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

Were there standard colors like the Caribbeans, or did it come in all the colors offered?

The parts book list the interior paint, black, green,blue, and red.

The interiors were; 203 red; 205 dk-lt green; 206 red-ivory; 207 red-black; 208 black; 209 black-ivory.

The reason I asked about 54 colors, was because of this car;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/54-Packard-convertible-parts-car-/120950384939?_trkparms=algo=LVI&itu=UCI&otn=3&po=LVI&ps=63&clkid=697217721972554696&_trksid=p4506.m7&item=120950384939&vxp=mtr#ht_500wt_922

I received a reply from the seller that said the data plate had 5479-1. The PAC roster keeper for theses cars has a paint code of "S". Not a 54th series code, but a 26th series.

I do not know the straight eights, but was told long ago that the convertible shown in the sales brochure, with the blue interior was not offerd to the public.

A leftover 26th body used for 54th publicity?

If it's a leftover 26th series body, the body dash number, a/k/a the thief-proof number would establish that. Send me that number along with the full VN and I'll look it up.

Owen,

I do not have the theft-proof number, but I failed to add in my last post that the roster keeper showed a Briggs body tag 2679-101.

I can ask the seller if they would provide the tp#, and post if I get it.

Kind of a strange one. Maybe someone updated a 53, or did the factory do this?

If you can get the thief-proof I will gladly look it up for you. But both the Briggs and VN are also strange, with a sequence # of 101 and 1 respectively. The factory Briggs and VNs began with 2001 for the first vehicle of each body type. You've got a curious one there, hopefully the TP will help clarify.

From the seller;

"The Stamped number on firewall is C0786I, the body number is 2679-101, the vehicle number is 5479-1, paint scheme S. The paper label on glove box drawer is missing."

Very interesting car.

Thanks for the numbers, you've really got a curiousity there. As I noted before, both the Briggs and vehicle sequence numbers are not in the standard format used by Packard, those numbers beginning in both cases with 2001. So the first 5479 built would be 5479-2001, and similarly for a 2678.

The thief-proof number puts the body in the first third of 1953 bodies. About all I can conjure up is the car was some type of pre-1954 production mule or prototype. FWIW even the "Request" as a one-off has a conventional vehicle number.

It would be interesting to know what the engine number is; if original to the car it would be interesting to know if it's a 53 senior engine, a 54 senior engine, or even something other that those. Also of interest would be if the car has a 53 or 54 style instrument panel.

Owen,

Look at pictures, I can not copy and paste. It has a 54 panel.

Last information from the roster keeper, "Engine replaced 54000".

The engine and transmission are not in the car.

Same car?;

https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/uploads/photos/9046.jpg

https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/uploads/photos/9074.jpg

Here Is the 54 sales photo;

https://www.packardinfo.com/xoops/html/downloads/54_SalesFldr.pdf

I really don't know just what to make of the odd VN and Briggs numbers on this car, nor of a relatively early 1953 body dash number. I do notice in the two "vintage" photos that it has early 1951 Patrician wheel shell covers which most probably isn't relevant to unraveling the mystery.

If you look at the VN and Briggs numbers of some of the other 51-54 show cars or limited production cars like the Pan Americans, Balboas, Monte Carlo & The Request, they all have standard and typical vehicle numbers & Briggs numbers indicating (no surprise) that they started life as just a standard and completed or nearly completed car plucked from the line and diverting for alteration. So that kind of refutes the thought that it was some sort of "special". As to the thief-proof number being from a year earlier, I've seen this quite a few times but always for a low-volume model that would have had a prolonged production time, for example some RHD cars and some Henneys with VN early in one year have thief-proof numbers from late in the prior year.

So what does all this mean? I haven't a clue but sure would like to see photos of the VN and Briggs data plates.

Owen,

I was hoping someone from Michigan would know the cars history, and fill in the blanks. I would have thought as interesting as this car is it would be known. The PAC roster keeper did have notes on it, but that was about it.

If we knew more, it might help us see how Packard did things. We know they did similar things in the past 48-49-50 models, and maybe before.

Maybe someone close can take some pictures for us. The e-bay auction ends July 21, and there is a bid.