Not mine, just found it cruising Craigslist. I haven't seen one in about 30 years. I would love to see one of these customized. I'm just passing on an interesting find. https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/cto/d/san-francisco-packard-cavalier/6942322124.html
That's really cheap, I would expect that to be sold very soon. These are really valuable, pretty cars when restored, and non-convertible donor cars can be had for pennies. I kinda hate when people say certain cars are "customized at the factory" but these cars kinda are. Radiused wheelwells, hood scoop added, shaved side moldings, ect. Some of the missing small parts will be near impossible to find, but still a worthwhile project.
Friend of mine, now deceased, used to own a green one. Beautiful car. He wound up selling it to acquire a couple of other Packards.
The body is not damaged, just rusted......yeah, I'd say 1/3 of the quarter is rusted away! Not for the faint of heart for sure. Those cars had some great lines, except that catfish mouth grille. Just takes away from all the rest of the car.
They were one of the prettiest Packards....at least I think so. About 40 years ago I was driving north between San Diego and LA and an older couple passed me with the top down on their beautiful '53, hair blowing in the wind and big smiles on their faces. It was green and had chromed wires.The couple was probably close to my age now (76) and looked like they were having an excellent day. I waved and they waved back. I doubt I have enough daylight left to tackle restoring one now.
Quote from seller ...."- Rusting of the lower body panels and floor is significant," ..and people piss and moan when they buy a car without seeing it in person, despite what the ad says... He says in the other ad that it is a parts car. If you study the extent of the right side rot, you must know that the chassis, wheel tubs and entire body understructure is junk, too. Not one pic shows either door closed,...because they won't. A person that "has money" (or common sense/experience) would never buy something that far gone. .
Very cool cars, saw one at a buddys shop. It needed everything doing . The bright work alone would be expensive. Plus a few specific trim pieces missing or damaged. The owner took it away when told the bad news of the $$ needed.
"Uh-oh, what have I gotten myself into here?" I wonder how hard a sedan-to-Caribbean conversion would be? I really like Caribbeans, I'm kinda glad this one is so far away.
When I was a kid in the 70s I hung around a old marine mechanic - and he had a thing for mid 50s packards - had a bunch of them hanging out at his shop. There was a beautiful coral and white coupe that he loved and him and his fat beer drinking buddies always got a kick out of opening the trunk and plopping their fat asses down on the bumper and trunk edge. The Packard would squat down then magically raise right backup to ride height , had some sort of factory self leveling system. Us kids would run over and try and get a ride on the bumper -get yelled at -“get the f@#ck off my car”!
You can buy one done much cheaper than the cost of restoration. 50's car prices are dropping. https://www.hemmings.com/cars-for-sale/packard/caribbean/1953
It tooks some searching and studying but I finally figured out that the 53 has the rounded wheel openings while the 54 had "lowered" wheel" openings according to Some source that was expounding on the 54. Still at the asking price that 53 Cavalier Caribbean is a candidate for a take two or more and make one project. The parts are there to convert a hard top into a convertible. Find a solid but stripped 53 Clipper Mayfair hardtop that some restorer had strpped but left most of the sheet metal intact and you are in business.
$75K was the cheapest restored one on that link. If we're OK with customizing one, lets start with a '56 2 door hardtop to gain the big V8 engine and wacky suspension, plus the cooler tail lights, and add the convertible stuff onto it. 55-56 hardtops are dirt cheap. Then hang the early front clip with the cool hood scoop on it and radius the wheelwells in the rear. I could see that. You guys who are so afraid of the rust, if you have a hardtop body shell that's solid and a convertible donor with all of the convertible specific pieces on it yet, it's not that hard to transfer it all over to the other car. I've done it. Not to a Packard, but I've done it.
I can't even afford the two "undone" ones. Sheezus Chryst !! 20 gees, for clunkers. 80 to 120 gees for done. Jimminy Christmas !!! That's quite a few Model 40's, 32's, 57's and hookers ... to be honest.
In its current condition why not a custom? Its a california car, so the frame is good, parts cars are cheap, i found a sedan for 600 bucks recently, It would be cheaper to build a custom than restore, and it wouldnt matter how much metal was replaced. Keep the unique features, section it, lower it on the stock chrome wires with wide whites, paint it black and have a one of kind.
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