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Could someone help me with how read the serial number. The car I am looking at has a serial 5452-4712. The first 4 digits are clear, but what does the next 4 tell me?

mgf

The last 4 numbers are the sequence in production. I believe 54th series cars started with 1001 but someone will correct me if wrong. If 1001 is correct, yours would be the 3711th 5452 or Patrician model.

EDIT: Another important number is the motor number stamped on the side of the block on left or drivers side rear and just above the starter motor in 54. If still the original engine, will start M6xxxxx for a 54 Patrician. In a lot of places that number was used for legal paperwork and also is how Packard kept track of some changes.

Howard is correct, also here is some additional information:

https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/article/view.article.php?397

Something is not correct. Howard says the car would be the 3711th Patrician for year -54. When I check in the model info it states that only 2760 pcs 5452 models where made. Would it be that the year 54 is staring with 2001 insted of 1001? Am I reading this wrong or is there a contradiction?

Another thing I wonder, is it possible to see the original paint and trim scheme for this model? On the "patent plates" on earlier model this was mentioned.

It is very possible I am wrong with the 1001. In another thread some very knowledgeable people mention 51 and 53 production started with 2001 so with the total you mention, 54 would almost have to as well. With that late of car, if there is an Ultramatic, is it the original style or the gear start that was available late 54? Way to tell is the gearshift indicator is just PNHLR on original style but gear start has an extra position marked with a dot.

Usually the paint and upholstery code is on the door jamb tag or patent plate but 54 may have been one of the years where the door tag only has the body number. In that case, look at the back or side of the glove box drawer for a paper label glued on. If it is still there, the other info might be as well.

1954 I believe the production values started at 2001, so your car would be 2711. Very late production run vehicle like my '54 Clipper.

Thanks a lot for your comments. This car has the PNHLR without the dot. Maybe this is due to the engine change which has been made. This car has the 1953 L6.. engine and not the original M6... Maybe the person that did the engine swap also switched to the Ultramatic which belongs to the engine. If he was a thorough man he also replaced the indicator on the column. Do you believe this makes sense? Would there have been a technical reason why also change the gearbox when changing engine?
In terms of functionality and reliability, do you see any difference between the original and the gear change unit?

It's possible the '54 Patrician production run was completed before the Gear Start was used. The Gear Start is really a prototype transmission to get some field time before the Twin Ultramatic was introduced in the 55 models.

Actually I don't ever remember coming across a '54 Senior with a Gear-Start. Perhaps these were only introduced on the Clipper models.

Unless the transmission was also faulty, there would have been no reason to switch it when going to a 1953 motor as the bell-housing and fitament is the same.

If your Standard Ultramatic is working fine, then dont worry about it. While the Gear-Start functions like a '55 Twin Ultra. It is a bit more finicky as it was basically a newer design, while the Standard Ultra already had 5 years in the field and had most of the bugs worked out of it.