Clipper47

These would be very valuable cars if in the condition you indicate.

According to an article in the Spring 1992 Parkard Cormorant written by Martin Cousineau there were no more than 600 Custom Clipper club sedans made during 1946-47. The total Custom Clipper production was 10,243. I believe there are only about 15 of this model listed in the Packard Club roster. They are rare cars!

If you wait a few months I imagine you could buy the whole Chev Division of GM for $800K.

True Classic cars are rolling art and will hold at least a good proportion of their value through even poor economic times as they always have whereas most of the BJ post war and muscle cars will drop like the proverbial stone if times get bad. I wonder also how many of these cars are being bought with Home Equity loans or second mortgages? If the housing bubble pops and house prices drop when interest rates rise these cars will be dumped like hot potatoes.

This auction reminds me of the 1990's tech bubble. Notel shares were selling for 1500 P/E at $120 and when the bubble popped in 2001 the shares dropped to $0.60 in a matter of weeks. Speculators have once again entered the old car hobby like some did in the late 1980's and eventually most will be burned when the bubble pops. Same thing happened in Holland in the 1600's with tulip bulbs so it's not a new phenomenon. I am just enjoying the show for it's pure entertainment value.

I acn't believe these prices! I sure wish I had bought a warehouse full of tinny old Plymouths back when no one wanted them. The good thing is that while the money is chasing the "muscle car" stuff so they can be put away as investments us older guys can say that we remember owning and driving the bejesus out of these cars back before moving radar and traffic gridlock. I guess if we had been more careful and not wrecked so many there would be more than enough of these cars to go around and the prices would be much, much less today.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Was in not W.C.Fields that said there is sucker born every minute could be wrong... </div></div> I believe it was P.T.Barnum.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> My guess is that it's from a Very Rare '43, and from General Eisenhower's staff car. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> </div></div> You may be on to something. If I owned it I would ship it out to the BarrettJackson auction? If someone will pay $200000 for a 71 Plymouth imagine what an Eisenhower 1943 Packard hood would fetch! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

As I recall as a kid in the 40's and 50's even with a heater old cars didn't have very good heat. The robe rail was to hold a blanket or robe to keep the rear passengers warm since not much heat got back there unless the car had the Packard "Dual Stream" underseat heater . One curious thing is that the 1946-47 Deluxe Eight Packard had a robe rail and the more expensive Super Eight did not. The top of the line Custom also had one.

I like the real "Oldies", Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, Wagner etc. Favourite station is Canadian Broadcasting Corporation FM 2. I especially like "Saturday at the Opera" also available on Minnesota Public Radio. Cecelia Bartoli and Renee Fleming are among my favourite singers.

My best guess is a 1941-42 Clipper. The clue is the chrome strip on the centre line which the 46-47's didn't have otherwise the hoods are identical. The ornament however is the stylized 22-23rd series Goddess of Speed. The 21st series had a chrome apron below the ornament. All 41-42's had the 127" wheelbase longer hood used also on the 46-47 Super Eight/Custom and which is about 7" longer than the 46-47 Six/Eight 120" wheelbase cars. If it is the shorter length hood then the chrome strip was an add on. Confused yet? <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I've had two bad experiences with Champion plugs. I was always a Champion buyer since thye are made in my home town of Windsor but they are the only plugs that I have ever had that simply failed.

My 1947 Super Clipper factory options include, Econo-Drive (overdrive), Electro-matic clutch and possibly the radio and roof mount antenna. The dealer installed options I believe are foglights, underseat heater and defroster/footwarmer (possibly factory also) , chrome licence plate holder, bumper override bars, back-up light. I have a 22nd series cormorant hood ornament and a pair of Trippe Speedlights I want to install also.

Steve, Your good! According to the Kimes book the first Packard with a starter was the 1913 Model 38 which used the Delco starter/generator system. I saw on of these cars on a tour two years ago and it had a starter. When was the last year for the crank hole ?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Hey, didn't you know that if you drive a Vintage car, you're Not supposed to have all those Nansy-Pansy Easy-Living items. You're supposed to endure those hardships and take them in stride. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Stiff upper-lip and all that Rot. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> </div></div> Rahthere! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Kev, Never bothered to worry about it since I just use the car in the summer but thanks for the suggestion. It seems odd that Packard of all companies would not have a knob or lever to adjust heat. As I recall my dads old 48 Ford had a in dash control but could be wrong.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ok here is a topic to spark a little discussion: If you could have changed one thing about how Packard was designed, put together, or something that they should have done to your car, what would it be? Let leave out any company politcal aspects of it. </div></div> Message for Safe-T-Flex. Thanks for your thoughts about the buying preferences of the car buying public in 1947 but that wasn't the question was it? I would still not change one thing about my car except in afterthought it would be nice to be able to control the heat/defrost level from inside the car if I were ever to use it in the winter. For a luxury car to have no heat control except by use of the valve on the cylinder head in 1947 seems a archaic for the period.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">a Hydramatic...! </div></div> Peter, I thought of the Hydramatic on the Clipper as it would have been a better choice than the Electro-matic for sure but since I prefer a manual trans anyway I am not disappointed with Packard for not offering an automatic.

It might help to bolt an extra cable from the engine to the frame to give a better ground. Seems to me the starter may be drawing to much from the battery to leave anything for ignition. Starter should be checked out if the cables are OK and are the right size for 6 volt use. Good luck!

I honestly can't think of one thing that would improve the 1947 Super Clipper with what was available at the time. This was one car that Packard got right! beautiful styling, superb interior , comfortable and roomy, excellent road manners, a silent reliable 9 main bearing engine with overdrive. What more could anyone ask for in 1947?