[vart]

I was playing cards tonight with my mom and her friends. My stepdad is down in southern Idaho working the harvest on my sister's farm for three weeks, so I agreed to fill in for him at their weekly card night.

My mom brought out a photo of her as a child with her dog in front of her mother's 1951 Packard.

She said that when her mom died in 1970, the Packard was in pristine condition with low miles and willed to her brother; my uncle Jerry, as he was a hot-rodder and car guy and was considered the best to keep it in good condition.

Well, uncle Jerry had no interest in a Packard, so he sold it to a friend in a small town 50 miles away. The friend just parked it in a barn and left it there. It's supposedly still there today and the friend wants it gone. My mom mentioned tonight during the card game that I should go get it and restore it. I reluctantly agreed to the project.

My stepdad's best friend then stated that Packards were horrible cars. My mom piped up and said that riding in her mom's car was like riding on a cloud since it was so smooth and quiet. The best friend said that they were still awful.

I asked him why; were they unreliable? Did they have inferior engines or other parts? Were they poorly designed? He just said that very few people were "Packard people" and that they were not very popular back then due mostly to styling.

So, anyone here know anything about Packards? Are they indeed inferior automobiles? Restoring my grandmother's car will be a labor of love and not motivated by profit. Do they have any value when restored? Or should I just focus on spending the bare minimum to make it drivable in order to satisfy my mom?

 

[peng]

I went to high school right by the old Packard plant in Detroit. They turned it into a great paintball place for awhile, now it's just sitting waiting for demolition. Just another eyesore in the wasteland.

That's all I know about Packard. My Dad worked there for awhile right after the war.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Go get it....NOW...clean it up and then get it back on the road. Take your mom out for a drive in it ASAP. You can always do a full restore later if you like.

 

[Fatboy2001]

The greatest Packard ever.

1934 Packard Twelve Coupe - The JBS Collection

thejbscollection.com

 

[varget]

they were great luxury cars back then.

 

[pgg00]

My grandmother loved them. She had 3 or 4 at one point. She sold all but 1 for a movie and those cars then went to some museum afterwards. The one she kept is with a family member now (she has been deceased for 25 years). That one was a straight 8 and had the new semi automatic transmission in it. It definitely was a comfy smooth ride.

 

[Pluto57]

I'd Google Packard clubs and/or forums. Probably get more info, but no, Packards did not suck. They had an excellent reputation as a luxury automobile and owning one was considered a status symbol. Like most other car companies post WWII, they just couldn't compete with the big three.

 

[jonb32248]

My first car at 15 was a '49 packard, straight 8 with 3 speed on the column. It road very nice, sold it to a friend and he and his brothers shot it to pieces. Wish I never did that.

 

[benben]

Go get it....NOW...clean it up and then get it back on the road. Take your mom out for a drive in it ASAP. You can always do a full restore later if you like.

I 100% agree with this, get the car in your possession now, worry about the restoration later. I don’t know a lot about 50’s era Packard’s but 1930‘s era Packard’s are worth considerable money, ask Wayne Carini….

Couldn’t imagine what a full restoration would cost….I’d get it mechanically running and safe and just drive and enjoy it for awhile.

 

[smitret]

I was playing cards tonight with my mom and her friends. My stepdad is down in southern Idaho working the harvest on my sister's farm for three weeks, so I agreed to fill in for him at their weekly card night.

My mom brought out a photo of her as a child with her dog in front of her mother's 1951 Packard.

View attachment 1222449

She said that when her mom died in 1970, the Packard was in pristine condition with low miles and willed to her brother; my uncle Jerry, as he was a hot-rodder and car guy and was considered the best to keep it in good condition.

Well, uncle Jerry had no interest in a Packard, so he sold it to a friend in a small town 50 miles away. The friend just parked it in a barn and left it there. It's supposedly still there today and the friend wants it gone. My mom mentioned tonight during the card game that I should go get it and restore it. I reluctantly agreed to the project.

My stepdad's best friend then stated that Packards were horrible cars. My mom piped up and said that riding in her mom's car was like riding on a cloud since it was so smooth and quiet. The best friend said that they were still awful.

I asked him why; were they unreliable? Did they have inferior engines or other parts? Were they poorly designed? He just said that very few people were "Packard people" and that they were not very popular back then due mostly to styling.

So, anyone here know anything about Packards? Are they indeed inferior automobiles? Restoring my grandmother's car will be a labor of love and not motivated by profit. Do they have any value when restored? Or should I just focus on spending the bare minimum to make it drivable in order to satisfy my mom?

Packards do not suck.
In 1959 I had a 1953 Packard Deluxe Clipper 2 dr sedan for my first car.
Flathead straight eight.
Ultramatic trans.
It was no dragster but comfortable as your living room.
Dad had new Packards.
1953 Deluxe Clipper 4dr stick trans
1954 Deluxe Clipper 4dr auto trans
1956 Executive 4dr push button auto

All were wonderful cars.

 

[arkdweller22]

No, they don't suck. Actually they were great, well built cars for their time.

 

[Borg Warner]

Up until about !957 they were one of the best made, most reliable, and highly regarded cars on the road. Like every other manufacturer they stopped making cars during WWll but the cars they made in the 50's were every bit as good as the Chrysler, the Cadillac, and the Lincoln, except for maybe the Lincoln Continental Mark Il which sold for more money. The mid fifties Packard's had a suspension system that was world class and unlike anything else before or since.

 

[RGP]

Go get it before he changes his mind and don't forget to get the title too.

 

[Stevekozak]

Packards were good cars. Your Step-Dad’s best friend is a dumb SOB. I don’t know what kind of man your Step-Dad is but I am taking points from him for having a best friend who is a dumb SOB….

 

[Desert Kraut]

I can't speak to the Packard cars, but my Dad had a Studebaker Silverhawk in the late 50s and it had a Packard engine in it that was a beast. If you hit the overdrive button on the floor, it would literally throw you back in your seat. Loved the car.

 

[Glolt20-91]

Packards are nice cars, and if you don't want it, contact me, and I'll buy it...and bring it back to life Packards and Chris Craft boats.

 

[seagravedriver]

"Do Packards suck"? Probably the same guy who drove a Chevy PU in high school and yelled "Fords suck" simply because it is not a Chevy. Or he did the same thing, except he drove a Ford PU and yelled "Chevys suck". Every crowd has a clown, and saying Packards are junk is too broad a statement to be taken seriously.

I have been in the car hobby for over 40 years, and restored or helped restore a lot of cars, though it is not my full time job by any means.
Cars can be expensive, and the parts availability will play a big part in pricing. More guys were, (in my day), restoring or working on gen 1 Mustangs and Camaros than anything else. The Dodge guys were kinda left behind, as the demand was low. They paid more, as there was less aftermarket parts available to them, and less in wrecking yards at the time as well. I think one would run into the same issues with Packards, relatively few running around, often pretty expensive in the first place. I am noticing some collector clubs loosing membership, as some folks age out, and not near as many people are interested in, say 8N, 9N, or Farmall tractors. I did check the Packard Club website, and while active, it is a bit archaic. It could be there are other sites, and they seem to have a presence on FaceBook as well.

No, they don't suck. If you are into them, cool. Get into a club, or at least Packard's FaceBook site and start asking questions. Cars are fun, rewarding, frustrating and expensive. Getting into contact with "Packard People" will let you know if it is worth throwing a bunch of money at it, or just making it drivable. But, with sentimental value, what is it worth? The sky could be the limit. I do not know your means, but get information from people who know the cars.

Added as an edit. Do It! I would if I were you!! Packards are cool. In there area I live, there is a "cruising" history, (Puyallup WA), and while there are a good amount of Mustangs, Camaros, Buicks, Dodge Challengers etc, a Packard would make the crowds lining the streets stop and point.

Packard Automobile Classics, Inc. - The Packard Club | PackardClub.org

The Packard® Club is dedicated to the enjoyment, maintenance, and accurate restoration and preservation of the products and history of The Packard® Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, a manufacturer of one of the greatest marques in world history; on land, in the air, or on the sea...

www.packardclub.org

 

[Texas1836]

I was playing cards tonight with my mom and her friends. My stepdad is down in southern Idaho working the harvest on my sister's farm for three weeks, so I agreed to fill in for him at their weekly card night.

My mom brought out a photo of her as a child with her dog in front of her mother's 1951 Packard.

View attachment 1222449

She said that when her mom died in 1970, the Packard was in pristine condition with low miles and willed to her brother; my uncle Jerry, as he was a hot-rodder and car guy and was considered the best to keep it in good condition.

Well, uncle Jerry had no interest in a Packard, so he sold it to a friend in a small town 50 miles away. The friend just parked it in a barn and left it there. It's supposedly still there today and the friend wants it gone. My mom mentioned tonight during the card game that I should go get it and restore it. I reluctantly agreed to the project.

My stepdad's best friend then stated that Packards were horrible cars. My mom piped up and said that riding in her mom's car was like riding on a cloud since it was so smooth and quiet. The best friend said that they were still awful.

I asked him why; were they unreliable? Did they have inferior engines or other parts? Were they poorly designed? He just said that very few people were "Packard people" and that they were not very popular back then due mostly to styling.

So, anyone here know anything about Packards? Are they indeed inferior automobiles? Restoring my grandmother's car will be a labor of love and not motivated by profit. Do they have any value when restored? Or should I just focus on spending the bare minimum to make it drivable in order to satisfy my mom?

Packards were a Cadillac with terrible marketing, luxury cars with no audience.

Similar to Studebaker, great cars with no distribution system.

 

[CBennett]

Back in the day they were top notch cars. My Grandfather swore by them till of course he said they went out of business... kept the one he had as long as he could then switched to Lincoln. and later Buicks.

Id grab it and restore it / I got out of restoring and messing at all with old cars(mostly old muscle cars) years back.. Im just not a good enough mechanic to do it myself... but I love them with a passion... I wish I was some rich guy that could OWN them but have my own personal mechanic that works on them/keeps them up/restores them for me lol)