Some classics tick so many boxes that it is impossible to identify their greatest attribute. This 1957 Packard Clipper Country Sedan is a perfect example of that dilemma. Its relative rarity is one of its strengths, while the seller’s eye for detail during their meticulous restoration means that it presents beautifully. However, many will view its original supercharged V8 as its greatest strength. This is a case where the whole could be greater than the sum of its parts. The seller is downsizing their collection, listing the Clipper here on eBay in Naples, Florida. They set their BIN at $49,000 with the option to make an offer.
The automotive world is littered with manufacturer buyouts and takeovers, with some proving more successful than others. When Packard acquired Studebaker in 1954, it became the country’s fourth largest passenger car manufacturer. This should have been positive news, but few involved in the deal were aware of the true state of Studebaker’s financial woes. The Packard badge would disappear from the market before the end of the decade, with Studebaker collapsing only a few years later. It would be fair to describe the 1957 Clipper as a “parts bin special” because the company utilized the body shell, panels, and many trim pieces from earlier models to create its latest offering. Buyers could select from the Town Sedan or Country Sedan (Wagon) variant, with the former proving considerably more popular. However, it is worth noting that this is a relative term, with the Town Sedan only finding favor with 3,940 buyers. The seller purchased this Packard around a decade ago after it had spent its life on the California/Nevada border. This was a positive first step because the dry climate allowed it to avoid the type of rust that consumed many of these classics within a few years. The Wagon had never suffered accidents, with the panels only accumulating a few minor bumps and bruises. However, the paint was baked, prompting the restoration that has left the vehicle in an as-new state. The exterior was stripped to bare metal, and any imperfections were addressed before the panels received a fresh coat of Black and Woodsmoke Grey Poly paint. To maximize the visual impact, every exterior bright trim piece was dispatched to the platers, returning with a wonderful mirror shine for refitting. The results are stunning, and with the glass also flawless, this Clipper would look right at home on a Packard showroom floor…if such a thing still existed. Rounding out the exterior are wide whitewalls that are the most appropriate finishing touch for a prestige classic from this era.
This Clipper is more than a pretty face, with its engine bay housing a supercharged 289ci V8, producing 275hp and 330 ft/lbs of torque. A three-speed Flight-O-Matic transmission performs shifting duties, with power assistance for the steering and brakes lightening the driver’s workload. The Country Sedan was quite a spritely performer for a Wagon tipping the scales beyond 3,700 lbs. It won’t win many “Traffic Light Grand Prix,” but cruising effortlessly at 70 on the freeway should be within its capabilities. The seller’s restoration of this classic included a thorough engine check, rebuilding the supercharger, a transmission rebuild, a new dual exhaust, and a range of new suspension and brake components. The Wagon runs and drives as it should, allowing the buyer to fly in and drive it home.
The listing suggests that one of the greatest challenges facing the seller during their build was the interior restoration. Supplier issues meant that it took three years to acquire the correct materials for a retrim, but the wait was worth it. As with the exterior, there appears to be nothing justifying criticism. The Gray and Black upholstered surfaces look perfect, the dash is spotless, and the bright trim pieces sparkle as they should. There is room inside to accommodate six people comfortably, with the factory clock and radio adding a luxurious air.
This 1957 Packard Clipper Country Sedan is a stunning vehicle, and with only 869 examples rolling off the line in 1957, it is also exceptionally rare by any measure. Its presentation is seemingly perfect, reflecting the seller’s eye for detail during its restoration. Their BIN figure can’t be considered affordable, but neither is it unprecedented. The record price achieved by a ’57 Clipper Country Sedan stands at $74,250, which was set in 2008. This one is considerably cheaper, and with values slowly climbing, it could be a solid investment for the right person. Would you consider parking this Packard in your garage?
1st, a wonderful write up and another epilogue, of sorts. Do I hear taps playing in the distance? I am truly biased, but I happen to think this was the next big thing for Packard. A composite of several great cars, by all rights, should have been #1. Wagons typically are the most expensive models, save a convertible, and this car was no exception. The base price was almost $3400, this car closer to $4grand, when a Ford Ranch wagon was $2400. I read, only 869 of these wagons were made, making it incredibly rare. While not a fan of the puffer, it did make this car go. 0-60 in 9 flat, and the 1/4 mile in about 16.6 @ 85mph. Not bad. That, my friends, was power to pass, but just never caught on. The downside, of course, was the supercharger. It got mid teens for mileage, finicky in the cold, and when the belt broke, many simply kept driving it. Suddenly, it ran better. While the name may fade, this car will be attractive to future generations because of its odd name, AND it’s an automatic. ta-da,,, nice car.
I agree with what Howard said above. I’m sincerely impressed with the work done on this Packard ( well… PackardBaker ) wagon. It must’ve been a solid staring point, and the fact they took years to get the correct interior material, and rechromed everything, which is not Chump change to do properly. I saw this on fast finds and was hoping it would be on here.
Again, great write up Adam and history lesson. I hope this gets preserved and well taken care of. There aren’t many left at all, and especially in this condition. I enjoyed this over a cup of coffee.
This the most confusingly named car ever. “Yes, a Country Sedan station wagon. No, not a Ford, a Packard.”
Try “Suburban” if you wanna get really confused!
I love that you always have a park bench in the back of this car to sit down and take a rest before you get in.
Unfortunately JDC, that ‘shelf’ to sit on could have been extra cargo room inside, had S-P found the $ to do it. That aspect of these Studebaker/Packard wagons in `57 & `58 no doubt turned off alot of buyers, further ‘twisting the knife’ so to speak where their coffers were concerned.
I agree. Never seen one before, but it looks like a too-short wagon body grafted on to the Packard finned fenders. I wanted to love it but don’t.
Kudos to the owner for making the investment in time and $$ to save this for posterity!
I like what the owner did with this car. It looks like a showroom model. However, I’m not crazy about the back extension. It looks like Packard was trying to save money by shortening the body by not extending all the way to the rear bumper. Reminds me of a continental kit with the missing tire. Also, there is supposedly power seats but I don’t see any switches for such.
I have always–and I mean always–been perplexed by the rear treatment of these S/P wagons. All that wasted space highlighted by massive fenders stretching far behind. Weird.
I never noticed that, but what I presume a cost saving measure, simply grafted a Champion wagon roof to a President sedan body. So there was a little room left over,,,
Was weird in 1957, and still is. No offense to the owner, it is a free country, and I have put money into even less worthy ventures. Put a couple of handles on the rear edge of the roof and a couple people could ride on that deck, like firefighters used to do. What a contrast to the Lark which almost saved Studebaker, and with the Avanti and the Hawk, kept it alive a few more years.
A beautiful oddity as were many in the 50’s. Those were stout motors and it’s good the trans has been rebuilt. Parts are getting tough to find for those cast iron Borg Warners. Car presents well, but they could have done better than using drier vent hose to the air cleaner.
Talk about 1950’s fins!
In 1957 the “back extension” between the fins was a place to sit with your buddy, have a smoke and a Schlitz beer after loading the back of the wagon with four 100lb. bags of Hills (Chicken) Mash then returning to the ranch for supper.
In my past farm days we would have loaded 100# bags of Omolene to keep the fillies happy.
Stick this in a museum someplace: driving it would age the fine restoration, and there are many other more practical station wagons. Besides that, at any price, a glorified Studebaker is not my idea of “Ask the man who owns one”!
A strange choice for a top notch restoration. A white elephant.
That rear shelf looks like the space for a “continental kit” for a station wagon? Imagine what a hard sell this was against a Nomad for roughly the same money. Even in today’s market, at a fully justifiable $50,000, I would seek a tri-5 Nomad. I vaguely remember the local Studebaker dealer (who sensibly obtained a Toyota franchise after Stude went BK) but do not recall any wagons. The late 1950’s were the last of any semblance of an independent car makers, except AMC.
I owned 2 ’57 Clippers back in the late 1960s & early ’70s, drove one as my everyday driver while in college, the other I kept for parts. That was when they cost $100 for a running car.
And as far as I know, the ’57 Clipper Country Sedan was the only station wagon that came factory equipped with a supercharged V8 as as the base engine!
Bill McCloskey–it is good to see one of your posts again. Maybe I’ve been missing them, but I haven’t seen much from you lately. You are truly one of the most knowledgeable commenters on this great site. Hope things are well with you.
MG Steve,
Thanks for the kind words, As I’m nearing my 8th decade on this earth, some medical issues have kept me off line, the most recent being a set of new eyes due to cataracts [not Cadillacs!] that made it difficult to read or type!
Where’s the picture of the front end, that’s the best looking part?!
I’m sorry. I look at the back end of this, and all I can think of is that Alec Issigonis, designer of the original Mini, would have made an entire car out of that much wasted space and metal.
“Wasting Space” was nearly a requirement for every Detroit car of the 1950s.
Love this elegant wagon as it appears many do, The price is a bit beyond my ability, BUT I assure the owner i would love and treat it SOOOO well,1957 was the 3rd year of my freedom from being illegally imprisoned SO that is VERY special for me.
“this Clipper would look right at home on a Packard showroom floor”
I mean, would it? I don’t think the Studebaker-based cars ever looked at home on a Packard showroom floor.
There is a remaining Packard showroom and it’s well worth the visit if you happen to be near Dayton Ohio.
https://www.americaspackardmuseum.org/
Every car is a story, and upgrading a “lesser” car into a prestige model is a perfectly valid way to make a new product……provided the body is altered enough to hide the new model’s plebian origins. Every Detroit automobile is a “parts bin” creation, but Packard did not have the time or budget to make their cars appealing to the company’s traditional customers.
Both the Cadillac Seville and Lincoln Versailles were based on cheap compacts, the Nova and Falcon, but the Cadillac’s distinctive, gorgeous body made it a smashing success while the Versailles, which was rushed into production to crash the Cadillac’s party, did not sell nearly as well, and part of its lower sales was almost certainly that it looked too much like a Ford Granada. Another example: Cimarron. A perfectly nice well trimmed car that buyers loved, but way too recognizeable as an upgraded Chevy,
The most outrageous of the Packard-bakers is the Packard GT Hawk with the same supercharged V-8. Search on like for the 1956 Ferrari 410 Superfast by Pininfarina, and you will see the clear inspiration.
And we all forget, the Mustang was a Falcon underneath. MAD magazine called the Falcon the “Ferd Foulcar” and not without reason.
The falcon may have been Ford‘s most successful car of the post were period. It was produced from 1960 to 1990 (in Argentina).
It provided the basis, not only for the Mustang, but Comet, Fairlane, Granada, Monarch, Versailles, Cougar, and don’t forget (you already did) the one year Canada-only Frontenac
These look out of proportion to me, but I love those Clipper taillights! Look great on a lot of 50’s customs.
Hi Bill I’m at93 9n my9th decade its a joy, I spend most of my time looking at cars and writing books.
SORRY Charlie but I must be WAY OUT OF IT but i think this Packard is anything BUT WIERD, …The beauty is not found often. IF I can sell my pick up
just listed in time I WILL own this WIERD beauty.