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OK, here we go down the olive drab road together.
My level of interest is in military vehicles, WWII if I have the choice. President of the GA MVPA, the Georgia affiliate of the Military Vehicle Preservation Association. Jeeps, trailers, trucks, tanks, the usual stuff.
But a 47 Clipper Deluxe Touring Sedan showed up on radar, so it's in the shop being restorconverted to a 42 and badged for Eisenhower's staff car at SHAEF HQ in London at the time of the Dday invasion.
Just starting the research phase. It will be our rendering of Ike's staff car. I've seen all the photos available and the actual cars in museums and collections appear to be the owners version of staff cars, so a lot of flexability in the final project. It will always be PackardSalad.

But, here is our starting point. Pretty solid. Rocker panels shot and front seat floorboards will need to be replaced. Haven't attempted to start engine, but it ran when it was parked. As of today, put in a spare 8v battery I had laying around and horn and headlights and under dash courtesy lights all work. Cigar lighter does not. I may ask PO for a full refund.


Here's what I got to start and will post as we go along. Please chime in with comments or suggestions.

OK, let's try some photos

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By George, I think I got it!

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have you figured out how the interior was trimmed? I can imagine anything from plain vinyl or leather to broadcloth like a civilian car.

It is my understanding that military staff cars would have fallen into two broad catagories. One, a factory built made to military or staff specifications on the assembly line as a staff car, or, two, a buy back version where the military would have acquired a auto off the lot and painted the outside, added what military requirements were needed and then assigned.
So, the interior would vary depending on how the vehicle was acquired. I don't have it committed to memory, but I saw a chart that indicated which US military ranks were assigned various makes. Lt's got jeeps, Captains got Chevy and Ford, Major got Dodge or Studebaker, Col's got Buicks or similar and Generals got Packards and Cadillacs. MacArthur had a Packard and then a Cadillac and Ike had Packards and enjoyed Packards before and after the war as well.

So, we are envisioning a dark brown leather interior with woodgrain dash, dark carpeting and broadcloth trim on armrests, seat backs, headliner, pillar trim, etc. We have done canvas on other military vehicles, but Ike's staff would have requested something nice. IMO

This lady wants to run!
Tinkered around with her today and looked at ignition switch. No key, so will need to remove and take to locksmith, or replace the switch with new keys.
Put in battery and lights and horn works. Have spare set of horns, so removed original horns and installed the spare set to test them out for trade bait. While doing so, one of the two wires toing to the horns fell down and the engine started to turn over. No pop because no gas and no spark from coil, but somehow, the starter was turning the engine over.
Finished the horn testing and tracked down how this could happen. Haven't looked up the wiring dieagram yet, but when we touch one of the two wires going to the horns to a break in the insulation of one of the two thin wires coming off the electric choke on the Carter carb, the engine turns over. Yep, that's right. Touch a horn wire to a carb wire and the engine turns over.

We'll sort out all the electric later, but it's a sign that this lady wants to run.

Assuming the original carburetor, that's not an electric choke on the carburetor, it's the starter switch activated by the throttle linkage. Perhaps buying and reading the owner's manual would be helpful for such details.

As to ignition and door/trunk keys, Packard used the same 250 keys from 1935 thru 1956 so if you're got many Packard buddies in the area, you have a decent chance of one of them having the correct key.

"So, we are envisioning a dark brown leather interior with woodgrain dash, dark carpeting and broadcloth trim on armrests, seat backs, headliner, pillar trim, etc. We have done canvas on other military vehicles, but Ike's staff would have requested something nice."

Your conclusion the interior would be nicely outfitted even though the exterior was in military drab spec's for a general would seem correct. I'd suggest they might have spec'd the front seat be all leather as chauffeur and general's aids wouldn't be treated to quite the level of luxury reserved for the general and the important people accompanying him.

For all intents and purposes, it was a chauffeured limousine that typically had durable leather front compartment upholstery while the rear was done in broadcloth. Other appointments such as smoking sets, privacy shades, radio, perhaps even a cellarette for libations would be included.

Good luck with your project as it develops.

Steve

Yes, eyes open for a war era Clipper owners manual. Purchased service manual and parts manual, so the OM is needed for the trifecta.
This donor car had a truck of loose and spare parts from the PO, some of which appear to be a small fuel tank and a prime handle, so I'm wondering if, knowing the car was going to be driven in England only, emphasis was placed on an auxiliary heater. I understand staff cars at this level were probably equipted with AC, especially MacArthurs. But I am researching this fuel delivery set up.
My Studebaker Weasel has a prime pump connected to the fuel tank and directly to the intake manifold for cold weather starts.
Not to disparage classic vehicle owners and restorers, but it takes some pressure off me to know that I have some latitude in getting to my finish line.

If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there.

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-> This way to a Clipper, belonging to the 2nd category. And don't forget to install a radio transceiver.






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