I think this would be awesome to restore!

[Kdancy]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220675733641&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Wish I had the money and time!

[raprice]

For someone willing to take on this challenge, it's a very special car. Not too many Packard woodies around. This one looks like it will be a sensational car when it's finished. Too much for me though.
I'm just too old for such a big project.
Rog

[jclary]

As is the case with other cars that come up for sale, I would like to know the "back-story!" How did the restoration get this far and then the car is offered for sale? Is it the economy? Did the owner realize too late in the game that it is costing more than he thought? Did the restoration shop take possession for non-payment? Looks like a great car to restore, work to this point looks great, but the work to be done requires "deep pockets," and a small segment of the collector world to market it to at the cost of completion.

[studeclunker]

Wish I had around sixty grand. This car would be well worth the money when finished, unique and beautiful as well.

[53k]

When I was in college and very poor, I waited tables in a sorority for free meals. The head cook's husband used to buy Packards to use for coyote hunting. He drove them over fields, pastures, whatever until they broke then he would junk them. One day she drove her husband's latest buy to work before he wrecked it hunting- yes, a '48 woodie.

[JBOYLE]

I think a value of $100k when finished might be a wee bit high.
The older Fords go for more, but I don't know if the Packard would...it looks like the wood is largely non-structural, so some won't think it's a "real" woody and postwar cars don't seem bring the same money as the pre-war wagons.

The project seems cheap enough that you'd come out okay (really okay if you could do the work), but I wouldn't bet the farm that I'd make a killing on re-selling it.

[sweetolbob]

The last two at Barret-Jackson went for 60K in 2007 and 79.2K in 2009 with the 79.2K car called an exceptional restoration. Both included buyers commission. I also think I saw one go at Mecum in Monterey 2010 for under 50K. With an estimate to restore of 55K +/- 5K that does not leave much room for profit.

As a second thought, I'm a little surprised at a quote of $45/hr for restoration. It costs at least $75/hr to take your car to the dealer.

Bob

[woodysrods]

My Shop rate is still $48.00/hr.
Brian

[BobPalma]

As is the case with other cars that come up for sale, I would like to know the "back-story!" How did the restoration get this far and then the car is offered for sale? Is it the economy? Did the owner realize too late in the game that it is costing more than he thought? Did the restoration shop take possession for non-payment? Looks like a great car to restore, work to this point looks great, but the work to be done requires "deep pockets," and a small segment of the collector world to market it to at the cost of completion.

John: The back story is in the prefatory material in the e-bay ad. It says the guy who was having it restored died and his widow said, "Keep it and sell it for what we owe you."

'Sounds pretty straightforward.

[jclary]

John: The back story is in the prefatory material in the e-bay ad. It says the guy who was having it restored died and his widow said, "Keep it and sell it for what we owe you."

'Sounds pretty straightforward.

Well Bob...this is not the first time I have embarrassed myself by not paying attention to the details...and probably not the last.

[junior]

It costs at least $75/hr to take your car to the dealer.

Bob

Last time I paid for work at a dealership it was $100/hr, that was in 2007, I was at the same dealership to get warranty work done last week and the guy beside me paying his bill for having work done on his vehicle was complaining about the shop rate which was now $130/hr. I'm sure I heard correctly...needless to say my jaw dropped...still can't believe it. Can hardly wait for my truck to be off warranty and start paying the shop rate...it's only 2 yrs old with 11,000 km on it and has been in the shop 12 times for warranty work. No need to wonder why GM is in the state it is. About this Packard, very cool body lines, I would be tempted to rod it without the wood, and build it as a totally smoothed out swoopy kind of car. Rare or not, I think it would really cool built this way, maybe slide some kind of v-12 between the fenders and maybe some full rear fender skirts, and loooong skinny chrome lakes pipes and... .... ... Junior

[powerhawkeye]

The Packard wagon would be a neat car to restore but get ready to dig deep
my friend did the fab work on a 1950 Buick Roadmaster wagon, there is more to it then a guy would think
where the metal met the wood in the tailgate/roof area lots of problems and that was just the beginning

The Buick was from Hawaii it looked great at the start but when you tear them down the truth is staring you in the face

This 1948 Packard Woodie Wagon sold at the Mecum Auction Monterery California for $32,000


When you consider what you paid for the car the work it took to get it to this level mechanically and cosmetically and chrome plating is $32,000 enough?