Well, I missed this when 1st posted and I guess it's been a while since I gave my totally biased opinion on the topic. Leave em alone. Likely the hardest car to improve upon when it comes to sheet metal mods, and even the lowly bathtub is included. Being a 'Packard guy' since my teens this opinion didn't form last year, rather it developed after seeing several attempted improvements that simply didn't cut it. I just sold a Super Clipper, and while it may seem as though I'm a hypocrite for my topic on making it a period custom, the mere addition of skirts, stance, and maybe, just maybe a set of sombreros with Packard Cloisenne' centers was the best it could be. No chop, no section, already had fade away fenders, already had a badass motor. Phanthoms might be another story. My mind has a near perfect dpression era pickup truck in it, like something a high zoot dealer might build from a wreck. I always wanted to build a 41-7 Clipper 2dr conv. Packard missed the boat on that one. Sadly you'd have to have a 2dr Clipper and conv bathtub to do, both would have to be given to the gods at the alter of the sawzall, but the focus would have to be a disciplined "what if..." rather than some bagged lowrider attempt. Packard and CUSTOM flares up names like Dietrich, Lebaron (one and the same), Rollston, Darrin and more in my mind. In fact without those guys to inspire torch and hammer types postwar who knows where this facet of our world would have ended up. In parting, I'll place what I think is the ultimate Packard Custom of all time. Thanks for playing... 1934 Dietrich Stationary Coupe, Model 1108:
The Mullholland gets a 3/4 pass from me. The only reason it's not a full pass is the damned engine! Compared to the other 12s of the era the Lincoln was about the most limp-wrist mama luc ever put between 2 fenders. Of course that's my opinion, and even with all the full zoot bucks up add-on stuff for higher HP, well, it's still a Zephyr/Continental 12. Yuk. The rest? Be still my sardonic heart! A coachbuilt runabout with a vee'd windshield and all the influence of Dietrich, LeBaron, maybe even a "disciplined" Dutch Darrin (!). I'd raise it 2" for my tastes and leave it there. "Well hey you opinionated old bastid, what you have run in it?" you may be saying about now. 2 choices, the 1st being a 359 multi-carbed inliner from 53. Lighten up the internals, Edmund's speed stuff, ported block, higher compression, blah-blah-blah. 2nd (a distant 2nd at that), a later Packard V-8. Just because it's a Packard, not because it's capable of big HP and such. It's possible a full tilt 356 or 359 would wax that ass in a race. Possible, and I have no proof, but the Packard V-8 didn't inspire very many folks to head out and prove their prowess. It was smooth, silky, period power but not much else. Ok, maybe a 7/8 pass as I look it over a bit more. It's a Packard visual climax, and even my most rigid restoration friends feel the same way. And same way about the engine choice too FWIW, but it wasn't built for me. Nothin but love...
Highlander I agree with some of your assessments including raising it a bit but as much as I like the car (and I think it is a superb work of art), I would take a Packard 12 of the era any day. I miss my 37 Packard 12 Rumble Seat Coupe sold it when I needed money and have regretted it ever since. My cousin and I used to take it out in the country and it drove as smooth as silk (took turns sitting in the rumble seat-sounded like the rumble of a boat at the tailpipes). We used to try and stand quarters up on the intake for kicks at idle (truth be told only a few stood up). Driving it at let's say 55 in the country the only thing you could hear was the wind coming around the windshield.
That one was on Bringatrailer a year or two ago. I bid but didn't win. Neat Mexican Road Race tribute except for the 70's Z28 fender scoops. Buyer said he planned to finish it to concours level...Haven't heard any more about it.
The Junkyard K is one of the most famous Finnish kustoms,its been around for a long time. It was built in early 80's. There was some 90's vibe paint on it at some point, but now its "restored" to the look( or close of it) how it looked like when it was done.The current owner hired my friend to do the flamejob on it and here's a fresh pic of the car from last saturday:
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