The proud history of Packard essentially ends here, with cars like the rare 1956 Clipper Custom on offer here on eBay for a $9,100 Buy It Now in Mechanicsville, Maryland. It’s a very tidy car that the fairly modest vendor describes as “not perfect but very nice inside and out.” The photos confirm that.
The two-tone turquoise-and-white paint job, probably an older repaint, is looking very good. There’s only one ambiguous, not-on-a-lift undercarriage shot, but the frame, trunk, and floors are said to be solid. There’s lots of chrome, and it’s all there and decent. The 275-horsepower, 352-cubic-inch Packard V8 “runs great and has plenty of power,” and the automatic is functioning properly. The car has dual exhaust with glasspack mufflers, and all is well there too. The handsome wide whitewall tires still have 90 percent tread, though it’s unclear how old they are.
The car must have been reupholstered at some point, because the two-tone turquoise-and-black interior is quite nice. The painted metal looks freshly redone, and the weatherstripping must have been renewed around the same time. I’d be surprised if that’s not a new headliner, too. The trunk has a lot of old hubcaps in it, but the vinyl liner appears to have been replaced in recent memory—in any case long after Eisenhower was in power.
One big plus is the fully rebuilt original engine that comes with the car, on a stand. There have to be some flaws, and at least one is mentioned—brakes needing work. That should be straightforward.
This Packard was produced just before Studebaker turned the marque into a travesty of its former glories. The 1957 and 1958 Packards (the end of the line) were hideous badge-engineered Studebaker Presidents with the company’s 289-cubic-inch V8s.
But the ax hadn’t yet fallen when this car was built. The Clipper became a separate line in ’56, with both Custom and Deluxe models. The basic 1955 design—more sharp-edged than previous Packards, but still graceful—was updated. The cars got a space-age Ultramatic transmission with the buttons problematically located off the steering column. The 352 engine was a holdover, but the range-topping Caribbean got a hotted-up 310 horsepower version. The cars were pretty good, but they didn’t sell well at all. One problem was bad word of mouth on that transmission. The very last true Packard was produced by the now-derelict factory on June 25, 1956.
So this is the “budget” Clipper, though you’d never guess that looking at this nicely finished vehicle. The price seems reasonable, given that Hagerty rates a 1956 Packard Clipper Custom at $9,400 in “good” condition. A Concours example would be $18,300. Only 2,129 were made, so you won’t see it coming and going at car shows.
Looks to be a nice enough car for a fair asking price, yet one that you’d want to look at for sure. Wishing folks would not be in so much of a hurry to photograph in the rain though. As a side note, your opinion of the ’57, ’58 Studebaker badged Packard’s needs review. I always felt Barn Finds to be a hobby centered publication, not a judgmental podium. There are many that appreciate and have invested heavily in those automobiles and may find your criticism off-putting at best.
LC,
I have to agree that when critiquing unusual and rare vehicles, I can guarantee that out there you will find people who love those vehicles. It’s one thing to mention a specific car make or model does not interest you, or you even have a major issue or dislike, but to say all Packabakers are hideous, will offend others who love ’em for all their differences.
I’ve owned 2 1957 Clipper sedans and one wagon, and I’ve owned a 1958 sedan that was loaded, including factory A/C. I’ve owned around 300 Packards since the mid 1960s, and around 2 dozen 1956 Packards and Clippers.
My first 1957 Clipper was my primary car in high school, and it was one of the most reliable cars I’ve owned. I had fully restored the underhood area, and that Supercharged engine made for a very impressive look. It also performed very well in informal quarter-mile situations, when up against other makes with 100% stock examples.
Yes, the 1957 and 58 Packards WERE a travesty when compared to Detroit-built Packards, but the company was broke, and thanks to the financial people and the “Hands-off” policy of the political administration in power, S-P did the best they could, and when the competition in Detroit was compared to the quality offered by the South Bend products, they were good cars.
As for this car being a “Budget” Clipper, there were 3 price levels for the Clipper line: Deluxe, Super, and Custom, so this was the top-of-the-line Clipper hardtop, officially called the Constellation. This was far from a low price car, and was similar in price to the Buick Century Riviera hardtop or the Olds 98 Holiday hardtop.
And there is one unusual thing about this car that I find interesting. Of the hundreds of ’55 & ’56 Packard & Clipper cars I’ve seen over the years, this is the only one that I can remember that has the upscale deluxe signal-seeking radio and power antenna, but not the rear speaker, They were usually packaged together as deluxe radio, rear speaker, and power antenna.
Tata
Thank you for your insight. I am the proud owner of a 1957 Packard Clipper that is a survivor and a joy to drive
Usually Barnfind´s criticisms are right on the money. Everyone has a personal viewpoint including writers at Barnfinds, even though they should stay away from contentious political issues, particularly when it comes to WW2. As far as their automotive input goes, I find nothing to complain about. These guys who write articles here are all rather level headed car guys.
The 56 Packard left a lasting impression on me. How many beautiful custom cars later had those eye catching tail lights incorporated into their design. I would buy this car if I had a place to put it and were single l.
The Caribbean had a 374 in 56 not a hot version of the 352
I’m considered a person who is well-versed in Packards, and I’m VERY close to where this car is located, so if anyone is interested, I’m quite willing to check it out.
LC, you must be new to this site. Disparaging, judgemental remarks are common and frequent. Off-putting certainly, but falling on deaf ears.
The factory this car was built in is not derelict, it was demolished in August of 1959. You’re referring to the Packard Plant on East Grand Boulevard, which sits derelict today. The 1955-‘56 Packards were built at the Conner Ave. plant that S-P leased from Chrysler.
Hi John, nice to see you on here. If you asked 100 serious car nuts where in Detroit the V8 Packards were made, the answer from 99 of them would likely be the East Grand Blvd location or “I don’t know”, not Connor Ave. I’m sure even some PAC members won’t get it right. But you are right, and I should have caught the mistake!
Some friends of my parents had a ’56 Clipper they bought new, but it was a 4-dr sedan not a 2-dr hardtop like this one. I remember riding in it a few times, once with their daughter driving and one of her high school girlfriends along (I was still in elementary school). It was late summer 1958 and “Chantilly Lace” by the Big Bopper came on the car radio. Those were the days.
Oh, for cryin’out loud, what’s all the hub-bub on THIS post now? While I can appreciate someones passion for something, people are way too thin skinned today. While some may have an affection for “Studebaker Packards”, the author is spot on, they were a mere shred of the company’s former glory. All I can say, is look at the 30’s Packards, and you tell me. The ’56 Packard, I’ve said many times, was, I feel, the nicest car of the mid-50’s. I know that’s a hefty claim, but marketed by any other company, it would have been an overwhelming success. Last of the great Packards.
A wealthy friend’s father had a ‘56 Caribbean convertible when I was in high school, and he’d take it out when his dad was away. What a car! Air suspension so it could be raked, plush and powerful! We, and the car, survived those years-
jwaltb,
What you mention about the suspension being cushioned by air is incorrect. The V8 Packards had inter connected torsion bars, along with 2 shorter torsion bars that could be adjusted by a small gearbox and electric motor.
I used to drive my 1955 Packard 400 hardtop almost as a regular driver car. As it was a stickshift car with OD, and I had the Caribbean motor with dual 4 barrel carbs and headers, It had the look and sound of a mild race car. To achieve the “rake”, I had friends stand on the rear bumper, causing the rear to drop down. This would trigger the secondary torsion bar leveling system to raise the back of the car up to normal ride height. When my friends got off the bumper, the rear body would rise up, and the front of the car dropped, giving it a wonderful rake. I would keep the suspension in that level by turning it off.
Later on, I ran new wiring from the suspension motor to the switch location, and I installed a Packard power antenna switch instead of the on/off switch. This allowed me to adjust the suspension to whatever level I wanted, and I used the Packard knob as well.
This allowed me to raise and lower the suspension to whatever level I desired.
You’re right, that’s how we did it.
It was 60 years ago-
OK, it wasn’t air, but that’s how we did it too!
It was 60 years ago so I did the best I could.
jwaltb,
Hey, no problem, just letting you and others here on Barn Finds know now these cars worked, because their suspension is different from all others.
And I can only wish when I was a kid, I had a neighbor who had a Caribbean convertible we could have enjoyed like that!
Sold for $11,400. That BIN price of $9,100 was the deal.
I believe that the full name for that car was that of a 1956 Packard Custom Clipper Constellation Hardtop Coupe. The Clipper Constellation, of which there were only 1,466 sold that year, was their more expensive hardtop model that they offered with the other being the Packard Super Clipper Hardtop Coupe which had formerly been the Panama but did not have a name attached to it in ’56. It was also referred to as a Coupe due to the fact that a few other American makes were now offering four door hardtop models, with the new Mercury Phaeton perhaps being the best known example.
After owning many 50s American Cars here in England UK, i now own a 2 door Custom Clipper Hardtop Constellation, its in Red with a with a White side strip and top, with Red and Black interior. I love it, its the only 2 Door Clipper here in UK.