The 1958 Packard 58L 2-door hardtop was never officially given a model name but it became known by some as a “Starlight”, even though this name was actually used by Studebaker. This 1958 Packard is offered for sale here on Craigslist. Located in Wind Gap, Pennsylvania, it is offered with a clean title. The seller has set a price of $6,800 on this Packard. A big thanks must go out to Barn Finder Ikey H for bringing this classic to our attention.
This Packard has just been removed from a barn where it has resided for the last 28 years. The seller states that it is largely original, but that it has undergone a repaint at some stage in its life. If that repaint occurred prior to the car going into storage then it has certainly held up well over the intervening decades. The seller states that the car is solid and complete, and looking at the photos taken after it was removed from storage and given a wash seem to bare this claim out, although the photos aren’t of the best quality due to the lighting. The seller does provide some photos of the floors and they appear to be perfect.
The interior is complete and while it may not be perfect, there may be less work involved in whipping it into shape than you might think for a car that has been in storage for so long. The dash appears to be perfect and still contains the original Wonder Bar radio. While there is some wear on the driver’s seat, the upholstery on the rest of the seats is intact. It is hard to tell conclusively, but it appears that these may well respond to a deep clean and come back to some semblance of their original condition. The same appears to be true of the door trims. The rear trims may need a bit of work, but I think that they could be saved without the need to reupholster them. The headliner appears to have a seam separation in the rear, but otherwise, it appears to be okay.
This is the moment when the news goes slightly down-hill. This is the 289ci Studebaker engine, backed by an automatic transmission. The engine is locked, but the seller has filled the cylinders with lubricant in the hope that it will come free. If it does then I think that it will be time for a rebuild. The car also came fitted with power steering and power brakes.
On the 25th July 1958, the very last Packard rolled off the production line, marking the death of a once proud and great manufacturer. This 58L represents the last of the breed, and as a 2-door hardtop, it also represents 1 of only 675 hardtops built by Packard in 1958. In my mind that almost makes the price irrelevant, because how often does anyone get the opportunity to buy a reasonably rare car from the last year that a car manufacturer actually exists? It will certainly sell, and hopefully, it will be returned to the state that it was in when it rolled off the line in 1958.
It shouldn’t be done to this one, but if you took off the ridiculous fin extensions in the back, and converted the front over to single headlamps on each side, this would be a rather attractive car, in a late-50s Mopar sort of way.
I kind of agree with you. But as we both know those desperate add-ons are what makes this car what it is, and somewhat collectible for that reason.
This should remain intact as a historical piece. That Studie engine can probably be unstuck and rebuilt; they’re pretty rugged. It will help if Bubba and his big hammer are kept far away from it.
Yes. part of the backstory that makes the whole car, Mikey
I think the fins help to make this car. The front end IMO is butt ugly, but there are enough elements to make this an appealing car.
@ Dutch:Then you’d have the Studebaker President.
I always thought the 56-57 Studebaker looked a lot like the 57 Chevy, but more narrow
Without the fins and with single headlights it would look like a 1957 Packard.
I know how Packard purists are gonna hate on this, but I would love to have it. Looks to be in good condition. Just check out those taillights!
I’ve always loved Packards, it doesn’t matter to me if it’s Studebaker based.
Reminds me of the Packardbaker coupe that was across the street from my family’s home in El Sereno some sixty years ago.
Would I like to own it? Yes, if I didn’t have so many other projects.
Hope this one goes to an appreciative home.
So that’s where Lucas got Jabba the Hutt’s face ! Ugly like an Edsel.
WHOA!!!!! Now wait just a minute Bob in Bexley…Who you calling ugly????
Really pretty but I wish the seller would take pics in sunlight instead of at dusk.
Posting is now deleted. Probably already gone. I’m not surprised; this seemed like a bargain even with a stuck engine.
I wonder if that building the car was photographed in was enough of a “barn” for the literalists?
Aside from the roof line, this is what the Lark evolved from.
One of the ugliest cars ever. It’s a shame someone approved the design.
Nah. Have ya seen the 2018 Prius? I think the Prius was run at 90 MPH into a Southbound Santa Fe head on and the designers said sure! I think we’ve got a winner here.
It doesn’t help either that the “colors” are as low budge as low budget gets.
It looks like the creature from the Predator movie! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predator_(film)
I know. This current Toyota Prius looks hideous.
There were two Priuses? Priis? etc which entered the parking garage for the high end-ish hotel I work for. One Gray, of course and one kind of pale blue, and about 30 minutes apart. Don’t think I’d seen a real one up close but man-oh-man that’s an ugly car. We see lots of ugly cars here on Barn Finds but this one takes the cake. Wonder if 50+ years from now, 2068, we’ll see these just coming out of the space garage after 40 of those years in storage. “You guys, this is as ugly as an Edsel” and “This is uglier than a Packardbaker from 1958”
Of the what–4 or 5 `58 models I’ve seen featured here, this by far is the nicest one yet! Usually the interiors have long since given way to condos for mice, and the rear quarters rotted away, but this appears very solid indeed. Hope the 289 can be busted free & rebuilt, but only time will tell once the oil does its work on the frozen pistons. The color isn’t a factory offering so a quality repaint would be on the list as well. I can’t balk at the price! In this shape I would expect alot more.
Beautiful looking Packard. It’s a damn shame that Packard was dead by this time. Who knows what might’ve happened had they continued to produce cars.
Met a guy at a car show in St. Thomas,Ontario last year with a perfectly restored 4 Door. Told me he spent so many years searching & not finding a 2 Door he took the more door when he could find it. Doesn’t matter to me if it’s stude underneath either.
If you converted this to single headlamps and painted it black with a couple antennas you would have a perfect replica of a cat fish. I appreciate any old car that has survived, but still morn because this was a sad ending of a once premier auto maker.
Makes one wonder what was going through the stick in mud old farts management, but they sold everyone.
Have only seen one of these, a perfect example, and no matter which direction you looked at it it was butt ugly.
Too bad it lacked the last real Packard 8, the one with dual quads.
Realy nice price for any 1950’s auto and looks too be a nice candidate for a
budding auto enthusiast to get into game and not need deep pockets.
I Don’t know why but I’d like to own it.
Hint on rebuilding Stude engines, a mild reworking of oil system lends years of engine life: such as pump(volumn over pressure), maybe an external line to fender mounted reserve, and oil returns in heads; and open upand smooth blocks water passages a tad bit.