57 Packard Clipper History

[packardly8]

I'm a long time Packard "person", but new to the SDC as of 2016. We own a 1957 Packard Clipper Town Sedan with less than 40K original miles. We've owned it since 2014, and are trying to trace its history. It was originally delivered to Barton Packard in Middletown, Ohio in Jan 1957. The original owners had the car at least until 1978 in Middletown. The owner before us had it from about 2004 until selling it to us in 2014. He purchased it out of British Columbia, Canada.

The car is Midnight Black, has the stock 289 V8 with the McCullough/ Paxton supercharger, flight-o-matic automatic transmission, power steering and (had) power brakes, and radio with twin rear-fender antennas.

If anyone thinks they may know some of the other history of this car, we would appreciate hearing from you. We have all of the numbers and data, including the dealer sales invoice. THANKS !

[Dads Baby]

Welcome!!! Sounds like a great car/find! How about some pictures?

[Buzzard]

Wow! I have a '57 Clipper Country Sedan(WAGON) in Arizona that I am resurrecting during the winter where we reside to escape the British Columbia winter. Have you any pics?
Bill

[kurtruk]

BTW: You and your car are FULLY welcome in the Studebaker Drivers Club. That also means this thread should be in the regular Studebaker-specific Forum. More people will see it there.

[packardly8]

Thanks for your comments. I'll post some photos when I figure out how to do it on this website, and what is the best way to "re-post" to the other suggested thread ?

[BobPalma]

Thanks for your comments. I'll post some photos when I figure out how to do it on this website, and what is the best way to "re-post" to the other suggested thread ?

What Kurt said; your 1957 Clipper is considered a Studebaker here.

You can't move it to the Studebaker-specific area, but a Moderator can. Perhaps a Moderator will see your predicament and move it for you.

Welcome aboard...and please post some photos of what must be a stunning car! BP

[hausdok]

I moved it.

Hah, don't want to start thread drift; but what a contrast to the non-welcome I'd received over at the Packard Information forum when I'd purchased my Packard Hawk and turned up over there in 2011 looking for information. With the reaction to my PH over there, you would have thought I'd left a burning bag filled with poop on the doorstep of most folks that hang out over there. The sense I got of their reaction to a P.H. was kind of like Gawd, please get that awful thing out of here - it's stinkin' up the place!

I wonder, do the folks at any Pierce forums react that way when Silver Arrow owners turn up?

[8E45E]

I wonder, do the folks at any Pierce forums react that way when Silver Arrow owners turn up?

You mean all three of them?

Out of the five '33 Silver Arrows made, three survive (last I heard).

Craig

[StudeNewby]

Stephen, you didn't mention it so I'm gonna guess you haven't gotten a copy of your car's production order. But that is a great place to start your history search. They are available from the Studebaker National Museum for about $35.
Oh, and welcome aboard!

[StudeRich]

The Studebaker National Museum can research the Files for the record of sale from the Dealer with the First owners name and address.

You need to find out if you can search the Ohio Registration Records to find other owners. There may actually BE a Trail to follow, you never know til you try.

[56H-Y6]

PackardLY8

Sound like you have a fine example of the South Bend Packards, I'd enjoy seeing photos when you can post them. Those who participate at the PackardInfo.com Forum will be interested to see your fine '57 Clipper Town Sedan too, please take the time to join in there as well. There is even a sub-forum for 1957-58 Packards as there as for other years that group by features and eras.

As you know, other than the make on the title and nameplates on your Clipper, it is completely a Studebaker in overall design, engineering and manufacture. Unhappily, there still are a few die-hard, old-time Packard enthusiast who consider these last corporate efforts to not be 'true' Packards. But don't let them discourage you, history is what it is and always will be. The '57 Clippers and '58 Packards were as legitimate and honest an effort to maintain the make in the marketplace as they were able to mount in the financially distressed situation in which the corporation operated. For those who don't acknowledge that are simply revealing their ignorance of historic events, and should be disregarded.

Specifically for hausdok: I don't specifically recall your posting on PackardInfo.com Forum, but would be surprised if you were disrespected and responded to in other than a civil manner. Its been my experience that that forum is exemplary in being welcoming and helpful to all Packard enthusiast including for the South Bend cars. I invite you to continue to visit and participate the PackardInfo Forum as well as this one. If you have a problem with an uncivil response from another, contact BigKev the owner of the site who promptly deals with such issues.

Steve (58L8134)

[58L-J8 Guy]

PackardLY8

Sound like you have a fine example of the South Bend Packards, I'd enjoy seeing photos when you can post them. Those who participate at the PackardInfo.com Forum will be interested to see your fine '57 Clipper Town Sedan too, please take the time to join in there as well. There is even a sub-forum for 1957-58 Packards as there as for other years that group by features and eras.

As you know, other than the make on the title and nameplates on your Clipper, it is completely a Studebaker in overall design, engineering and manufacture. Unhappily, there still are a few die-hard, old-time Packard enthusiast who consider these last corporate efforts to not be 'true' Packards. But don't let them discourage you, history is what it is and always will be. The '57 Clippers and '58 Packards were as legitimate and honest an effort to maintain the make in the marketplace as they were able to mount in the financially distressed situation in which the corporation operated. For those who don't acknowledge that are simply revealing their ignorance of historic events, and should be disregarded.

Specifically for hausdok: I don't specifically recall your posting on PackardInfo.com Forum, but would be surprised if you were disrespected and responded to in other than a civil manner. Its been my experience that that forum is exemplary in being welcoming and helpful to all Packard enthusiast including for the South Bend cars. I invite you to continue to visit and participate the PackardInfo Forum as well as this one. If you have a problem with an uncivil response from another, contact BigKev the owner of the site who promptly deals with such issues.

Steve (58L8134)

Steve, I sent you a PM

[Bill Pressler]

The Studebaker National Museum can research the Files for the record of sale from the Dealer with the First owners name and address.

You need to find out if you can search the Ohio Registration Records to find other owners. There may actually BE a Trail to follow, you never know til you try.

Rich, the SNM archives has first-retail-purchaser information, completed by the dealer, beginning with either the '60 or '61 model years, but no earlier. I know this first-hand as I've looked at them a couple times in the past decade there myself. I was primarily looking at '63 and later info so can't recall the exact first year but I am certain they had no information like that for '50's model cars.

[2moredoors]

You need to find out if you can search the Ohio Registration Records to find other owners. There may actually BE a Trail to follow, you never know til you try.

I received a copy the "card" from SNM for my '66 however when I tried to find out previous ownership of the car through DMV in Iowa I was told they would not furnish the information under their privacy of information. When I provided the name of the last owner in the state ( I had that information) they confirmed that fact and told me their records would not go back past the more than ten year period I needed for previous owners. I hope Ohio has a longer period for keeping records and wish you luck.
The copy of the first ownership card looked to be a photo copy of an IBM punch card. I would think that '58 model year might not be recored in that manner. I would suggest you give Andy Beckman a call at the SNM he could set you in the right direction. He has always been most helpful to me.

[Bill Pressler]

I received a copy the "card" from SNM for my '66 however when I tried to find out previous ownership of the car through DMV in Iowa I was told they would not furnish the information under their privacy of information. When I provided the name of the last owner in the state ( I had that information) they confirmed that fact and told me their records would not go back past the more than ten year period I needed for previous owners. I hope Ohio has a longer period for keeping records and wish you luck.
The copy of the first ownership card looked to be a photo copy of an IBM punch card. I would think that '58 model year might not be recored in that manner. I would suggest you give Andy Beckman a call at the SNM he could set you in the right direction. He has always been most helpful to me.

Unless they found them since my last two visits, there are no punched cards or anything else like that there, prior to the '60 or '61 model year.