'58 Packard

[acolds]

Two things I find wrong with this car is that I'm not the owner, it being in my garage

[Roscomacaw]

That looks like the Cliff Gray - Bluff Gray combo that my Provincial was originally.

OK - I see that it IS that color combo. It's not my favorite 2-tone of '58, but it is nice-looking. Makes me sick to think of the one of these that I missed out on FOR FREE some years ago. Simply because I didn't have a trailer at my disposal that particular day.

[2moredoors]

Don't recall ever seeing one. I like it.

[studegary]

If it didn't have those last minute head lights and some gold mylar down the side I would park it in one of my garages for the winter and try to keep it warm.

Only the Packard Hawk had gold Mylar. The other models, including the hardtop sedan, had gold anodized aluminum.

[58PackardWagon]

There is only one "major" flaw to the car and that is the color of the engine. It should be silver. The valve cover decals, oil breather cap decal and fan decal were not original to the car, both those are a quick fix. Car looks very presentable. Last year one J8 brought 65k

[jnfweber]

If it didn't have those last minute head lights and some gold mylar down the side I would park it in one of my garages for the winter and try to keep it warm.

I have always thought that this would be a much prettier car if you could replace the front clip with that of the 1957 Clipper.

[hausdok]

Hi All,

Well, if anyone wants to try to put together another one like that '58, Desert Valley Auto Parts in Arizona has one they'll happily sell you.

http://www.dvap.com/survivors/display/5207

Mike O'Handley
Kenmore, Washington
hausdok@msn.com

[Corvanti]

nice price, $0.00

[58PackardWagon]

There is a large difference between a 2 door and a 4 door. Plus a 4 door would never bring this type of money. I would be shocked to see one even go for 20k

[cruiser]

The Salvage Yard photographs of the FOUR door '58 Packard Sedan are all well
and good , but it is no substitute for a '58 Packard Two Door Pillarless Hardtop
Coupe if you want to eventually get your investment money back , hopefully with
some interest . A few of the Coupes have now turned up over the last two or
three years at various auctions , and when done right , all are attracting lots of
attention . And the car that is the subject of this thread looks to have been not
only done right , but also some pro - grade photos really do help sell a car . A
few little minor detailling faults have not masked the beauty of this nice car .
I hope that the new owner really enjoys his/her purchase of a rare vehicle .

CRUISER

[Roscomacaw]

Yeah, the J-body editions easily outshine the 4-dr and wagon models. True for the '58 Stude versions as well. In fact, for me, the hardtops of '58 are more alluring than the Hawks. (Your results may vary). What I wonder about regarding this Nevada offering is where they came up with the Model 300 name?

[StudeDave57]

There is a large difference between a 2 door and a 4 door.

The Salvage Yard photographs of the FOUR door '58 Packard Sedan are all well and good , but it is no substitute for a '58 Packard Two Door Pillarless Hardtop Coupe if you want to eventually get your investment money back , hopefully with some interest. CRUISER

Yeah, the J-body editions easily outshine the 4-dr and wagon models.

Fellas, Cleo would like a word with you~



She heard what you said, and is now hunting you down...



StudeDave '57

[Roscomacaw]

If I see her out front - headlites on, engine revving and windows all blacked out - I'm outta here! Of course, if she's reasonable - tell her to lose those double doors - sorta like a tummy tuck. I'll give ya that she has an enchanting grin .............. and nice dagmars.

[hausdok]

I certainly won't dispute that most folks prefer the hardtop or the coupe over the 4-door. The 4-door is the least rarest of the four Packard versions produced in the last year of production - the wagon being the rarest with 159 units, the Hawk being next with 588, the hardtop next with 675 and finally the sedan with 1200; however, these cars get rarer every year and they eventually succumb to rust when left inside or outside unattended and unrestored long enough. Right now, while the 4-doors are not so popular, one can probably pick one up cheap. In a few more years, when there are far fewer - not so cheap. In ten years when most are in private hands, the price may be through the roof (for that model).

The P.H. was pretty much unwanted and reviled for decades, now folks see them as far more desireable and the sale of this hardtop proves that there are folks out there who are beginning to appreciate these. I'm in the middle of my P.H. project. If I had the time and money though, I'd probably be bogarting a few more of these last year Packards someplace so I could restore them later. StudeDave '57 has the general idea.

An 85-year old friend of mine who is a long-time Packard nut told me, "If you're going to sink money into a project you generally do it realizing that you'll probably never get back what you've put into it. However, if you keep it long enough, and it's a rare enough car, you might be able to come close one day."

Mike O'Handley
Kenmore, Washington
hausdok@msn.com

P.S.

Dave, Cleo looks sad after she heard that. Is that a tear I see below one of those bezels?

[studegary]

An 85-year old friend of mine who is a long-time Packard nut told me, "If you're going to sink money into a project you generally do it realizing that you'll probably never get back what you've put into it. However, if you keep it long enough, and it's a rare enough car, you might be able to come close one day."

Mike O'Handley
Kenmore, Washington

Only if you don't add in the cost of storage, insurance and money over that period of time.