What year is this Packard conv., 53?

[Ed Luddy]

Saw this poor old girl while rummaging for 68 Impala parts today. Wire wheels and continental kit, some of the roof frame salvagable???

[Ed Luddy]

[58L-Y8]

1954 Packard Caribbean convertible.  Not much left of it.

[Ed Luddy]

Just now, 58L-Y8 said:

1954 Packard Caribbean convertible.  Not much left of it.

Thanks. A real shame to see this. But if there's anything anyone needs off of it I can find out how much. Can't see it being worth much.

[alsancle]

I see no usable parts.   The wheels are reproduced,  but maybe there are hardcore guys that want originals to restore.

[58L-Y8]

Useful parts: The stainless belt-line trim that's unique to the convertible, the continental kit extensions and splash pan.  The rear fender ends are Caribbean-only that were grafted onto the standard rear fenders, the seam are about 24" forward.   The hood is Caribbean specific but looks beyond repair.   top mechanism as well, though the header bow looks pretty badly rusted, the folding arms etc would still be useful.

Edited July 29, 2020 by 58L-Y8
Top mechanism also (see edit history)

[John_Mereness]

All the chrome trim from cowl rearward (fender spears) and stainless on the car (windshield frame) is very wanted by someone restoring one, as well as the top frame and also the sheet metal panel that surrounds the continental spare.   And, on the fluke if it is a standard shift car then people will be all over the transmission, steering column, and linkages.   Friends just bought one in November that had all the chrome, stainless, and a few other parts destroyed in a shop fire - they bought a parts car in the first week of January and now that parts car has been used to finish their car and a 2 more that I am aware of (if not more).   As to the wire wheels - it is cheaper to buy the reproduction than deal with the originals. 

[60FlatTop]

Just thinking about what was there before the restoration started. It looks like 20 to 30 hours of the easiest and cheapest work has been done.

 

I have purchased similar for under $1,000. After you take the time to disassemble to the most granular pieces there is about $3,000 in gross sales over a three year period. Using Ebay to market it would cost about 40%. Maybe 10 bucks a week for the duration.

 

Bolt the major pieces back together and spend two days making what was there shiny, I could see flipping it for $3500- $4000. That's how I have supported my car habit quite often. If it was near I would go up to $1,000 on what's lying there.

 

Never underestimate the rose color in the other guy's glasses.

 

I used to have coffee with my old friend Mike until he passed on. He would call me a crook for prettying up those sow's ears. I always paid for the coffee.

Bernie

[lump]

Wow, uncommon car, for sure! 

[alsancle]

I think I’m spoiled because I’ve been tripping over a complete stainless set for that car for the last 25 years.  I guess non crumpled stainless can always be used.

[60FlatTop]

I think if that car was pulled out and had a thorough inventory and cleaning one would find a better car than the first glance gives. Some well-intentioned restorer fiddled around with a pretty solid looking car.

 

I left a very straight 1955 Packard Caribbean convertible behind with five other cars when I went into the Navy back in '67. The Packard was only about ten years old and all the glass was broken by vandals, couldn't locate a windshield with my resources at the time. I saved the intake and carbs for my Studebaker Golden Hawk. And it all vaporized over the four years I was gone.

 

As a long time car flipper from before the label was created, I see a lot there. I always saw the job as a "value add". Adding what the current owner didn't know how to do- locate a buyer, describe and present the car, and price it so the next owner holds it with much higher regard. It may  not sound like much. Finding a buyer and making a good presentation can be totally baffling to some. Those people, like Mike mentioned above, will always drink the coffee when someone picks up the tab.

I wish the car was within 200 miles of me.

Bernie

[Ed Luddy]

I'll talk to the owner today and ask the price$$. Also I'll take  a closer look at it.

[TAKerry]

Is that a '64 vette beside it?

[8E45E]

It can look like THIS ONE when its restored!  https://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/forum/your-studebaker-forum/stove-huggers-the-non-studebaker-forum/52809-orphan-of-the-day-05-25-1954-packard-caribbean

 

Craig

[John_Mereness]

1 hour ago, 8E45E said:

It can look like THIS ONE when its restored!  https://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/forum/your-studebaker-forum/stove-huggers-the-non-studebaker-forum/52809-orphan-of-the-day-05-25-1954-packard-caribbean

 

Craig

Doubtful, best not to confuse the issue over that this is a parts car - Caribbean's are rather expensive to do and parts supply is not all that good (even if handy, you would still be faced with an overwhelming amount of missing and bad parts).  Good news is that there are a need for parted out Caribbean's. 

[alsancle]

I prefer the looks of the 53 but the 54 brings more money - the opposite of the skylark.  The reason is that the 54 has the big 9 main 359 engine,  while the 53 is running the 7 main 327.  Both have a Packard version of a four barrel carb.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[8E45E]

3 hours ago, John_Mereness said:

Doubtful, best not to confuse the issue over that this is a parts car - Caribbean's are rather expensive to do and parts supply is not all that good (even if handy, you would still be faced with an overwhelming amount of missing and bad parts).  Good news is that there are a need for parted out Caribbean's. 

Oh, anything's restorable!

 

All it takes is plenty of patience and plenty of cash!!!

 

Craig

[60FlatTop]

Possess that car or a similar car in that condition does not reduce all the privileges of ownership of a Packard Caribbean. There is no law that requires a project to be finished. That car could sit in a garage for years with a dedicated budget of $100 in restoration funds for decades and reward the owner with daydreams and plans that far exceed what the pragmatic, wise man would ever realize.

 

In my case I would be very happy with that Packard. I have rented storage space at $120 per month and put one of my running cars in the storage unit to make room for someone's disassembled, abandoned project. I bet I could fart around with that car for a couple of years, enjoy the process, and sell it for enough to cover the storage on the good car.... maybe.

 

Once an old guy with permanent frown lines and a gravely voice asked me why I messed around with those junks. I just smiled and knew he wouldn't get it.

[John_Mereness]

2 minutes ago, 60FlatTop said:

Possess that car or a similar car in that condition does not reduce all the privileges of ownership of a Packard Caribbean. There is no law that requires a project to be finished. That car could sit in a garage for years with a dedicated budget of $100 in restoration funds for decades and reward the owner with daydreams and plans that far exceed what the pragmatic, wise man would ever realize.

 

In my case I would be very happy with that Packard. I have rented storage space at $120 per month and put one of my running cars in the storage unit to make room for someone's disassembled, abandoned project. I bet I could fart around with that car for a couple of years, enjoy the process, and sell it for enough to cover the storage on the good car.... maybe.

 

Once an old guy with permanent frown lines and a gravely voice asked me why I messed around with those junks. I just smiled and knew he wouldn't get it.

You have heard my story on this - I knew a fellow that was "quite the collector of exotic" and he always had a story of working on his Sports Cars, plus Roll-Royce and even a Pierce Arrow.  And of course no one in town had ever seen any of the cars.   Well, when he died I was asked to handle the probate estate and what I found was a bunch of PARTS CARS.   Did he work on them - yes he did everything he said he was doing - he just never finished any of the projects nor could he even make a dent in progress  with them being so rough.  They all had great vintage license plates on them though and the license plate hardware was nice too.   Live in a world of fantasy, but it is pretty pathetic - unfortunately, my story applies to a lot of people spread all over the globe. 

[60FlatTop]

That could be me if I hadn't sold those cars.

 

Patheticalness seems to fade away with an increasing peer group.

 

Rolls-Royce and Pierce-Arrow....... my only hyphenated vehicle is a farm tractor.

 

 

Bernie

[John_Mereness]

22 minutes ago, 60FlatTop said:

That could be me if I hadn't sold those cars.

 

Patheticalness seems to fade away with an increasing peer group.

 

Rolls-Royce and Pierce-Arrow....... my only hyphenated vehicle is a farm tractor.

 

 

Bernie

There are a lot of people that just have whatever they have in "junk" and are quite happy with basically not restorable "junk" and telling everyone how great it is too - I do not understand, but I am not who they are. 

 

By the way, we had a neighbor who filled their exterior pristine hone with newspapers (I guess they wanted something to read or ... ) - until they fell down the steps and started an avalanche of papers that then finished them off. 

 

And, nothing wrong with a farm tractor (I have a neighbor with a great 1950's John Deere and he drives it through the city quite regularly).

[54vicky]

On 7/30/2020 at 8:59 AM, TAKerry said:

Is that a '64 vette beside it?

it is a four door unless prototype I would say no

[8E45E]

On 7/30/2020 at 6:59 AM, TAKerry said:

Is that a '64 vette beside it?

To the passenger side, I see a '76 Pontiac LeMans four door, and to the driver's side, I see a couple of second-generation F-body GM, maybe one of each, a Camaro and a Firebird.

 

Craig

[alsancle]

They only made 400 and change of the 54 with the 359 Motor so its a shame to see one rotting in to the ground.    I think I've told this story before,  but 30 plus years ago as a youngster fresh out of school and flush with cash from no responsibilities I was fixated on buying a 53 Caribbean.   I spent about a year looking all over the place and looking at cars.  I had about 5-10k to spend which would get you a car back then.  Tom Mix (of Packard fame, not movie fame) had been advertising a 53 in Hemmings for at least 5 years.   I wanna say it was around 4-5k was his price.   My dad was friendly with him and one day we drove out to his business Foreign  Motors to see the car.   We did some small talk in the office and then Tom told us the car was out back to lets go take walk.   So we are out in the yard wandering around while Tom and my dad are telling war stories.   Eventually we had sort of settled in one spot and my dad asked Tom where the car was?   Tom said, you are standing next to it.   I think what was there was the remnants of a 53 Caribbean,  but it wasn't as nice as the car we are talking about in this thread.   That explained why Tom had not sold it in 5 years.  My dad and I still chuckle about that story.

 

The Packard urge left and I ended up buying a GT500 Shelby instead and went on a musclecar binge.   But my dad has had a bunch of 53's and at least one 54 in the last 50 years so we have a lot of experience with them.  Really nice cars in all ways, but there is a noticeable power boost with the 54 over the 53.

 

 

[Ed Luddy]

Just an old Firebird beside and a 73 LeMans that I needed a carb inlet fitting from.

This is in a salvage yard. The final resting spot for my 1966 Cadillac DeVille convertible.

[John_Mereness]

2 hours ago, alsancle said:

 

 

I have looked at a couple of them recently mostly 53's, but one 54 - I want to restore one as a project to occupy time, but I am frying other fish at moment (and suspect for a good long while) and want it within reason of a couple of weeks and weekends to be somewhat usable even if usable to just an undependable drive around the block (aka do not want a long term boat anchor of a car) and I am NOT a fan of rust. 

[60FlatTop]

I sure wish that Packard pile was closer. I told my wife about it at lunch yesterday. She said I would end up selling it like I did all the other junk I had.

Would that be pessimism about me buying junk or optimism about me selling it.

 

So I asked "How was your lunch?" She nodded "Good". "It is from the fruit of my fruitless pursuits". My avocation.