BF Auction: 1951 Packard Patrician 400

Asking: $2,500Make Offer

  • Seller: Paul M enta
  • Location: Key West, Florida
  • Mileage: 1000 Shown
  • Chassis #: 24525320
  • Title Status: Clean
  • Engine: Flathead Inline-8
  • Transmission: Automatic

Packard entered 1951 with a range of vehicles representing its first genuine post-war new models. The Patrician 400 Sedan was its “senior” offering, with the company finding homes for 9,001 of these classics during the first production year. The situation would deteriorate the following year as the company began its decline into extinction. Our feature Packard is a first-year Patrician 400 that could become an excellent project candidate. It requires total restoration, but the simple engineering and construction techniques make it ideal for someone considering a hands-on approach. The owner feels it deserves better than to be left exposed to the elements. Therefore, he has listed the Packard exclusively with us at Barn Finds Auctions.

This Packard has led an interesting life while in the car of its current owner. He utilized it as a promotional vehicle for his Rum Distillery, and it still carries the signage that was applied as part of that role. It played a part in a movie and was used for once-a-month rides around the beautiful island of Key West, Florida. It was laid low by a minor mechanical fault, stalling its planned restoration. The panels carry some minor, patchable rust and surface corrosion, but critical areas like the frame are rock-solid. It appears that an enthusiast with respectable welding skills could view this as a promising DIY project. The glass looks good, and the car comes with a selection of additional trim pieces.

This Patrician’s interior is a mixed bag, but lifting its appearance would be neither difficult nor expensive. The seatcovers are free from rips and significant wear, while the dash looks excellent. The door trims, which are sitting in the trunk, require a retrim, and a headliner will find its way onto the winning bidder’s shopping list. The new owner could hand those tasks to an upholsterer, although this is another aspect of the build that could be performed by someone who knows how to wield a sewing machine. I love the gauges and the horn ring with their elegant Art Deco styling. They could easily become the highlights of this interior.

Packard adopted a one-size-fits-all approach with the 1951 Patrician’s mechanical specifications. Buyers received a 327ci straight-eight engine, teamed with a two-speed Ultramatic transmission. The 327 produced 155hp and 275 ft/lbs of torque, with both figures considered impressive for the period. The motor’s greatest strength is its flexibility. Power delivery is linear across the rev range, but the torque peaks below 2,000 rpm. That makes the Patrician an exceptionally flexible performer that will cruise effortlessly at freeway speeds. Our feature car has only clocked around 600 miles since receiving an engine and transmission rebuild, meaning it should be able to match the factory figures when it returns to its rightful place on our roads. The owner states that this classic went into a shop for a new starter. An unfortunate incident left the mechanic unable to perform the work, and the Packard sat for months. Another mechanic promised to return the car to a running state but never made good on that promise. The owner retrieved the vehicle and coaxed it back to life using an external fuel source and electric pump. Therefore, it seems that a fuel system clean is this car’s Packard’s most pressing mechanical need.

The pages of automotive history books are littered with manufacturers that are now little more than distant memories. Perhaps the saddest is Packard, a company whose products were the byword for success before World War II. It failed to recapture its former glory when hostilities ended, closing an important chapter in American luxury motoring history. The 1951 Patrician 400 is a rare beast deserving recognition, and our feature car looks like a prime candidate for restoration. It could also be an affordable option for enthusiasts considering a first project. That makes it worth more than a passing glance.

Bid On This Auction

High Bid: $600 (Reserve Not Met)
Make An Offer
Ended: Feb 11, 2025 12:00pm MDT
High Bidder: JP
  • JP bid $600.00  2025-02-11 11:39:39
  • dcoxbama bid $500.00  2025-02-07 08:54:02
  • JP bid $250.00  2025-02-06 16:33:10

Auctions Ending Soon

Comments

  1. Fahrvergnugen FahrvergnugenMember

    I have rum in my veins. Ancestors grew cane on Barbados for centuries, and over the years I’ve done contract work for The Red Hat.

    The Patrician is a highly polarizing design, so I wish the seller GLWTA.

    Like 7
  2. Howard A Howard AMember

    Rum, you say? Yeah, it’s a long ways home from the main land. Why, a Packard, and nip of spirits will shorten that ride. Don’t let the 2 speed automatic fool you, this car would cruise at 80 all day long, a wise choice. Last year for the upswept wing Cormorant, in ’52 they changed to wings swept back, partially because of a pedestrian hazard. I bet it would sell in a minute in Cuba for a taxi.

    Like 12
    • Kim in Lanark

      Interesting idea. There was a Simpson’s episode where Montgomery Burns is in a Packard taxi in Cuba, and says “is this the new Packard everyone’s talking about? That Patrician grill within a grill put the ug in ugly.

      Like 7
      • Howard A Howard AMember

        Simpson fan, eh? Mr. Burns ( Harry Shearer) was one of my favorite characters. My son visited Cuba, and a taxi was the preferred method of travel. He sent me pictures of some of the taxis he rode in, a 50s DeSoto, a ’55 Chevy, several early 60s, and all with a Perkins diesel.

        Like 6
    • Angel_Cadillac_Diva Angel Cadillac Queen DivaMember

      Hi Howard

      Many years ago around the early 70s I had a hood ornament from a 50/51 Packard. It was pitted & painted silver (thanks Dad)
      I wanted to put it on some thing, my boyfriends ’67 Mustang convertible was a good subject but it never got there. We broke up and it got left in his parents carport. I sure wish I still had that. That would be a nice item to rechrome

      Like 5
      • Howard A Howard AMember

        Hi,,,”Queen Diva”? Oh right, Vegas,,,

        Like 1
      • Howard A Howard AMember

        After we sold our Packard, we took the Cormorant , that was my grandfathers, and my brother mounted it on a wood base, and now adorns the mantle on the fireplace.

        Like 12
  3. Bruno

    There is a lot of work there for a restoration and I don’t think the numbers will work out especially for a 4 door. That being said there is a lot of hard-to-find parts, it could be a great buy for someone if the price was right. As previously stated, the grill has a face only a mother could love but it’s all there.

    Happy bidding!

    Like 2
  4. BCB42

    Take that beauty to Havana and let them restore it there for pennies on the dollar. She won’t be ‘concourse’ but she’ll be lookin good and be running….
    😁

    Like 3
  5. Leonard Ira Vernon

    I only saw one parked a block away in Brooklyn, New York from where I lived. I would always go see it. Something different and Beautiful! 🤩😍

    Like 2
    • TC Oztralia

      I just sold a 1952 Packard 200 about 3 weeks ago, the car had NO RUST anywhere because it had spent it’s whole life in Australia, built RHD in ’52. We don’t need salt on our roads, it NEVER snows, where I live, the climate is similar to California all year round. Mid winter 12 degrees, summer as now 38 degrees today but dry heat not humid. I sold the Packard for around10 grand US, that’s all they are worth, it is 73 years old!
      It ran perfectly and didn’t need any restoration work whatsoever.

      Like 0
  6. Kenneth Carney

    Hi Angel! Surprised to see you in the Packard section. Hope you and your friend are doing well. My Uncle Lyle owned one of these when I was very young. My Grandmother was a widow back then and thats what you sometimes called the boyfriend if
    you will. His was a deep maroon or burgundy color with those
    massive Whitewall tires and those really cushy seats that would swallow a small boy whole. They had a winter home in Jialiah,
    Florida and they used the Packard for that purpose. Uncle Lyle
    would have the car completely serviced before they left Bloomington every year. The dealer would tell him to have the car serviced when they got to Tampa and Orlando as there were no mechanics in central Fl9rida who could fix a broken down
    Packard– let alone seen one. Grandma would tell me how the
    People in the smaller towns like Winter Haven and Bartow would
    gather at the local gas station just to see a strange new car that
    none of them had ever seen before. Uncle Lyle died in 1963 and
    Grandma took it really hard, So much so that she wouldn’t even
    set foot in the car after he passed. Mom and Dad talked her into
    selling it to Ed McGrath who owned the Standard station not far
    from her house. And that’s my other Packard story.

    Like 5
    • Angel_Cadillac_Diva Angel Cadillac Queen DivaMember

      Kenneth,
      You always have such interesting stories to relay.
      Even back in the 70s/80s those small towns were no longer small. I lived all over Florida back then. Haven’t been since the 80s.
      I had an uncle who had a Packard. It was one of the 40s, the bulbous ones that remind me of an elephant for some reason. But I was, like, 3 so I don’t remember much about it. I do remember around 6 or 7 I was at a classmates birthday party and her grandfather took us to the ice skating rink in his Packard. Another bulbous elephant. I know we were just small kids but that back seat was huge.

      Like 1
  7. Norman McGill

    I’d like to know what was wrong with the car when the mechanic had the “unfortunate incident” and the car never got fixed. Was it only the starter or was it the whole gas line ?

    Like 1
  8. Dave Brown

    I look at this Packard, and it makes me sad. It is in such bad shape. The cost of restoring this vehicle would be immense. This car is probably nothing more than a parts car. Again this is sad.

    Like 1
    • Paul MentaSeller

      Runs and drives great, all body work for right person, someone will have a fun project and enjoy it.

      Like 0
    • Another Dave

      Dave Brown, there at least four of us Daves that respond on Barn Finds. I mentioned that I had a good friend Dave Brown years ago too. As far as this Packard, I don’t think it necessarily needs to be restored. Hopefully the engine is okay, easy enough to discover in person, maybe with a compression test. Then the mentioned fuel system check and repair, not too costly? Brakes need to be good as well as rubber, much of that is just tedious labor. Fix the most pressing rust issues, preserve the rest including paint. Transmission may be a question. If all okay after fairly inexpensive repairs, drive it?

      Like 2
  9. Kenneth Carney

    No Angel, all this occurred in the mid to late ’50s. Grandma told
    me that story just before she passed away in 1991 at the age of
    91. She told me of how she and Uncle Lyle would pack the car and head to Jiahliah and winter there. You’re right though, all
    those small towns here in Florida have really grown and sprawled out now. I still recall having lunch with an old friend of
    mine at the Taco Bell restaurant I worked at in Winter Haven for
    20 years as a Dining Room Manager/host. The man’s name was
    Jim Baggot, and every Saturday afternoon about 3:30 or 4:00,
    Jim would show up and we’d have lunch together. We’d often talk about old cars we owned or old TV shows we liked and the
    GM didn’t mind so long as I kept the place in good condition. In
    fact, they encouraged me to have lunch with as many of the patrons as I could in order to bring a small town feel to our store.
    Well one day, Jim and I were talking Packards when he related to me a story that left me completely dumbfounded. He told me
    that he and his father had gone to Bartow to run some errands
    when he glanced across the street and saw Uncle Lyle’s car pull up to the pumps. He not only described the Packard, but he also
    described my Grandmother and Uncle Lyle to a tee! I sat there
    dumbstruck for a minute or two before I said anything else. Gotta tell ya’ it felt like a head slap that Gibbs would g8ve to DiNozo on NCIS. Once I collected my thoughts, I was amazed that our families met in that way. He also told me that Uncle let him sit inside the car so that Jim could tell his friends that he’d
    sat in such a fine car. Sadly though, most of my old patrons/friends are gone now, my old store has been remodeled,
    but the joy and memories they gave to me will last a lifetime. Well folks, it’s time for this old man to take a long nap as 4:30 comes early and I gotta open in the morning. Good night Angel
    (Kiss here) Night all.

    Like 0

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