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Mahoning63

'53 grill modification

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Wonder when this was done.

http://topclassiccarsforsale.com/packard/206709-1953-packard-4-door-coupe-complete-and-rready-for-restoration.html

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Posted on: 2018/4/1 8:25

Mahoning63

Re: '53 grill modification

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Also could have kept the kept the grill surround and lights and put the bars or a grid pattern inside.

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Posted on: 2018/4/1 10:03

Owen_Dyneto

Re: '53 grill modification

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In the same general theme many think Packard hit it right on target with this later grille revision.

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Posted on: 2018/4/1 12:23

Leeedy

Re: '53 grill modification

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Quote:

Owen_Dyneto wrote:
In the same general theme many think Packard hit it right on target with this later grille revision.

Eeeek! Actually Packard had little or nothing to do with the grille modification and other modifications shown on the car in this posting. The car here is what's left of Packard Pan American #1. It was repeatedly morphed and modified and morphed again. The morphing was insisted upon by styling head Ed Macauley and done (somewhat reluctantly) by Creative Industries of Detroit.

By this time, Pan Am#1 was carrying a modified 1955 eggcrate grille with a 1955 instrument panel and steering wheel, 1955 senior cathedral tail lights among many other changes.

Addendum and just to clarify... while Ed Macauley was Packard's styling head, from 1952-on he was in this position largely in name only. By the time of the 1955 modification on Pan American #1, Macauley was largely persona non grata in Packard management and (as stated by former styling personnel) spent his last time at Packard never venturing into the styling studios (which had been themselves split into two parts-one at Creative Industries of Detroit). It was said that Mr. Macauley spent most of this period sitting alone in his office clipping coupons and reading the Wall Street Journal. A working condition known in Japanese business as "having a window seat" (one gets no official company assignments and sits watching the world go by out of the office window). This situation was revealed in at least two articles in The Packard Cormorant magazine, one entitled "How Now Brown Cow?"

It is also important to remember that by the 1955 model year, Pan American #1 was Mr. Macauley's car... not Studebaker-Packard's car. What he did independently with Creative Industries (see the Creative Industries of Detroit book) to that car had absolutely nothing to do with Packard-at least not on any official basis.

Also, the photo in the above posting is labeled "1954 Panther" but is actually the 1952 Pan American in its 1955 morphing.

Posted on: 2018/4/1 13:39

58L8134

Re: '53 grill modification

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Hi

This customized '52 250 convertible turned up on a Kustom Kar site a few years ago. Clearly the builder was smitten with the Ed Macauley's Pan American. Actually, its a rather nice job.

The '53 Cavalier with the Buick-style toothy grille kicked around on CL a while a few years ago.

Paul's '51 What-If restyle with the egg-crate grille inserts would have been a good follow-up style for the '51 Patrician since it was the successor to the 23rd Series Super Deluxe and indirectly the late, lamented Custom.

Steve

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Posted on: 2018/4/1 13:43

.....epigram time.....
Proud 1953 Clipper Deluxe owner. Thinking about my next Packard, want a Clipper Deluxe Eight, manual shift with overdrive.

Leeedy

Re: '53 grill modification

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Quote:

Mahoning63 wrote:
Wonder when this was done.

http://topclassiccarsforsale.com/packard/206709-1953-packard-4-door-coupe-complete-and-rready-for-restoration.html

With amber turn signals/parking lights introduced in 1963 for the USA, this might be a good clue. Amber lenses were thought of as "modern" in the early 1960s. They were also a new federal requirement for new cars that year.

Posted on: 2018/4/1 13:45

58L8134

Re: '53 grill modification

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Hi again

As long as we're on the subject of Contour grille modifications, here's a '53 Clipper Special that acquired a bit of dental work along the way...

Steve

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Posted on: 2018/4/1 13:55

.....epigram time.....
Proud 1953 Clipper Deluxe owner. Thinking about my next Packard, want a Clipper Deluxe Eight, manual shift with overdrive.

Leeedy

Re: '53 grill modification

Home away from home

Quote:

58L8134 wrote:
Hi

This customized '52 250 convertible turned up on a Kustom Kar site a few years ago. Clearly the builder was smitten with the Ed Macauley's Pan American. Actually, its a rather nice job.

The '53 Cavalier with the Buick-style toothy grille kicked around on CL a while a few years ago.

Paul's '51 What-If restyle with the egg-crate grille inserts would have been a good follow-up style for the '51 Patrician since it was the successor to the 23rd Series Super Deluxe and indirectly the late, lamented Custom.

Steve

It would be nice to see more pics of this car and to know who did the work. Nice execution for what it is. And nice (what we used to call) "Flamboyant Black Cherry" paint job on there. There are reasons why I ask.

Posted on: 2018/4/1 16:20

Mahoning63

Re: '53 grill modification

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Re: amber lights, good sleuthing Leeedy. Seems someone wasn't happy with the stock grill and did best they could with limited budget.

Steve - the dental work appears to have involved pulling teeth from a '51/52 300/400. Reminds me of the Gruffalo in the children's book we used to read to our daughter.

Here's YouTube link to minor mod done nicely, inspired by original Pan American.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQwzvUe3d80

Also another attempt to work in mesh grill. Tough part is integrating with existing lights. Bumper guards have been removed to clean it up. Not sure it all works but wanted to run it out. Seems the production car has too much dark matter and this one doesn't have enough.

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