For Sale: 1948 Packard Convertible - $12,500 (Fullerton, CA)

[classiclines]

Not Mine - project - does the windshield look stock? 

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/ctd/d/fullerton-1948-packard-convertible/7532272400.html

1948 Packard Super 8 Victoria convertible. Straight 8, 3 speed. Runs and drives, needs to be restored. Clean CA title with current tags. CA dealer, Price does not include sales tax, DMV fees or Doc fees for CA buyers.

(more pics in ad)

Edited September 17, 2022 by classiclines
additional details (see edit history)

[alsancle]

Stock.  Small engine.

[K8096]

It’s got the 327, the middle sized engine.   The 3 engines available were 288, 327, & 356.  I don’t think the convertible was available with the 288.  Nice car for the money.   

Edited September 10, 2022 by K8096 (see edit history)

[Hans1965]

Thats a steal !!!!

[Brooklyn Beer]

Like it.  What is missing from the exterior trim as it sure does look pretty plain ?

[bryankazmer]

That's the correct side trim for a 22nd series Super 8.  The Custom 8 had two lower stainless bands, maybe that's what you're thinking of.

[Hans1965]

Hard to believe it hasn't sold yet. Love it. 

[Hans1965]

I had emailed the seller and he sent me a YouTube link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4eqZjQF0uM&t=8s

 

So the car is driveable. Okay, it is not the highly sought after line, but this seems to be a very nice project. 

Any idea why it is not selling? 

 

[auburnseeker]

2 reasons it's not selling.  

1- This style Packard is about the least desirable.  Some people don't care for the styling at all and they greatly outnumber the people that do by a vast majority.  Just look at the cars on the market,  not even counting convertibles.  They just don't seem to sell well.

 

2- It needs a new interior.  Done right in many parts of the country and I wouldn't be surprised if it would cost atleast 10 grand.   

 

Actually 3.  It's in CA,  so anyone on the East coast would fork over another 4 to 5 grand just to get it.  

 

For Comparison there was that really nice 51 Olds Convertible with nice paint , interior, and chrome in CA as well.  I think that was 23G?  So for 23 G which would most buyers take,  that yellow with a red interior 51 olds convertible,  or this car with a new interior. (but you still have to get the interior done and hope you can do it for 10 G. )

 

Not saying there is anything wrong with this car,  it's just in competition with several other convertibles from the 40's to early 50's era.  I bet there are very few buyers actually looking for a Packard Convert like this.  Most likely buyer's are someone with 10-20G to spend on an old car and they have a loose set of perimeters to guide them.  Number one is going to be overall looks of the car.  This is more visually challenging than alot of other cars from the era.  

 

[alsancle]

13 minutes ago, auburnseeker said:

2 reasons it's not selling.  

1- This style Packard is about the least desirable.  Some people don't care for the styling at all and they greatly outnumber the people that do by a vast majority.  Just look at the cars on the market,  not even counting convertibles.  They just don't seem to sell well.

 

2- It needs a new interior.  Done right in many parts of the country and I wouldn't be surprised if it would cost atleast 10 grand.   

 

Actually 3.  It's in CA,  so anyone on the East coast would fork over another 4 to 5 grand just to get it.  

 

For Comparison there was that really nice 51 Olds Convertible with nice paint , interior, and chrome in CA as well.  I think that was 23G?  So for 23 G which would most buyers take,  that yellow with a red interior 51 olds convertible,  or this car with a new interior. (but you still have to get the interior done and hope you can do it for 10 G. )

 

Not saying there is anything wrong with this car,  it's just in competition with several other convertibles from the 40's to early 50's era.  I bet there are very few buyers actually looking for a Packard Convert like this.  Most likely buyer's are someone with 10-20G to spend on an old car and they have a loose set of perimeters to guide them.  Number one is going to be overall looks of the car.  This is more visually challenging than alot of other cars from the era.  

 

 

The California thing cuts both ways.  A real California car is worth twice a North East any day of the week,  at least for me.    Have a buddy with the Custom Eight which is the big boy - longer hood I believe - and they are probably the most desirable American car in 1948 to me.   Not fair to compare styling of cars even a few years later.

 

Although I will never understand why Packard went away from the Clipper...

[auburnseeker]

I agree a genuine CA car is usually a bonus,  though surprisingly there are alot of cars,  either west coast transplants or summer cars in the Northeast that can rival many of the CA finds.  Just a matter of finding which estate they were tucked away on.  Big difference is that transport cost,  especially on cars under 20 G.  Plus you can't lay eyes easily on a west coast car if you are in the east so that will roll back a number of potential buyers.  I have no problem buying site unseen as long as the photos are good enough.   For me I fall in the camp of if I had the money to spend and buy this car is it what I would buy.  I come back to no every time.  Probably not completely fair though as I like cars from the 20's-mid 60's so it has ALOT of competition for buyers like me and my money.  The next owner is going to have to love this car and I think it's going to be hard to find him.  Of course unless price reduces enough that some flipper comes along,  but again they don't want to get stuck with a car that has a real narrow market. 

[Hans1965]

I really like the exterior styling of this car, although the dash board is boring. 

The CA heritage is a big plus to me as well and if it comes from the east or the west coast is 1000 USD difference in shipping costs to me. That's money, of course, but not a deal breaker. To buy sight unseen is normal for me. 

 

A convertible at this price with little issues, wow! And it is a Packard! Not the big one though. Here in Europe nobody knows anyway. 

 

I am tempted. Would look nice next to my 49 Buick Super convertible.

[Hans1965]

But interiors are costly, no doubt. Total cost is in the 20s. 

 

But are there so many end of 40s, early 50s convertibles for sale in this price range? 

Edited September 15, 2022 by Hans1965 (see edit history)

[alsancle]

1 hour ago, Hans1965 said:

But interiors are costly, no doubt. Total cost is in the 20s. 

 

But are there so many end of 40s, early 50s convertibles for sale in this price range? 

 

Probably not with a straight eight.   The lower priced 6 banger cars, yes.

[classiclines]

In my opinion, this car only makes sense with the right 'inexpensive' donor/parts car.  Once in my life, I found the "perfect" parts car that had everything I needed, but, because it didn't run, it came cheap.  In 10 minutes, I found these two '48 Super 8 convertibles for sale  - as a target for how much you can spend before it makes sense to chase something else...

1948 Packard Super 8 Convertible --- $35,950 --- Villa Park, Illinois (so NOT California)

https://classics.autotrader.com/classic-cars/1948/packard/super_8/101744851

and

1948 Packard Super Eight Victoria Convertible --- $39,995 --- St. James,  NY (also NOT California)

https://www.webeautos.com/details-1948-packard-super_eight-victoria-used-22798036.html

 

So, if this posted car is 12,500 and a 'better driver-quality' car that needs much less work is 37,500 average - then you have 25,000 to spend to get this posted car into roughly the shape of the available alternatives (and they are Super 8's) --- is it possible?   Well, I didn't find a good donor in the same 10 minutes...

 

 

 

[Terry Y]

On 9/11/2022 at 4:27 PM, Hans1965 said:

Hard to believe it hasn't sold yet. Love it. 

Hans, are you coming to the USA for Hershey this year ?  The show is wonderful, but I think you would love the car corral !! 

 Terry  

[Hans1965]

'Classiclines', I get your point.

Edited September 15, 2022 by Hans1965 (see edit history)

[Hans1965]

5 minutes ago, Terry Y said:

On 9/11/2022 at 10:27 PM, Hans1965 said:

Hard to believe it hasn't sold yet. Love it. 

Hans, are you coming to the USA for Hershey this year ?  The show is wonderful, but I think you would love the car corral !! 

 Terry  

Terry, we are really considering! I am next week in the US for business reasons and need to go back to Germany. But Hershey is a dream of me, one of the things I need to do in my life. So maybe we come over more or less spontaneously. My brother would join us as well. Let's see!

Edited September 15, 2022 by Hans1965 (see edit history)

[kingrudy]

Yup, it's a convertible but as has already been pointed out. This has got to be one of the least desirable convertibles (stylewise) IMO. 

[Bloo]

[Hans1965]

I hear you all, call me weird, but to me this car is very attractive and elegant. Same league as my 49 Buick Super convertible. Just because it is not overloaded with trim and chrome and the lines are very easy to the eye. My eyes only it looks like! 😂

[bryankazmer]

The independents' postwar designs not only came out before the big guys', they were more streamlined.  I think this convertible does not have the closed cars' proportion issue caused by reusing the Clipper main stamping.  The 48 Packard won a styling award at Monte Carlo. The design has not aged as well as some others, but it was very much in tune with its time. 

 

 

[Steve_Mack_CT]

I have seen some pretty nice examples although I like the 51 design much better for postwar.  We really wanted anothet prewar Packard, but the 51 style, in a convertible was an alternate.

 

To Bryan's point, more conservative than the bathtub cars but also an award winning design.

 

This car is still a solid, Open Packard.  Buyer may be a Packard club member more so than a more open minded buyer like Randy describes.  That's where I would go first, along with Packard info.com to advertise this one.

[Hans1965]

You guys have one big advantage. I have never seen these cars in real life. I can only judge on the design by watching pictures. Your experience is different. 

[Hans1965]

Seems to be sold. Sh...