Yellow Packard question

[alsfarms]

Does anyone reading here know of or recognize the yellow Packard in the attached picture? After comments, I will share my thoughts as this automobile is offered for sale.

Al

Edited April 4, 2023 by alsfarms
spelling (see edit history)

[Century Eight]

Never saw it but it’s big enough to hold several bodies 

[keiser31]

Photo does not open on my computer.

[West Peterson]

Picture doesn't open for me, either

[alsfarms]

I will give this Yellow Packard Picture another try loading a different way. Please let me know if this picture loads for you both and any others who may have trouble.......

Al

 

Edited April 4, 2023 by alsfarms
clarity (see edit history)

[alsancle]

I cant unsee it

[alsfarms]

hmmm honey bee or wasp for sure.  Do you know the car or of the car.  I am suspicious....

Al

[John Bloom]

I remember looking at this car online approximately three years ago. I can’t remember any of the details other than the asking price was fairly low for this make and model. No doubt the color choice plays into the pricing from my memory three years ago.

[alsfarms]

Ok, here is the deal. I was just perusing the internet looking at late 1920's Packards and others. (it is snowing outside). I ran across a website "TROVIT" that had a significant list of Packards as well as other cars for sale.  OK, thought I, I would test the water on one of these bargain priced automobiles.....just to see what the validity of the ad would be. The Yellow car, shown above, at this time was shown to be from Nevada City California, Just over the hump west of Reno. I did get a response, that very quickly directed me on how to make the purchase quick and easy.  I am old school, and generally don't just jump in water not knowing how deep, how dirty or what else is floating around in the cesspool, (I suspected a foul scammer). I asked a few very telling questions, none of which were answered but did learn that the car car is now located in a small town in north east Montana, not California, not Florida or any where else the stolen identity of this car has been used in an attempt to scam money from antique automobile enthusiasts. I have probably been cussed in the past for proceeding slowly, the old school way, and it bothers me that our Intenet has almost turned into a cesspool where we have to watch, figuratively,every step we take. No more rant from me on this subject, I just encourage any of us, if we find ourself in a position to to stop this flagrant foul business method of scammers....stand up and do what you can.

Al

[alsfarms]

Thanks to the AACA for creating this forum arena that, by in large, is likely one of the safest and most comfortable ways to communicate with one another on a wide variety of subjects, information, buy, sell, trade and etc. Thanks....Thanks...Thanks.

Al

Edited April 4, 2023 by alsfarms
clarity (see edit history)

[keiser31]

I can see it now.

[Paul Dobbin]

The yellow is attention getting, but could be changed if you don't seek attention or like parades.   I like the shape of the big Packards of that vintage.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

My initial thought, gee we have a yellow Packard.

 

Seller of the subject car "that's not a yellow Packard.  THIS is a yellow Packard." 😁

 

As said before, I like yellow on certain prewar cars and even some later cars, looks great on a TR-6 or a C-2, C-3 vette.  But it is also easy to go terribly wrong...

[West Peterson]

Al

I think you should trust your instincts. Sounds like a scam to me.

One more question you could ask/state: "I've got a friend that doesn't live too far away. I'd like them to take a look at it for me." Usually they quickly think of another reason as to why it cannot be seen.

If they won't give you a phone number, another sign of scam.

[alsfarms]

Hello West,

Thanks for your contribution to this conversation. Yes, when the original ad suggested a northern California town. I suggested that I have a trusted friend in that area who would be my eyes for a personal visit. I also used a wrong Model number to see if the person would correct me. I asked for very specific information that could only come from a picture of a title and picture of the serial tag. No response to any of that. Yes, buyer beware, as it seems there are lots of folks who would like to separate us from our money. Sadly, those scammers are hard to catch and have their day of reconciliation in court or jail.

Al

[28 Chrysler]

Well at least  you didn't get stung.

[alsfarms]

You are right, I could smell "fish" right from the start.  I would sure like to have someone recognize the Yellow Packard and go after the scammer from that stand point.

Al

[Bloo]

It probably wouldn't work. The most likely scenario is the scammer has no connection to the car, only pictures, probably saved from previous ads.

 

[alsfarms]

I agree, however, If I had an automobile that has been pirated and used in a scam.  At least I would go after the sponsoring web site and have them do a better job monitoring the advertisers. Ethics....where are they?

Al

[1937hd45]

Free yellow paint should be donated to playground equipment maintenace. 

[alsfarms]

Maybe if the Hood doors were chrome plated that would add just a bit to accent the yellow.

Al

[Bloo]

28 minutes ago, alsfarms said:

I agree, however, If I had an automobile that has been pirated and used in a scam.  At least I would go after the sponsoring web site and have them do a better job monitoring the advertisers. Ethics....where are they?

Al

 

The owner probably has no idea. You may have noticed a lot of folks on this forum still don't grasp how these scams (and similar scams for parts on the forum) work, despite all the threads about it, warnings in red at the top of the forum page by Peter, etc.

 

I worked in IT for a few years and am extremely skeptical and cynical about things like this, but sometimes I still don't see these things for what they are. I bought the Pontiac I post about all the time on Craigslist. The former owner was a great guy but not so good at Craigslist. I can't complain too much as I have also been guilty of being lousy at Craigslist. The car was listed on 3 or 4 other sites with the same pictures, including one that mainly deals with international buyers and sellers. I downloaded and saved all the ads complete because it was my car. I assumed the former owner had put all those up and then just never went back and took them down after he sold the car. In fact that might be the case. He wasn't great with technology. A more likely explanation is that they were all scams, and the scammers scraped his pictures from Craigslist.

 

Most former owners probably don't usually go around looking for their previous old cars online. They probably don't know. Current owners might not be looking either, and may only tumble to it when someone else tells them their car is listed and asks about it. If I remember correctly @Matt Harwood has seen his pictures scraped and used in scams, and has gone after the website hosting the ads. I believe this happened more than once. One potential issue is that the entire offending website could in some cases be a scam. Others on this forum have discovered cars they own are "for sale" after being notified by eagle eyed forum members.

 

The simple answer is that most current and former owners don't realize it is happening.

 

[alsfarms]

Nice observation. I guess that is why this AACA forum area at least keeps some of us in the proper information loop when it comes to buying and selling. We all tend to watch our for each other. That is good.

Al

[Ed Luddy]

I recently found my 1968 Pontiac Grande Parisienne listed by a scammer. I didn't get a response but flagged the ad as false and it was deleted soon after.

[alsfarms]

Hello Ed, Thanks for your response and action when you noticed a fraudulent ad on the internet regarding your Pontiac.

Al

[1935Packard]

A good reminder that, in a world with thousands of pictures of old cars available on the web, it is trivially easy to be at an Internet cafe in some random country and create fake ads just to see who in the United States might wire you money b/c they think they're getting a great deal.  Especially so if the advertisement is free.

[prewarnut]

A tip I would pass along: on any item I am interested in (especially famous auction sites) I try to ask for an additional innocuous photo of something I know that only the owner or possessor would be able to access (e.g. top of the door frame with door open, underside of gas tank, inside drawer or cabinet of an antique chest, hallmark under a silver item, escape hatch handle from the Gemini capsule door....stuff like that).

[TAKerry]

Whats with Montana?  A couple of years ago I was looking for a pickup truck. Ad too good to be true. From Wilm DE, about 20 minutes from my house. When I asked if I could stop by and look at it the response was that they were in the process of moving and the truck was already in Montana, BUT they could ship it to me and I didnt have to pay until it showed up at my drive?  I called them out, the ad disappeared, then about a week later  popped up in a VA cl ad. Everything the same but the wilm address.

 

As for the pictures, I am sure many on here may be aware (the computer geeks) but I have been told one can click on a picture and the origin will show up. A reverse image search?

 

There have been some guys on another forum I go on that have seen their trans ams for sale!!!

[Ed Luddy]

3 hours ago, alsfarms said:

Hello Ed, Thanks for your response and action when you noticed a fraudulent ad on the internet regarding your Pontiac.

Al

You're welcome. Poor grammar, vague details, unable to answer basic old car guy questions and usual B.S. means its a fake.

[Bryan G]

We use a program quite a bit at work, that takes screenshots of anything you please. The generated images are great, and I would think they would "wash" any information in the background pertaining to the image they are copying. But I could be wrong. It does feel like you're being violated, when you see a photo you took being used by another. Perhaps 10-15 years ago I scanned an old photo of mine from the 90s and posted it to a website, just sharing. Not exactly car related, though it does show a parking lot and I wouldn't be surprised if it showed up as a photo of the day on Hemmings.com! Anyway, I've seen that photo pop up in various places without, of course, any credit. I think the site I placed it on is defunct. Point, I guess, is you lose all ownership in those cases. Doesn't feel good sometimes.

 

Periodically, when bored, I'll Google some of my old cars. One shows up in an ad on some really obscure site. Knowing all I know...I still don't know if it's legit or not! It could just be a poorly done ad, as no doubt some folks just don't have the knack for selling a car. 

[brasscarguy]

My solution to a possible scam is to request a current photo with that days newspaper showing. and the seller in the photo. 

 

just sayin 

brasscarguy

[1935Packard]

Another easy rule of thumb: If the seller claims the car isn't located where the ad says it is located, take the hint and move on.  I mean, it's an ad for a car: It's not like you would accidentally not know where the car is when the ad is placed.  And if you're running a scam, you'd try different locations to entice different potential buyers; the scam only works if you say it's nearby in the ad (drawing in the inquiry) but then it's far away on inquiry (so the inquirer can't see the car).

[Dandy Dave]

16 hours ago, Steve_Mack_CT said:

My initial thought, gee we have a yellow Packard.

 

Seller of the subject car "that's not a yellow Packard.  THIS is a yellow Packard." 😁

 

As said before, I like yellow on certain prewar cars and even some later cars, looks great on a TR-6 or a C-2, C-3 vette.  But it is also easy to go terribly wrong...

Yellow always looks good on a Mercer Race about. When someone says a yellow car... That is my go to automobile locked in my brain. Guess I suffer from BECS. (Brass era car syndrome.) 🙃 

[alsancle]

20 minutes ago, Dandy Dave said:

Yellow always looks good on a Mercer Race about. When someone says a yellow car... That is my go to automobile locked in my brain. Guess I suffer from BECS. (Brass era car syndrome.) 🙃 

 

The subject car with black wheels and black tires would actually be fine.   But I can't let the chance at a good one liner pass by.

 

Back circa 1978 I was sitting on my front porch.  We lived right next door to the HS so all through the 70s we were serenaded by the sound of kids doing donuts.   Anyways,  this 1971 (I could tell by the color coded wheels)  SS396 that was Yellow with black wheels and black rally stripes went rumbling through.   Made a huge impression on a 12 year old kid.

 

[TAKerry]

I think of 'The Yellow Rolls Royce'.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Now that Al is kind of set on scam I guess we can go even further off track...  my Mimosa 73 TR-6 owned 87 - 92.  When I first got this car the plan was a color change, but after living with it I think it is ideal for this car. 

On my other comment about misses though, very early TR-6 models could be had in more of a primrose shade, and 75, 76 could have had more of a mustard or schoolbus shade.  Both misses, IMHO.

One of maybe 2 or 3 cars I do wish I still had.

[alsancle]

1 hour ago, Steve_Mack_CT said:

Now that Al is kind of set on scam I guess we can go even further off track...  my Mimosa 73 TR-6 owned 87 - 92.  When I first got this car the plan was a color change, but after living with it I think it is ideal for this car. 

On my other comment about misses though, very early TR-6 models could be had in more of a primrose shade, and 75, 76 could have had more of a mustard or schoolbus shade.  Both misses, IMHO.

One of maybe 2 or 3 cars I do wish I still had.

Steve, Did that thing squat in the ass end?

[alsfarms]

I won't answer for Steve, however I will add an observation. My kid brother runs in a British group, MG midget, B all kinds of Triumph and any of his buddies that came around with TR-6 tended to be a bit squatty in the back side. They were engineered nice and gripped the road very good. My only dive into the world of British is with a couple of Alvis, one is a TA-14 DHC and a TA-21. 

Al

Edited April 5, 2023 by alsfarms
Spelling (see edit history)

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Only a little guys, I saw much worse with friends cars.  I will say we drove this car all over New England, no Lucas issues at all.  I would call it an average to slightly above average driver when I owned it, next guy spent a lot of money on a pretty thorough restoration.  I know he did the engine and trans, not sure about IRS.

[alsfarms]

Guess what, the yellow Packard owner (at least on a website) has chosen to respond to my direct questions one of which was a picture of the serial plate. His response contained no picture but he did post a serial number which is:167783. Now for the Packard guys among us, does that provided number call out a 1929 Packard 640? I will be awful surprised if it does.

Al