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

Could anyone say if either visor is a Packard offering. I see some differences and am thinking one of the visors may be an aftermarket because of what I consider to be a poor fit and odd braces but can anyone say for sure.

Not quite apples to apples on the photo angles but the top photo is my dads 47 flipped around to give a comparable view. Mom in the passenger seat and that is me on her lap peeking out the vent widow (no rear facing safety car seats in those days). The bottom is of a Craigslist 47 just posted in that thread. Both are Deluxe 21st series Clippers. The light car seems to have some braces and a large gap that I don't see on the other visor or are they there and just hidden by the angle and poor photo.

Am mostly just curious because with my dad you needed a crowbar on his wallet when it came to factory accessories. He would get a basic radio and heater but I can't see him paying for a factory visor unless the dealer loaded the car and he had no choice. He would more likely to have had the aftermarket item if it was cheaper.

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According to the 1948 accessory catalog, the one on your father's Packard appears to be the proper one while the other on the lighter car is more generic in what it would fit and hence all the odd adjustable brackets. I can't imagine that from 1947 to 1948 there would have been any dramatic design change on this type of accessory!

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I agree with Don. My 1950 Sedan has this version, like your father's car. Nothing too complicated about it. It even survived a couple of post-Irma 60 mph gusts a couple of weeks ago. One of our club members also has a stepdown Hudson and the brackets appear identical to the 23rd Series visor, especially the way it attaches to the windshield center post.

Thanks for the input. If factory, am pretty sure the visor came with the car and he couldn't delete it.

I was too young to know if anything else was on the car such as EC or OD etc. Being a deluxe, probably not -- but you never know. I remember he traded that for a 51 that had a visor too. That visor had complaints of being too low and he couldn't see forward without bending down. The car became moms car and dad picked up an almost new 51 400 for himself which I ultimately wound up with. No visor on that one. Other than radio, heater and Ultra that was about it for factory options. Do remember a Western Auto compass he bought and installed on the side windshield molding. He was always fiddling with it and trying to make it read correctly. Now that I think about it the steel around the location chosen was probably the reason it was always off a few degrees.

I have read stories regarding the shortage of postwar cars and how dealers would accessorize whatever they could in order to make a bit more money. By 47 I guess the shortages were starting to taper and surely gone by 51. Was just thinking the negotiations for either car might have been worth an admission. Father and his closed wallet and a dealer doing his best to make him open it.