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In 2011 I purchased it from Cecil South of Wilmer Texas, prior to him Clarence H Derksen from Waupun Wi owned it.

So, Owen I'm not sure what your saying about the car?

Well, sure it's a 1931 and they were all 8 cylinder cars in 1931. What I'm saying is that we've now gotten a second photographic confirmation that Packard was using the later type of vehicle numbering system sometime during 1931 and not beginning in 1932, and of what the type font was.

The number type in your case is often called BTPPN (Body Type Plus Production Number) and can be decoded. Your number 474 decodes to mean a 1931 Model 845 DeLuxe Eight (top of the line, the "large" 384 cubic inch engine) 145" wheelbase with a 5-7 passenger sedan body, and its the 169th (179-10) such car built for the model year 1931. The prior type of vehicle number also in use in 1931 was just a 6-digit number more or less equal to the motor number from which really nothing more could be determined. So it's the photographic confirmation of the type font that was so intriquing to me.

Ah!, thanks for sharing the knowledge. Appreciate your help, now how do I go about finding a oil filter for this thing, I'm new to this as you may already tell. But, before I actually start running it to far, I wanted to change the oil and just do a little maintenance. But, I din't know where to start on what would replace that filter?

Any help or direction is appreciated.

There are at least 2 suppliers who make a replacement filter for your car, both are externally identical to the original Purolator but internally use a modern spin-on cartridge type filter. Burr Ripley is one vendor, the other is R&A Engineering, they both advertise in all the usual places, Hemmings, The Packard Club, etc. Here's the info one 1 from the Yellow Pages on The Packard Club website. Many folks use Burr's filter so you can have confidence in his products.

And BTW, an 845 is a magnificent piece of Packard machinery, best of luck and much future enjoyment with it.

Burr F. Ripley 607-844-8473
136 W. Dryden Road
Freeville, NY 13068

Thank you very much for that information.

Service Counselor, April 1946

Packard Identifying numbers,
https://www.packardinfo.com/xoops/html/downloads/SC/SC-VOL20NO4.pdf

Still does not explain, how the body dash number is embossed between the triangles.

OD,

Here is a 56 Caribbean, that you can add to your data base. Look at the pictures on the left for the firewall numbers.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Packard-1956-Packard-Caribbean-Convertible-PRISTINE-MUSEUM-QUALITY-/160969832352?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item257a8cb7a0#ht_3547wt_948

Interesting heater hose connection. I wonder what that is all about.

(o{}o)

JW,

Good catch, look at the driver side open door photo. It is missing the switch in the door post, just wires hanging out.

It also looks like rust on the seat base right close to the carpet.

I would think for the asking price these things would be addressed with a Packard person.

Or maybe not!

Quote:

Not sure which part you refer to but if the curved section at the heater box, that would be typical for a car with an underseat heater -- which 56 Caribbeans supposedly did not have. Randy's friend does have one in his Caribbean however.

If that isn't what you mean, can you elaborate. I'm always a sucker for interesting "mods".

Incidentally, is this the same "restored" museum car that was on ebay and thoroughly and maybe somewhat negatively discussed last year or maybe year before. I remember one from somewhere in the midwest area which was a museum car. People pointed out several things wrong with it.