Appraisal?

[Guest Sluczka05]

Hi I'm new here and I have a 1953 2 speed automatic transmission with a torque convertor out of a Packard Caribbean Cruiser and I have no idea what it's worth. I just naught a house and the transmission was in the garage I have no use for it thanks in advance.

[Kimo]

I would suppose it would all depend on the condition of it. Is it in perfect condition that can be dropped into a car today and work just fine for many years, or is it torn up inside? If it was removed from a car then in 99 cases out of a 100 it would be so damaged inside that at the time it was not worth rebuilding and today it may not be worth rebuilding either in terms of being cost effective. To find out, if you are a competent mechanic experienced in working on these old transmissions and if you have all of the necessary tools you could disassemble it and find out, or you could pay more than a few dollars to a qualified mechanic with those skills and tools to do it for you. In any case, more times than not by the time it is all fixed up and ready to install you would wind up paying more in repairs than the resale value for it.

Edited July 6, 2014 by Kimo (see edit history)

[Guest Sluczka05]

There were only 750 of them made in 53' ... I researched and the man who previously owned the home restored pakards as a hobby so he must of held on to it for a reason. If I were to sell it to someone who wanted to restore it what would be a ballpark estimate of what I should sell it for?

[Guest Sluczka05]

This is not just an ordinary transmission it's very rare and I'm looking for some one who's knows a lot about Packard Ultramatic transmissions specifically

[TerryB]

Try posting your question in the Packard section of the forum. You'll get more Packard people looking at it there.

Terry

[Guest Sluczka05]

Ok thanks

[alsancle]

The Caribbean used the same transmission as the standard models. It really isn't anything special or valuable. A 3 speed with overdrive would have some value but not the 2 speed.

[Guest AlCapone]

How do you know it is from a 1953 Packard Caribbean Cruiser ?

Wayne

[Rusty_OToole]

Look here for the real Packard experts and Packard restorers:

http://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb/

Try your question in the General or Post War sections, or run an ad in the For Sale columns. I think there are still 1 or 2 rebuilders who rebuild Packard Ultramatics, they may be interested. If the trans has been sitting around, out of the car, for who knows how long? It will need to be rebuilt, no matter how good it was when taken out of the car.

For more specific advice put in a couple of pictures and give any serial numbers or other markings.

[CarlLaFong]

I think you may feel that you've stumbled onto your early retirement plan. You have not. The transmission may have come from a rare car, but it is just an ordinary Ultramatic. If it is shot, it's worth core value at best, scrap value at worst. If it is clean on the inside, without a bunch of crud in the pan, I suppose someone might gamble and give you 1 or 2 hundred bucks for it. If it can be proven to be usable, maybe more, but as Kimo said, you'll spend more finding out if it is good than it's worth.

[bhambulldog]

Whatever car it goes in, it will need a complete overhaul. that could cost somewhere from $2,000 to $3,000.

It is useful as a core only. I would put the value at $300 or less...