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[Guest]

I have been looking into classic restoration for quite some time, and I happened to come across a 55 Packard Clipper Super, and was wondering before buying what are the problem areas to look for, and how much should I be looking to spend on a decent not too much rusted Packard? The engine was just rebuilt, and it seems to run fine, but what are some other concerns I should be looking for. I havent bought it yet, and the owner says he has a clear title, so I was just looking for any help I could get. Thanks, Deriek

[RO]

OK, factors to consider are how long has the car been sitting.....if for years, even many months, check out the gas tank for rust and other collected crud inside that are most suseptible to plugging pickup tubes. Try to get actual papers of what was rebuilt on the engine, e.g., did they do beyond valves and topside stuff...did they replace the ROD and MAIN bearings? Ask about the OIL PUMP. The oil pump is inside the oil pan and if you do a search on this site for the topic, you will see a string of discussions about the Packard oil pump. From my personal experience and knowing that of some others, more seem to have had problems with the 56 model than the '55. The Super Clipper make come with the Torsion Level motor. Check it out for operation. The power brake system. Check the Treadlvac unit very well for operation because rebuilds are $200 as the same for oil pumps. Make sure the transmission enages in all gears. Check the fluid for fullness and the color. Another thing, not that it should stop you from acquiring the car, but some instances have occurred of the parking gear pawl breaking and the result is no parking gear. If you could, I would HIGHLY encourage hooking up an oil pressure gauge to confirm the oil pressure, particularly if the rebuild papers show no work on bearings. Not trying to scare you away, but I got stung last time I bought a Packard with an engine supposedly rebuilt. Just need to get the proof and the particulars.

[6219_Rules]

Excellent post, Brian. I think you covered it totally. When I bought my 1947 Cadillac, I knew what I was looking for, but nothing about the car or its generation. So I used the best sources I could, and checked the car out by driving 600 miles to see it. I recognized that the car was whole, if not in perfect shape. My rule of thumb is that it will take generally $3000.00 above the price in getting a car up to safe reliability. Now the Cadillac took more than that, but it was mostly cosmetic. Mechanically the car was sound. I paid $4500 for the car, and another $5000 to get it into good shape for use. I suspect I have another $7000 to go including rebuilding an engine for reliability, and painting it. Maybe not show quality but certainly a #2. It all takes money. I was lucky because the car was well cared for and had very low use miles.

Good luck in your search. I hope all goes well with it.