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

Perhaps chrome mast jackets were lost to the Korean War. Restrictions certainly were placed on the use of nickel and chrome during the 1951 model year.

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The steering column in my '50 (factory re-numbered '49) 23rd series Custom is painted brown. Window garnish and hand brake are all chrome. Makes me wonder when it changed to chrome. Seems odd since the 23rd series Custom is slightly less posh than the 22nd series (22nd series has more chrome on the dashboard and a more complex upholstery scheme).

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Until the observation by JD that he had a 23rd series Custom 8 with a brown column, I was beginning to think that perhaps chrome columns in the 23rd series Custom 8s was a offset to the modest downgrading of the interior of the Custom 8 from the 22nd series. And the same thinking led me think they might have continued it into the 1951 Patrician which was certainly the most austere of all the postwar senior cars, downright spartan compared to Imperial, Lincoln and Cadillac. In my opinion it wasn't really until 1953 that the Patricians had a competitive interior to their market peers. I think everyone who has examined them would agree that the absolute pinnacle of postwar senior car interior luxury was the 21st series Custom Super Clipper, and the 22nd series Custom 8.

From a quick look, the 48-54 parts book doesn't seem to have any clues.

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Like other aspects regarding Packards it looks like there are as many variations as there are cars. My 51-300 does have the chrome column. Car first sold in September of that year. Here's a dumb question. I have always referred to my car as plainly a 300 model. Did this model have a name as well??

Not sure about 51-53, but by the time 1954 came around it was called the Cavalier; it was considered a Senior Packard (not a Clipper) but the only Packard-line car that didn't have the 359 engine.

My primary reference on these cars, in addition to the PMCC literature, is the Nat Dawes book and he makes no reference to it as anything but the "300".

Thanks Owen, That's what I thought. I feel left out because my model has no name associated with it.

My 1951 sales brochure refers to the Packard Patrician 400, and the Packard 300. The '53 and '54 brochures refer to the models as Patrician and Cavalier. No brochure for the 1952 senior Packards, just the Clippers, but I believe the 300s were still called by that name. I don't believe there was a "300 Cavalier" designation, but they are often referred to this way. Someone please correct me if I am mistaken.

This brochurehttps://www.packardinfo.com/xoops/html/downloads/1952_PatricianBrochure.pdf also calls the 52 a Patrician 400

Yes, the Patrican was called the Patrician 400 in 1951 as well, but the question was on the 300, was it not?

Quote: Frankly, I don't know. This whole thread has wandered between Patricians, 300's, Customs, Cavaliers, chrome, paint and whatever.