Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

I recently acquired a device that allows me to scan 35mm Kodachrome slides into my computer. I ran across these photos that I took about 25 years ago at a yard near Chowchilla CA. The yard is long gone, highway 99 was expanded a few years back and the property was covered up by the new freeway.

This 400 caught my attention due to the unusual "V" emblems on the rear window posts, and the older style rear axle. At the time I had a 56 400 of my own and knew this one just did not look correct to me.

I have no idea what ever happened to the cars from this yard, and wish I had thought to get the serial number off of it, may have been an early production 56 or a 55 with 56 front end, deck lid, side trim and tail lights.

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I remember those cars. Just south of 152 -- 99 junction. For a long time I thought they were part of the junkyard that was a little farther south of there. I was told it was not part of the junkyard but was a private collection. The story I heard was the owner was a long haul trucker that would run across the cars in his travels -- some almost dirt cheap. If he was coming back empty, would buy one and bring it back. The collection was supposedly to fund his retirement. Don't know how much of the story is true but he had quite a number of cars at one point.

The cars were auctioned off I believe in two but might have been three stages. Seems like that happened in the mid to late 80s. A friend and I went up for one of the auctions but didn't buy anything. Some of the popular cars went in the first auction for decent money but the Packards mostly languished. I remember one or two of the 51-4s sat on an almost empty lot next to the large tank visible in the bottom photo along with an old truck and some scrap metal for quite some before they finally disappeared.

I think that 56 is the same car Doug and I had questions about -- not for the items you mention but for the stainless trim above the windows and the sort of eyebrow piece across the rear window chrome band. IIRC, we hadn't seen anything like those pieces before and couldn't decide if it was Packard or well done customizing.

I had a pair of the hardtop ventshades, but gave them to friend Ron some time ago.
Part PA469512 - they were stamped "MT80L AUTO VENTSHADE CHAMBLEE GA". I noted that in my parts book. Ole Book had them on one of his hardtops.
I have never seen the eyebrow above the rear window.

That is the 55 emblems for the Patrician and 400.

That rear trim looks like it is from the 56 Clipper.

I don't see script on the trunk, shouldn't it?

This one looks similar,
https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=6322

From memory, I thought the bumper looked like mine. But the rear glass treatment is interesting to me for the corners. This way, there's better visibility than on mine, but was it really just a cosmetic change involving some trim pieces, or is the glass shaped differently? To me, a 1956 hardtop has a more formidable back pillar than this one in the photo. The outside and inside trim pieces must be different. This might also mean that the headliner would be different, too.

To me, the Packard hardtops and the large Chrysler two door hardtops of 55-56 share many design features. High-waisted windows, graceful transitions between the rear side windows and rear glass, and the curves of the roofs are similar. Now I'm going to have to take a good side by side comparison of a 55 and a 56 Four Hundred to spot the differences. The car in the photo has raised all sorts of questions.

Look at the 56 Clipper and Executive hardtop rear window and stainless. It looks similar.

It may have been a 55 400 updated the best they could to look like a real 56 400.

https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/uploads/photos/9624.jpg

But it sure looks like the car in the picture noted as Dan Yo um collection.
https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=6323
https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=6322

It does kind of make you wonder if that is a preproduction or early 56 or if a dealer went to the expense of making a leftover 55 more salable or an owner wanted all the changes. I can't see the lug bolts well enough to comment but one possibility on the rear axle is the 56 unit failed and was replaced with a 55.

As mentioned, when Doug and I first saw the car the rear window and particularly the ventshades are what caught our attention. We didn't remember them being as pronounced or bending down in front of the vent window like those do. They are unlike the sedan sets so maybe they did and we just hadn't seen a hardtop pair before but it was enough to catch our eye.

It does kind of make you wonder if that is a preproduction....

Packard assigned unique blocks of vehicle numbers for 1955 experimental and pre-production cars so if we knew the VN we'd know if it was pre-production. The VNs for preproduction (experimental) and production vehicles were assigned via a Packard Interoffice memo dated June 1, 1954.

The stainless over the side windows looks just like what our neighbors had installed on a 1955 Olds 88, so my guess is that is aftermarket. The taillight emblems have a v, used on '56 but the back bumper is from '55. The trunk lid is missing script but its shape is clearly '56. That could have been due to a rear end accident and lack of trim/rear bumper available. Makes me wonder about the "sail panel" shape and trim and the '55 axles. Too bad it's gone...

"Too bad it's gone..."
Or is it.... This guy up in MN has a 55-56 hybrid that a Mopar mill in it. Maybe this car found it's way up there some how?