Rare 1948 Packard Eight Club Sedan!

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Last week we covered this 1954 Packard convertible and that subject seemed of interest to many so today, we’re going to take a look at a 1948 Packard Eight Club Sedan. The question here is whether this car is a Super Eight or a Deluxe Eight Club Sedan – the seller doesn’t state that and there are no distinguishing exterior details. Since that’s the case, let’s look it over and see if we can make a positive ID. This Packard is located in Troutman, North Carolina and is available, here on craigslist for $10,000.

Based on the trim, those parts that aren’t missing, I can tell that this is not a base Packard Eight; the existence of the roofline stainless trim negates that possibility. Both the Super Eight and Deluxe Eight ride on a 120″ wheelbase so there isn’t an immediate size visual to clue you in on the model designation. The seller claims that this Packard is one of 600 produced but doesn’t elaborate as to the how or the why of that claim. It’s listed as being 80% complete so let’s see if that’s really the case.

First up, either this seller has the best window cleaner known to mankind or all of the glass in this car is missing – note how the reveal molding is undone and there is absolutely no glare reflecting back. The finish looks OK but the bumpers and grille appear to be painted silver. The rocker panel trim, which all three Packard Club Sedans wear, is missing, as are the windshield wipers. Also, the passenger side rear bumper guard is gone as are the door lock cylinders. Are we missing 20% of this Packard yet? Not sure, let’s look further.

A Packard Super Eight came with a 145 HP, 327 CI in-line, flathead eight-cylinder engine while the more proletarian models employed a similar but smaller 130 HP, 288 CI in-line motor. As to which one is here, I’m not certain but I know we have some Packard specialists among our readership so any input on that front would be appreciated. This three-speed manual transmission-equipped Club Sedan is claimed to run and drive but I can see that at least the fan belt is missing and it looks like the carburetor is covered over. Oh, and I couldn’t help but notice that the radiator looks like it’s perched up front where the passenger side of the bench seat is supposed to be.

Speaking of the passenger seat, it looks like it’s picked clean, it’s just springs now. It’s hard to tell much more about the rest of the interior though there is what looks like dash trim that is missing from the base of the windshield. It’s the same thing with the A-pillar trim and perhaps the headliner too. Are we now at 20% incomplete? I’m thinking that we’re beyond that but it could be that fuzzy math. Then again that estimate might include all the stuff in the passenger compartment and trunk, you know, it’s present, just not exactly where it’s supposed to be.

Packards are always great finds but the 80% complete line seems like a stretch. I’m not saying that this car is a pig in a poke but there’s less here than meets the eye in terms of it being good to go. Packard or not, ten grand seems a bit rich to me, how about you?

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Comments

  1. JACKinNWPA JACKinNWPAMember

    Ten G’s seems a bit rich however you can always go down much easier than raising your price. Either way look at that profile! What a sweet 50’s style kustom that could come from that. That would also make finding the missing original bits less important.

    Like 10
  2. Rex Kahrs Rex KahrsMember

    Well the 5MPH bumpers of ’74 have got nothing on the battering rams of this baby.

    Like 11
    • Steve Clinton

      It might look like it’s strong, but when hit these bumpers would fold like a cheap suit.

      Like 0
      • Howard A Howard AMember

        Oh no they wouldn’t. When removed, the front end would come up 3 inches, they were truly the original “5 mph” bumper. The “crumple” zones came later, as here, it was deemed, heavier was safer.

        Like 1
  3. Bob C.

    Those big Packard straight eights certainly packed a lot of horses for the time.

    Like 2
  4. Bultaco

    Probably not worth a concours restoration as this generation of Packards aren’t super rare. If the body is solid, it would make a great candidate for a modern drivetrain while keeping the appearance stock. (No silly Foose wheels or cheesy steering wheel!). The styling of this coupe is really beautiful.

    Like 19
  5. OIL SLICK

    no title

    Like 0
  6. Johnny C.

    Though a little pricey, this beauty has a ton of potential. From the pics, it looks like the body work and paint is done… That’s $10 gs right there. If the engine is in good condition, it certainly will move this tank down the highway no problem, as they had gobs of torque, and would merit retention… Definitely a nice project awaits the next care-taker.

    Like 2
  7. Steve Clinton

    Much nicer looking than the 1950 Nash Statesman Super posted today!

    Like 0
  8. KurtMember

    Good project, rather have a rag top version of same car.

    Like 1
  9. Mountainwoodie

    It is equipped with the extremely rare windscreen air conditioning system which gives you the benefit of open air motoring while a roof keeps your hair from getting wet…………(eye roll)

    As the ’50 Ultramatic was my first car I have a soft spot for these bathtub Packards..and always thought these fastbacks along with the Buick and Chevy were cool….but…but…taking in someone else’s neglected project seems a too high hill to climb. Interesting that there are so many neglected projects sitting around in the countryside. Find one that done

    Like 3
    • Howard A Howard AMember

      Hi Mw, while my interest in BF’s is waning, posts like this will always garner a comment. I got a chuckle out of your “A/C” remark, but not too far from the truth. Packard had an adequate fresh air system ( a hose drew fresh air from behind the grill), and it was, like most then, a “2/50” system. Roll down the 2 windows and go 50 mph. 2 doors were very rare, fact is, in all my postwar Packard connections, I only saw one in a junkyard, it was “Uncle Louies car”, according to the eccentric yard owner, and no parts. Just as well, I already had 3, 4 door parts cars already. 2 were bought for $350 just to get the visor.
      The dash Bill mentions was more than just brown paint, it was painted as a replica of a wood dash, not an applique, and probably a lost art today. This car does not have the electro-matic clutch, and would be a vacuum apparatus on the left side of the motor. My grandfathers ’48 Custom 8 had that. A complicated deal, that sucked the clutch pedal down when releasing the throttle, and from what my dad said, worked rather well. Like the Nash, streamlining was leftover from the 30’s, and with bigger motors coming, that wasn’t an issue, fast forward 40 years,,,guess what’s popular again? Great cars, I don’t know what it’s worth, considering, we had maybe a grand in all 4 cars in 1980. I had enough spare parts to almost make the “good” one complete, and a $500 paint job,,,well, you can see why I might be a bit disgruntled. This Kanter has everything mechanical, some NOS body parts could be a problem, and when done, it will “roll like thunder”, and yes, you CAN balance a nickel on the head while running, I tried it. Me, you, and Bill, and others that had these, know full well, Packard was still all it was meant to be. “Ask the PERSON that owned one”. ( updated for practical purposes)

      Like 4
      • KurtMember

        My 23rd series was a HUGE car, had to cut a chunk out of my work bench just to fit the car in my garage. Tended to run hot, even after cleaning out the radiator and replacing the water pump.

        Like 1
      • Mountainwoodie

        Yo HoA- listen….
        .BF wouldn’t be the same without the experience and knowledge of folks like you and geomechs, Bill Mccoskey and other,. Me, I have plenty of opinions (lol) and experience but I choose in the main to chime in when a random thought just wont stay in my head :) and try not to make it confrontational. Plenty of other places to do that. Plus, you get to a certain age no matter the importance of the issue at hand, I for one just dont give a hoot if someone thinks differently than me, They’re wrong. I’m right. Why belabor the point :)

        As we all have found out BF triggers something visceral in our memories. Cars we’ve had.Like sitting around the garage and shooting the bull, we put in put our two cents worth. So dont be a stranger jess cause.

        I wish I could post the polaroid shot of my 50 Ultramatic. I might have back in the beginning of BF. Anyway needless to say I wish the story had turned out differently with the car but that’s what fifty years will do to you. :)

        Like 2
      • Stevieg

        I concur with Mountainwoodie! HowardA, Geomechs, Bill Mccoskey Leiniedude, & Mountainwoodie too have all taught me things I either didn’t know or I forgot. I would hate for any of you ol’ fellers to leave this group. After being gone for a year, I looked forward to coming back & learning more from you all. So as your interest in Barn Finds dies down Howard, please keep in mind that you, amongst others, are valued and appreciated here.

        Like 0
  10. Gerard Frederick

    A real beauty. It will however require very deep pockets because of the trim items missing, if indeed one can find the missing stuff in the first place. For a Packard fan, this is a promising project, at least I think so.

    Like 1
  11. jmg

    Price about double what it should be.

    Like 2
  12. Bill McCoskey Bill McCoskeyMember

    I’ve owned dozens of 1948-50 Packards, even convertibles. This car is the base line Packard Standard Eight Club sedan. Seller says it’s a “special” version, nothing special about it. The easy way to identify it would be the VIN, but it’s not listed. If it is a base car called the Standard 8, the first 4 digits should be 2295. If it is a Deluxe 8 Club Sedan, those numbers would be 2265. A Super 8 Club sedan would be 2275 [a rare car].

    However because all the dash parts that were typically chrome plated are painted brown, this indicates a very early base 2295. The belt line on the Standard and Deluxe cars ends at the front edge of the doors. Super 8 and Custom 8 had the trim continue to the wiper bases. The body holes for those 2 pieces of chrome trim are not there. That said, the 4 pieces of stainless trim above the side windows were not on the 2295 cars. Plus, the beltline trim continues on the trunk lid, and that suggests a 2265.

    So I believe this is a marriage of 2 cars, both 22nd series, a 2295 and a 2265. Without knowing the VIN, there really isn’t a way to know what type of 22nd series this car is. It’s rare, but realistic price is less than half of what the seller asks.

    Like 17
    • Jim ODonnellAuthor

      Appreciate your insight Bill, I was hoping that you would comment.

      JO

      Like 3
    • Bill McCoskey Bill McCoskeyMember

      Update to above:
      I contacted the owner, and he reported the first 4 digits of the serial number are 2265. It’s a Deluxe 8 Club Sedan. He also says he’s got 3 more Packards for sale, something about needing to pare down the collection a bit. He’s got a 1947 Clipper, another 1948 sedan, and a 1950 with Ultramatic Drive.

      I should also mention over the last 50 or so years I’ve owned a 1947 Clipper Super Eight Club Sedan [Bought it from the original owner, garage kept.], and a 1948 Packard Custom Super Eight Club Sedan. The Custom Super Eight cars had an interesting headliner, as the ribs went front to back, making the interior look much longer!

      When I used to take either car out for drives or to local shows, the fastback body design always got attention. People either can’t stand it, usually because of the limited rear views, but most people loved the fastback all the way from the top of the windshield to the top of the rear bumper.

      Like 3
  13. Jeff

    I must have one of the other 600 cause I have one ,,,looks exactly like this one and a club coup,,,repainted it a few yrs ago ,,black and charcoal,,straight 8— 3 speed rides like a dream but sucks gas like you wouldn’t believe.. My parents bought it new cause after the war it was very hard to buy cars

    Like 3
  14. GCSMember

    Such great lines. I’d love to know what it weighs. It looks so beefy. I hope it gets a good home.

    Like 1
  15. Moparwrangler

    Anybody else notice the daylight, and subsequent ground in the rear trunk floor and drivers 1/4?

    Like 0
    • Bill McCoskey Bill McCoskeyMember

      Yes, trunk floor needs work, but as the trunk floor is the same on the sedan, rust free examples can be sourced out west. Same with the forward cabin floor sections as well.

      Like 1

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