Packard Motor Co. redesigned its cars in 1951, dispensing with the “ponton” look of the stodgy automobiles of the past. The 200 was introduced as the entry-level Packard, although there was nothing minimal about a Packard back in the day. The seller has a Deluxe 4-door sedan from ’51 that looks solid and runs, but off a gas can (apparently the fuel tank has been removed). It might not take much to get this old girl back on the road. Located in Volga, South Dakota, this monument to what once was is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $4,500. Thanks for the tip, NW Iowa Kevin.
The 200 rode on a shorter wheelbase (122 vs. 127 inches) than the more elegant 400 and used a smaller inline-8 engine (288 vs. 327 cubic inches). The name of the car sounded benign, so the 200 was rebadged as the Clipper starting in 1953. What Packard execs did not realize at the time was that the 200 would detract from the luxury image of the brand, and the company likely did not recover before being paired with Studebaker in an ill-fated 1954 merger. But they came standard with items that were optional on other cars, such as a heater and a radio.
Though overall Packard sales were 100,000 units in 1951, the 200 accounted for nearly two-thirds of production. Thus, handing the luxury car market over to Cadillac and Lincoln. The seller’s ’51 is the Deluxe edition, which means it was a bit better trimmed. Automatic transmissions were just coming around, so this car has the traditional “3-on-the-tree” manual tranny. It runs, but you’re going to have to address the MIA fuel tank before doing anything else.
The body and paint look okay here, though the photos are few in number. The interior seems passable as well. So, if you can get this thing to perform reliably, what a treat you would have for local car shows. So few of these automobiles remain, so yours might be 1 of 1 at many events. The seller must be a Packard fan as he/she really wants the 200 to go to a good home.
For $4500…. I want to take this “Orphan” home. Clean it up, get it running properly again. These Packard Straight Eights are great engines.
That’s one cheap Packard! I think the farther afield a car is, the lower the price.
Pretty frumpy looking with a bunch of odd interior pics.
One mans frumpy is another mans frump.
Styling is just as boring now as it was then.
That 327 will purr so quietly you won’t hear it. A close friend has a 51 convertible
Right you are George! I had a ’50
Packard 9 passenger limo that I used to carry my band from town
to town playing music locally 9 months out of the year while I was in highschool (I toured with
warm up bands nationally during
the summer months). There were
some fellas at school who wanted to play music 🎵🎶 on
weekends so I joined up with them. That 356 straight 8 ran as
smooth as Tennessee whiskey! I
used to do all kinds of goofy stuff
like standing a nickel on the hood
or putting a glass of water on the
hood with the car running to prove just how smooth that old mill really was. Why we even pulled a surplus U Haul trailer behind us to Carry our equipment
and the car performed like a champ! And the ride? Like floating on a cloud ☁️. Many’s the night I took a nap on the way
home from a show in Mattoon or
Watseka. Like falling asleep in your girlfriend’s arms. And while
the other kids worked for peanuts 🥜 at McDonald’s, my guys and I
we’re pulling down maybe $500 a
weekend in 1972 money. It wasn’t unusual for me to have $150 in my wallet on any given Sunday. A little bit less after I put
$15 in the collection plate before
the sermon. But that was okay with me. I still had enough cash to take care of my weekly expenses and help Mom and Dad
out with the bills. But all good things come to an end at some point though. We all graduated and went our separate ways. My
guys went on to college while I took a job as lead singer for the band that opened for Marty Robbins through Midwest Entertainment in 1973. And the limo? I sold it after Mom found a
young lady’s panties on the back
seat one day when she drove the
packard to work while I was on the road. I got an earful when I got home so I sold the car to keep the peace with her. Didn’t do that bad though. I made $2,500 that day, but now, I sure
wish I had my Packard back.
It’s been sold