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Several weeks ago Hank (cli55er) was posting on his project blog that is on this site (Henry's 55 Constellation) about the expensive costs involved in getting the stainless trim on his Clipper straightened and polished. Reading this, I replied that I had a complete NOS set of the lower Constellation trim pieces. I had bought them thinking it would be a nice way to dress-up my 55 Super Clipper sedan. Since then, I have decided not to do this. I proposed to sell the trim pieces to Hank.

He got back to me saying that funds were not available to purchase the trim from me, but that he had a door from the Packard plant that he had bought from the foundation. He bought this door, another door and some crown molding pieces, which he has since installed in his home. He had brought the door to Salado this year trying to sell it, but there were no takers. He askedif could we make some kind of trade - door for trim?

I thought about it and decided this would work for me. There was one glich though. He only had one original certificate from the foundation certifying that the pieces he had bought came from the Packard factory. I said that I would have to have an original certificate to go with the door, or else all I would have would be an old door.

Hank contacted the foundation and asked for a certificate for the door he was trading to me, and another one for his other door. Originally, he only got one certificate for all the pieces he purchased. It took a few weeks for the certificates to be produced and mailed.

Finally, we were able to meet on a Sunday afternoon at a McDonald's in Waco. Waco is about midway between his house and mine. There we met, watched his young son play around, visited for a short time, and made the swap - door and certificate for a set of trim pieces. Success!

I am not sure what to do with the door on a permanent basis. The first chore to do on the door was to clean it. It was filthy with over 55+ years of exposure to who knows what. I got it cleaned up this weekend. I used Murphy Oil Soap to clean it, and applied Old English lemon oil to the dried wood. It cleaned up nicely and the oil helped to bring out the oak grain pattern. I did not want to refinish it, keep it as original as possible. It is now in my office, posed leaning against a wall with a framed Packard coat of arms decal in the area where the window was located. I got the decal a few years ago from a vendor on eBay and had it framed to preserve it. The two make a nice display.

Thanks for getting through this long winded story. And, thanks to you Hank, the door has a good home and is being enjoyed.

(o[]o)

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Man, that looks great! makes me want to get mine out and clean it up. what a change on that! i'm going to have to look into that stuff you used, cause that is just amazing!

thanks for sharing and for the trade!

Hank