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Leeedy

Re: Information- 55th Series Caribbean Hardtop

#21

Home away from home

Quote:

randy berger wrote:
For once I disagree with Leeedy, and I offer the build sheet for my 56 Pat. I would never have known about chrome wire wheels on this vehicle w/o the build sheet I got from the Stude museum. I did find MITCHELL BENTLEY'S stamp on the inside of the door panels which explains the "SPEC" notation on the slip.

You are welcome to disagree all you like. But I don't just say these things for no reason.

This is not an arguable issue since such arguments are based on factory documentation. But for the most part, there was not factory documentation on the Caribbeanizing done to these Four Hundred hardtops. This may have been authorized and even ordered by the factory... but it was not done by the factory.

Build sheets do not document AFTER-factory alterations. Build sheets also do not document alterations done by dealers. For instance on V8 Packards... there is no way to determine from a build sheet if a dealer added factory air conditioning or wire wheels. There just isn't anyway to back time up and insert all this on documentation issued by the factory. Could not happen...would not happen.

Having worked in the automotive business on the OEM level most of my life, I can tell you there are concept cars out there right now that I personally was involved with. If you look up the original build info on those cars they will send you off on a total wild goose chase to nowhere.

There is a specially-built metallic honey gold convertible with special oversized alloy wheels out there that I personally planned and worked on. It is not a custom car and not a concept car. But if you find the "build sheet" for that particular custom-built factory engineering feas car, it will tell you it is a red hardtop with standard wheel covers.

I repeat: the important thing -the most important thing for this particular 1955 Caribbeanized Four Hundred hardtop-is to trace the provenance... former registrations/owners/sellers any way possible. There is a very important reason why I suggest this. I am not merely saying it to say it or for argument's sake.

Posted on: 2016/12/1 14:24

58L8134

Re: Information- 55th Series Caribbean Hardtop

#22

Home away from home

Hi Leeedy

"... the present paint color on this car has a meaning... and I recognize it."

Silver-blue metallic with copper top and "Reynolds Wrap" trim, Would you care to elaborate, please?

Steve

Posted on: 2016/12/1 20:43

.....epigram time.....
Proud 1953 Clipper Deluxe owner. Thinking about my next Packard, want a Clipper Deluxe Eight, manual shift with overdrive.

Leeedy

Re: Information- 55th Series Caribbean Hardtop

#23

Home away from home

Quote:

58L8134 wrote:
Hi Leeedy

"... the present paint color on this car has a meaning... and I recognize it."

Silver-blue metallic with copper top and "Reynolds Wrap" trim, Would you care to elaborate, please?

Steve

Hello Steve...

I would be happy to, but I really just don't like doing speculation. So if more info turns up...and if I can see where a provenance leads back to, then it might be possible to talk more in public (like this forum) about this car's history. Doesn't anyone wonder where this car has been all these years since 1955?

Surely, having been around all these years, this car is known to more than just the present owner. The history of this car doesn't start now... it started in 1955. Realizing that the present owner does not know the history... who sold it and where did they get it? Where did it come from? Where did the seller get it to sell? Where did the previous seller before that get it? Or was there a previous seller? Where was the car last registered? WHO had papers on it then and what did they know? What did those papers say?

Unusual cars like this-especially in nice shape- don't just suddenly materialize out of nothing over 60 years after they were built! Gotta be a whole lot more to this story.

Posted on: 2016/12/2 13:06

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