1947 Packard Super Clipper

Su8overdrive · 2010-02-08T00:46:10.000Z

For picture, go to the Tech Forum and scroll down to December 15th, 2007: Photo for '47 Packard Super Clipper for sale below Full CCCA Classic, rebuilt stem to stern, needs nothing but new, appreciative home. I've put my heart, soul, money and enormous time into getting this magnificent road car just right and have enjoyed it immensely. It upstages Rolls-Royces and Bentleys of the 40s and later with its understated, gothic international mien. The 1942-47 senior 160/180 Clippers were overshadowed by WWII when new, and little understood until recent years by most car enthusiasts.Nine-main-bearing Super-8 356 boiled out, hot tanked, remachined, rebuilt, every last piece including new hydraulic valve lifters, balanced by legendary NorCal vintage car mechanic Wayne Ballerstein, who worked in a Bay Area Packard service dept. in the late '40s. Wayne also rebuilt the 3.92:1 differential which we substituted for the factory 4.09. This was often done at Packard, Hudson, etc. dealerships in the day for drivers who enjoyed frequent fast long-distance business trips over the increasingly better roads after the war.RARE period Stewart-Warner tach (reads to 4,500 rpm) confirms only 2,000 rpm at 60 mph, 2,500 rpm at 75.Higher compression 7.5:1 Packard cast-iron head gives a little more oomph with none of the problems of aluminum heads.New bias-ply-sized 7.00 x 15 steel belt radials give the authentic period look and look right, unlike the metric radials most people use in late' 30s/'40s cars. Not only does the car ride and handle vastly better, but looks better, bone stock, since no 1946-47 cars at whatever cost were delivered with whitewalls, and even when available later, most wealthy, tasteful owners eschewed them as tacky. Driveshaft splines industrial hard-chromed to military specs, driveshaft balanced, as were the wheels/brake drums on a Hunter balancing machine.Original five-row radiator recored, cooling system has never known anything but soft water and No-Rosion--no antifreeze, no soluble oil or other effluvia, so no film to inhibit heat transfer one whit.Though the car doesn't overheat, as belt and suspenders precaution against ever getting caught in some traffic snarl on a blistering day, we added an invisible (matt black) electric cooling fan which i've never once had to use.Electric fuel pump for quick priming of the system after the car's sat awhile. Also a pre-oiler for full oil pressure before starting. According to everyone from the SAE to Lycoming, Continental and McDonnell-Douglas, 90% of all engine wear is during those first few moments of engine starting after days or weeks of inactivity when all the oil's drained from the surfaces. This precludes that.Underway, 55 psi. The engine is never, ever started unless I intend to drive the car at least 20 miles freeway to equalize the temperature of block, head, manifold and get the oil hot enough to prevent the formation of carbonic acid, sludge, varnish. Oil and filter neurotically changed, chassis similarly lubed. Think "Zen and the Art of Packard Maintenance."Brakes rebuilt throughout and never known any fluid but DOT 5 silicon. Though the factory ElectroMatic clutch was rebuilt and worked, we then disconnected the vacuum line (comes with car, of course) so we could install hill holder, which for an arcane reason space prevents explaining does not work with ElectroMatic according to Packard, who never offered them together.New clutch and pressure plate.Complete new wiring harness. NOS gas tank sending unit, rebuilt generator, starter. Rebuilt transmission and overdrive. Optima battery. Rebuilt/calibrated speedometer. New glass throughout, other than original rear window (curved), which is excellent. All woodgraining but dashboard redone, nice. Dash nice with good chrome, gauges. Restored steering wheel with optional "banjo" spoke" by JB Donaldson, lovely. Standard on the Customs, optional on the Supers, as with this car's cloisonne hubcaps and fender skirts. Original houndstooth upholstery was protected by both factory AND dealer seat covers until I bought the car once-removed from scion of family purchasing it new July 18th, 1947 at Virgil Negranti Packard--Cummins Diesel--White Trucks Sales and Service, San Luis Obispo, CA. Framed bill of sale and all DMV work throughout car's life included.Always garaged, then rebuilt as above at 82,631 miles. This car was never ripped apart, body from frame, and never needed it, so is the best of both worlds: entirely rebuilt but still that original, solid "of a piece," unmolested, tight feeling, even the doors align as new, click shut quietly, no play or slop, same with trunk lid, hood alignment. Front seat belts, of course. Beautifully repainted by Dick Falk, Valley Restoration. Dick's a legend among NorCal folk, has done many an Oakland Roadster Show winner, as well as the occasional Cord, Packard, '49 Barris Mercury.Rechromed center and side grilles, door handles, bumpers and painted areas of grille, side grilles, and grille extensions ("car whiskers," which wrap around front of front fenders before the wheel opening) in factory gray color then clear coated. Stainless trim polished.We tastefully upgraded the door panels and other interior upholstery to soft gray English broadcloth slightly heavier than the original mouse fur, similarly using the same light gray close-pile carpeting as late-model/new Mercedes. A fellow restoring a '41 LeBaron sport brougham was so taken with it, he used the same. As you know, the Super and Custom Super Clippers (streamlined names for 1942's Super-8 One-Sixty and Custom Super-8 One-Eighty Clippers) differ only in interior trim, a la Chrylser New Yorker and New Yorker Highlander, or Cord Westchester and Beverly. But we also upgraded to a chromed interior windshield garnish molding, a la the Custom Super, but i stopped there, because i think the Custom's chromed steering column's a bit much. This is personal, but several lifelong Packardites agree that the only of the four colors of Custom Super interiors that doesn't age and look dreary is the dark blue, but that's academic because this is a black car.So you've got an understated but full CCCA Classic Packard, no stories, no excuses, no malarkey. I want this car going to someone who knows, really KNOWS what it takes to properly rebuild and nuance such a car, and the time it takes to get it "fettled," and keep it so. Think of this as a stringently maintained PT boat in black tie.Simply, I've gotten my play value out of the car, have owned it since 1986, and recent years it seems I'm maintaining, preserving it for the new owner. It's been fun, and I want YOU to enjoy it. Not cheap, so if you're looking for a generic 1946-47 senior Clipper for club tours, look elsewhere. At the risk of sounding like one of those old Hemmings wheeler dealers, "principals only," "no pen pals." I'm interested only in a fast, clean sale to someone knowledgeable enough to appreciate a no stories, fully fettled car.Using Sports Car Market's yardstick, this is a 2+, tho' after i've waxed it, polished the glass with crumped newspaper and a few drops of kerosene, am tempted to gild the lily and say 1-. Too pristine, really, for a driver, but drives too nice to show. This is for someone who really knows Packards, knows how these cars rank in the Classic road car pantheon.This profile lengthy to preclude prelims, answer your questions, so if you gripe about the length of this ad, that tells me you're looking for a generic or explanation/excuse-laden "bargain." If you want a price guide car, make a check out to the publisher of the computer-generated price guide and see what sort of car he ships you.$50,000 fast sale price. See below post for photo per Alsancle.Car's in Walnut Creek, the SF/Oakland East Bay area.mike-exanimo@sbcglobal.net

Feb 8, 2010 (edited)7.8K views

Replies (2)

· Feb 8, 2010

Beautiful car.

16553d1197703842-photo-47-packard-super-clipper-sale-19967.jpg

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· Feb 8, 2010

Thank you for the compliment, Alsancle, and thanks kindly for moving the photo of my car to this thread, which for some reason i couldn't manage.

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