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

Just received an email blast from Significant Cars in Indiana. I found this car particularly interesting. The description curiously says the supercharger was removed for driveability.

http://significantcars.com/cars/1948packard3/


Here's the text from the ad:

This period custom was conceived and started in 1948 as a prototype with hopes of convincing Packard Management to offer it as an option to high end buyers as they had previously done prior to the War. The project stalled and with the short lived run of the Bathtub design, the car sat unfinished for many years. It has recently been completed to Concours Standards and is ready to hit the show circuit or will be a great cornerstone for any Packard Collection. The car features many unique design ques such as a speedster like windshield and heavily raked cowl reminisent of pre war cars such as Duesenberg and Chrysler Le Baron bodied cars, with the Gold Plated instrument panel deeply cut under the cowl. A rumble seat has been installed with forward tilting lid, which still provides a lot of trunk space. A true Roadster at heart there are no windows. Fully skirted front and rear fenders and custom moldings complete the flowing lines of this stunning creation. Originally fitted with a supercharger, it has been removed for easy drivability, but of course comes with the car. This one off custom is an interesting example of the Post War California Custom Car Movement

I bought one of my 47's from Significant Cars.

This car was at Citizens Motors (America's Packard Museum) during the Winter Weekend a couple of weeks ago. A very interesting custom that presented well. The rumble seat was a little impracticle and access cumbersome but overall I liked it. I think Carl Schneider is or was the owner.

What kind of documentation comes with the car?

Is that the same Carl Schneider who commissioned the Packard Parisienne and other "ghost" Packards?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ELqKx2UcD8


Who is or was Von Rudolph?

I suspect this is another Peter Portugal creation. He is the artist who built Schneider's custom Packards.

http://www.yogazenfitness.com/car/

Nevertheless it is a beautiful Packard with Porsche overtones. In spite of the wheels and side trim and a few other details, I like it. Probably the best looking "bathtub" Packard ever made.

Yes, that's the same Carl Schneider. I spoke with him for a few minutes at dinner. A real gentleman.

Great lines. I alway thought the 23rd series would have benefited from additional choice in body styles. The long deck really helps it's proportions. Maybe a hardtop version would look something like these.

(P.S. the gold dash seems a little to "pimp" for me )

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Any thoughts on why the supercharger was removed for drivability reasons -- other than "it's broken."?

I've posted it before and we've had some good discussions about it in the past, but as long as we're on bathtub customs, this one supposedly done by Packard (perhaps subcontracted out to Creative Industries or Henney) has long intrigued me and no harm I guess in posting it again. I suspect it could have been quite a seller if introduced early enough in the bathtub era. This is the only known photo of it that I'm aware of.

UPDATE 3/13/10: From the little more I've been able to find out about this car, it apparently was not contracted for by Packard but was an unsolicited submission by Henney and was completed just as the 23rd series was history and thus Packard expressed no interest in it.

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Guscha, thanks for the Jack Vines comment.

I will contact Shawn Miller at Significant Cars to confirm.

Dave, does it have a kind of "mobile pillar

Gusha, I took it to be a true 2-dr hardtop with essentially the same window arrangement as the convertible, but who knows, there is very little known of this car and I'm not aware of anyone who has any first-hand knowledge of it.