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Great old pictures. Thanks for posting them.

Quote:
That looks like the car that was offered for sale in a Cars & Parts magazine classified ad decades ago - late 1970s, IIRC. The car was not so much a clone, but when someone could not acquire the actual Request, they tried to build their own version - using a radiator shell from a prewar car.

Here's two pictures I took of it back in 2012. The rear (photo courtesy of Stuart Blond) appears essentially unaltered except for the radiused wheel openings.

I was actually at the site taking some photos of another unusual postwar Packard for Robert Neal's upcoming book. I did write to Champion Spark Plug several times asking if they had any information about the car, and a photo of their President at the time (to compare to the man in the picture), but like most companies today, no response. When I spoke to Mr. Neal about it recently he said he had uncovered some additional history about it but I'd have to wait for the book to find out what that was.

If anyone has any information about the car, I'd appreciate it over on the PAC site to keep it together as much as possible.

http://www.packardclub.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1519

Sorry about the hijack, but here's some info on another mystery Packard where the trail has gone cold, at least for now. Again, if anyone has any information about it, please post it with the PAC thread to keep the story intact.

http://www.packardclub.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2817

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Here are a few more pictures the "tribute Request" I guess you would call it. I also spoke to Fred about the car and this is what he said.

"In 1955 Packard built a show car, the "Request" in response to the many people requests for the traditional Packard pre war grille. A devoted Packard owner (A Mr. Bloom) from West Orange NJ tried to buy the car and was rebutted. So he bought a new 55 Packard 400 with air conditioning and so he built his own Request.
Full radiused wheel well openings with 55 Imperial moldings, top hood section and grille from a 38 Packard V-12, and as well as other items used to create his car. To lift the heavy hood an electrical mechanism was installed It was his everyday car for years and even won trophies in custom car shows."


<a href="http://s671.photobucket.com/user/JamesRFrom/media/Packard%20400/IMG_0574.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i671.photobucket.com/albums/vv72/JamesRFrom/Packard%20400/IMG_0574.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_0574.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s671.photobucket.com/user/JamesRFrom/media/Packard%20400/IMG_0580.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i671.photobucket.com/albums/vv72/JamesRFrom/Packard%20400/IMG_0580.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_0580.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s671.photobucket.com/user/JamesRFrom/media/Packard%20400/IMG_0579.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i671.photobucket.com/albums/vv72/JamesRFrom/Packard%20400/IMG_0579.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_0579.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s671.photobucket.com/user/JamesRFrom/media/Packard%20400/IMG_0569.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i671.photobucket.com/albums/vv72/JamesRFrom/Packard%20400/IMG_0569.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_0569.jpg"/></a>

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Yesssss... I know. I know. And I know what the radiator/grille came from.

Might as well mention that it tossed in design elements of the 1953 Caribbean too (radiused wheel opening with chrome lip reveals and period wheel covers). I've seen it before.

Bizarre how and why they went to the trouble of moving the front antenna from the left fender to the right-hand fender!

What I'd like to know is the back-story and the not-so-obvious stuff about it.

Ahhhh. More details are great to know. Factory air! I like that. And factory accessory side shades too! Inside looks like a mixture of parts. I.P. looks like 1956. Tail lights look 1955. Decklid looks like 1956. Rear window/backlite looks like 1956. Front fenders look like 1956. Somebody put a lot of work into this custom. THanks for sharing the picx.