and on the way back I'll stop to see the car, we'll see what can be learned.

For those that have an interest in this saga, some additional pictures and discussion at:

packardclub.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1519&p=6431#p6431

I don't find it too unusual that they started with a Patrician as they needed the right engine, the rear quarters, quite a bit of the trim, the senior instruments, etc, etc. In the stretching process the B pillars were moved back 9 inches to accommodate the club sedan doors. The rear doors would not be too dreadfully hard to stretch: cut off the leading edge, then splice on the first 9 inches of a second set of doors.

The molding on the roof looks very much like the treatment on the 48 Custom Eight with padded top that Derham did.

Dave, if you ever get a chance, lay a tape measure over the doors of that car. I find it exceptionally well proportioned. Isn't there some rich patron who would like the same thing done to a 56 Patrician? I am itching to try.

Hi Ross: I agree with your hypothesis about how it perhaps was built. Although I wasn't able to get underneath it, someone else who had said the frame had not been cut and lengthened but appeared to be unaltered which would lead one to think a special one-off lengthened frame was obtained from A. O. Smith.

Though it's never been authenticated or to my knowledge even seen, there are those old occasional rumors of a 55 stretched Patrician limo by Derham in the Chicago area; if it was built (doubtful) it no doubt used the conventional suspension. The Derham archives are relatively intact and a search has been requested for info on the 52 Derham as well as the 51 Patrician Derham built for the White House. I'll see if I can have a request for info on any post-1954 Packard added to the query.

Could I please have the address of the Derham Archive?

Hi Owen - we had discussed this car on the AACA Packard forum a little while ago. The spear on the door of the junkyard car is shorter than that on the B/W photo. Perhaps a switch was made at some point, else they aren't the same car. I do think both cars are sitting on the Executive chassis.

forums.aaca.org/f134/custom-bodied-packards-294757-21.html