A while back I received a free 47 Clipper. It is an auto with the straight flathead 288. After going over the car and my options, I have decided to part it out. The car itself is mostly complete but there is too much rust to make this car salvageable - it has been sitting for too long and too much needs to be done to make this worth while. In addition to usual rust, cancer has corroded too much underneath and seals, hoses etc. all need to be replaced. It will NOT be restored. I need some advice on what to keep.... my plans are to salvage what I can for a 28 Chevrolet project I am piecing together... The 288 will definitely be saved regardless of this or another project but I am not too sure beyond that. I will be measuring the radiator and I'm even looking at the fenders and thinking "bobtail". What else should I keep for my 28 or similar type project? Please understand before responding, the Packard will not be saved. I would rather part it out to others needing the parts and use the proceeds to fund my project. Thanks !
if I had a 47 Packard to part out I would start listing the parts on ebay and Craigs list and be sure to make it known I had the whole car to part out. then you get all these people emailing you for this part or that. anything that is not rusted to shit or bent should be listed. I did this with a few cars and had very little left over. mine were Chevrolets so there was more potential buyers out there, but I would not throw anything away from that car without at least giving it a chance to sell. I figure most people part cars out and sell about 25% or less of what is sellable from the car.
Save everything. I'll say it again, SAVE EVERYTHING. You can't dial "1-800-PACKARD" and get any of it. Trust me, I know. I have a 41 160 cpe and a 47 Custom Super Clipper. True enough the rotten body, shame that it may be, will cost more than it may ever be worth to restore. All of the glass parts are worth keeping, dash and gauges, gas tank and sending unit. Even the axle and front suspension. What ever is good or restorable/useable KEEP IT. You can run an ad in a PAckard club publication, list your parts and figure some honest pricing. It may fund what you're building. Post some pics of it. It would be more helpful.
Great to hear you're doing something with it. I'm assuming that this is the car I gave you, if so, I'm pretty sure it's a stick shift, clutch pedal is all the way to the floor but I'm pretty sure it's there. The part to save from that car is the WHOLE interior and especially the working original radio! Rob
Thoughts: Rob, yeah it is. I've had a lot happening over the last few months and it was hard to figure out where to go with this..I looked at a parts car and the body was good but in the end, it was just going to cost more $ than it's actual value in the end. Wait....I need to look again...I think it is an automatic? I would like to possibly save the chassis - running gear for another body but with the wheelbase - I dunno? I will be measuring the width of the back seat and rear axle to see if I can use it for the current Chevy project... A lot of the interior is good and will be saved and of course the center grill is just too neat... Please keep in mind: I am not real big on a gasser or 40's-50's project. I probably will never restore a Clipper unless the money was right because in the end, the money would be the same on something my heart would be into building. My main focus is building a 20's - mid 30's roadster or rpu.
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