What is a Clipper? Let's step back in Time!
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- Опубліковано 6 лип 2024
- 1956 Packard Clipper - What is a Clipper? A time capsule from the 50s.
No, it's not LS swapped, (yet). In fact it's all original!
Let's go over it and talk about the unique features of this Classic Crusier!
More luxurious than a 1955 1956 1957 Chevy Bel Air 210 or Nomad. Smoother riding than a Cadillac, priced like a Mercury, Buick, or Lincoln but with more power!
352 v8, Ultramatic transmission, and Packards famous Torsion Level Ride!!
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Just a few details: the 1956 hood casting was identical in the Clipper AND senior lines excepting the Caribbean which had simulated twin hood scoops. The "ship's wheel" is referred to as a "helm wheel." The Clipper name was carried forward in 1957 as well (on the Studebaker-based Clipper). You do not have "hubcaps" but rather wheelcovers. The hood ornament, I believe, was designed to represent a spinning meteor or planet with a trail following its perceived movement. Otherwise, I would rate your documentary as one of the very best offered on the Packard Clippers of 1956. The mix of original material with your tour is outstanding and professional. A big thank you goes to your celebrating an often-overlooked car that perhaps was the best of ANY car in the mid-price class of its time. This Clipper is a magnificent example of the breed.
Thank you for the clarifications! I wanted to try and do this beautiful car justice!
@@budgetoutlaws9978 And you did! I also meant to mention the excellence and clarity of the photography. I wrote a book on the 1955-56's: "Packard and Clipper, 1955-56: Confessions of a Collector." It is available on amazon. Happy motoring at the "helm" of this great "Lady they call Clipper."
Did some Packards have a medallion of the Packard Family Coat of Arms on the back of the car? Also a type of large bird I think was in the Coat of Arms and some of the cars had a model of that bird as the large hood ornament?
My Grandfather owned a PACKARD Dealership in Detroit. I was completely enamored of the "New" Packard in 1955, and fascinated with the "Torsion level Ride !" I preferred the senior models: Patrician, 400 ( Hard Top) and Caribbeian convertible & coupe ('56 only) note: those fabulous taillights first appeared on '56 Clippers & the New Executive model and were also on the '57 Studebaker based clippers. One styling pointe that I believe made a significant difference btw '55 & '56 models was the trunk lid which had a "hump" in '55 and was flatened or eliminated in '56... much improved I thought.
My Grandfather owned a PACKARD Dealership in Detroit. I was completely enamored with the "New" restyled models in 1955 and fascinated with "Torsion Level Ride" I preferred the senior models: Patrician sedan, 400 HT, and Caribbeian convertible & HT ('56 only) Those taillights he loves first appeared on '56 Clippers & the new Executive series that year and were also used on the '57 Studebaker based Clippers. One styling feature of note: the trunk or deck lid on '55 models had a " hump" which was eliminated or flattened in '56 models ( all series')
That interior and dash is an absolute work of art.
I'm a Packard guy. I hope to own one someday. Beautiful car.
The cars from the 1950's had curves and chrome for days .... art work on wheels !
Way better than any Tri Five. Seen those all the time. Not what you have… I love it. Thank you for posting.
I grew up wanting a tri five but there’s something about a stock car that really needs nothing and already has so much character from the factory.
@@budgetoutlaws9978 you might think about an Oldsmobile from that time period or even a "57 Rambler Rebel!
My dad had a 1954 Clipper Deluxe . He said for years after that it was the best car that he ever owned !
The final year of the Packard Straight 8
My dad bought my mom a 1954 Clipper Deluxe in 1964. It was two tone blue. He loved driving it on weekends and delighted in showing me how he could turn the steering wheel with one finger. It was an automatic but I seem to remember the car having an extra pedal that was dark red. What did that do?
Actually, I think it was a 1955 Clipper Super.
Mmm, Simply DeLuxe! 💋 Thank you for sharing your fine Clipper.
Packard was a good looking luxury car. It really can't be compared to other cars of it's time that have been customized because this car has what every luxury car enthusiast appreciates, it needs no changes. Brings back a look of what life was like in the 1950's era.
Just a really beautiful car. We own a 56 Clipper Super 2 door hardtop that I am restoring back to factory as close as possible. Ours was built 3 weeks proir to the end of prior to the end of the Detroit Packard plant. Ours has the optional electric pushbutton transmission. Packard designed the 1st automatic transmission that actually locked the torque converter in high gear. Decades later all modern automakers did this to save fuel.
The ride is fantastic with that suspension system. Not at all floaty like most of the luxury cars of that period. I would call it very controlled and refined ride, more like a very costly European luxury automobile. Handling is not bad considering the cars weight and limitations of bias ply tires. If radial tires are used the handling is pretty darn good.
These cars were not designed to be sports cars. In 1956 in the US only Corvette and Ford Thunderbird would be considered sports cars. Their handling was far from wonderful in pure stock specs.
It's great to see a younger man fully appreciating this really fine and beautiful car. A true King of the road, I remember seeing one of these on the highway in an old ,"Highway Patrol" episode, which airs in my city at 5AM daily. Of course there was a 57 Clipper based on the Studebaker President, and Packard planned an all new, completely separate body from Packard for the 57 Clipper. Packard was also an Engineering King of the road. They seriously considered a V12 for the big Packard line, and probably would have built them in their future cars. Those taillights are arguably the most famous ever on any car. Copied, coveted, and admired, that boomerang look never fails to intrigue.
My folks had a 56 executive which they bought when it first came out in April 1956. It was everything you said it was the only difference was that the executive- was the same car but with the packard front clip. Dad traded it on a 60 Chrysler imperial. It was a great car for road trips and handling was superb.I feel privileged that I had the opportunity to drive that car for two years before he traded.
Great video! Love the car its a shame Packard didnt survive
I have a question for u,was the pushbutton ultramatic optional i have seen it on some 56s and not others
All cars from the 50s were designed to be incredible sights to behold . Chrome ,2 tone paint schemes, lower and wider every year. And every year, the newest models were vastly different than the year before. Yeah they were death traps, but they were wonderful!
I'm a proud owner of a 56 black and white clipper deluxe that was built September of 55 and number 1139 of the line. Shipped to Winnebago motors in Rockford Illinois in October of 55. I rescued from a used car dealership near me and brought it back to driving status. Not restored by no means but a driver. I love it when younger people ask me what it is and I tell them it's a Packard. Just a puzzled look. The older generation remember them and always strike up a conversation.
I want to imagine myself back in 1956, driving my family to Miami, taking a Havana Ferry, then arriving at my winter home in one of the numerous middle class - upper middle class sub divisions - gated communities that dotted the island.
Absolutely gorgeous clipper, not too crazy about the color, but so cool. Love the self leveling suspension, every car should have that.
it sure looks good on the road and coming up that hill in the sunlight, love the colors, Ive always loved the 55 and 56 Mercury and the Packards all appealed too
This is a beautiful car. I'm envious. It is so classy and technologically advanced. But it is still a Packard. On the front grill, the top bar of chrome has the traditional Packard shape that goes way back and identifies it as a Packard. The chrome bars on the ceiling inside are supposed to make you think of a convertible top and its mechanics, as is the absence of the B pillar. Great car.
What an absolutely GORGEOUS car! The suspensions on these cars always fascinated me. :)
I LOVE IT TOO❤❤❤!!!! -from an old 3 '49 Packards owner.
I Love These Old Clippers ❤
A really lovely car. I love that suspension.
Love Your Packard!
You ought to know that John Z. DeLorean's first
job out of college was with Packard Engineering
where his first assignment was working on the
Torsion Level Ride.
I even seem to remember having read that he
held at least one US patent for some element
of that system.
As a kid, I had one memorable experience with
a '56 Constellation which belonged to a close
friend of my family.
Packard Blue with Cream top and side spear.
Cheers!
Dan in Bangor
Great info! Thanks for sharing!
Also the style guy who penned the square unibody Jeep Cherokee (XJ?) and the AMC Gremlin might have started out at Packard
Love the thinking Packard applied to the V-8 & the suspension. Nice tour. thank you!!!
it is very important on such a comfort oriented car that when parts governing the comfort of the vehicule are replaced with very dynamically equivalent parts , I think to shocks absorbers, engine mounts, suspension resilient bushings, exhaust system and its supports and so on.
these cars were of a very refined engineering and fabrication quality.
nothing compares to that today with perhaps some exceptions as RollsRoyce, Maybach and few others.
very good video.
Super impressive car, great suspension engineering, I did not know about.
R.I.P Packard Motor Car Company. I'm sad the Packard Car Company is no more.
Beautiful! I've got a '55 Four door, fully restored show car. Turns heads everywhere she goes.
What an absolutely gorgeous car. Love the fantastic paint job. You're a very lucky guy owning such a cruiser.
Nice. I have a 56 Executive.
Thank you for sharing this! This model Packard is what started my love of 50s car when I was 8 years old. I remember spotting one sitting in someone’s yard back then . I was in awe of the chrome , the fins and that 50s green.
Thanks for sharing. Enjoy this great car.😂
My heart skips a beat whenever someone--like you-finds such an American classic!...I love the color combo...you never see two or three-tone cars nowadays, right?...That light Aqua color is just beautiful. I owned 50 years ago, a 1957 Lincoln Premiere...the car had only 32,000 miles on it--I paid $600 for it!...this was in 1970...I was a young guy who knew next to nothing about cars, and sold it about a year later, for the same price!...Your car had a similar styling to it, particularly the back of the car!...My Lincoln had a 368V8, making 300hp...but, like your car, it was not quick, just very smooth, and luxurious. I have owned over a dozen cars since, but that beauty of a car is one that I will forever miss!...I have not seen one on the road in at least 30 years.
Wonderful story! It’s never to late to get another Lincoln! I love the headlights and taillights of that 57, gorgeous car!
My Granddad bought one new, was told it was a 57. Had supercharger and thought it was a 289 cl, My Dad ended up with it in 64. He had the supercharger removed for some reason, car had many brake problems. He finally sold it in 67. The guy that bought it was from Florida, paid $ 350. Well, he sold the engine for a guy to put in his speed boat. The body was stolen and believed to have been shipped to Cuba. I remember road trips to Niagra Falls, Gettysburg and lots of local day trips to the Pa. Grand Canyon, Pine Creek Gorge. Nice car.
Packard the greatest automobile ever
Beautiful, almost looks like a California custom, very nice clean lines and not too much chrome. Thank you for keeping it totally stock. My dentist in 1973 was a member of the Packard Club and I remember him telling me.
Beautiful car!. Your love for the car is transmitted throw the hole video!
What a beautiful car just imagine if it had a set of big beautiful Michelins. It is not a race car it’s a cruiser made for the back roads before the Interstate Highway System. It takes 19 hours from Sarasota to Philadelphia on the Interstate, if you did the backroads like this car was designed for it would take about 3 days but you would see probably more cool stuff and meet some really cool people. Great Video Thank You 🙏
Excellent narrative
Id call this a success. I listened to your beautiful voice for over 25 minutes and didn't have to wear any pants. 😎🙌
Life goal *Check*
One thing I was expecting to see in this Packard Clipper are push button automatic transmission selector that's extended on an arm on the right side of the steering column. I saw a Clipper at am auto show once and I was told by the owner that these buttons was electromechanical. The push button controls on the Chrysler cars and Dodge trucks is fully mechanical in contrast.
He is lucky that it doesn't have that %$#^ which I think was similar to part of what was in the Edsel and was one of the things that gave trouble to owners of that car (at least the first year version)
Its a beautiful design.
By listening to you I got the feeling YOU really like this car 😁 just kidding 😆 It IS simply beautiful and an amazing looking set of classy wheels . The color is gorgeous and,, chrome ?? MY MY 🙃 I have always like the PACKARDS never owned one but they were a beauty .
Beautiful ride looks like 100 thousand dollar range
"Ask the Man who Owns One"
Awesome to see you're loving the car! And who could blame you with THOSE TAIL LIGHTS!!!
Right??? I want to see your completed BMW!
a fantastic car way ahead of its time
You did a great job with this beautiful car. I think you may have sold one , if I can find one. Yours is exquisite.
That is a amazing design for a car.
Great Video 👍
Very informative 👏
Very nice, very nice and educational. Thank You
Thanks for sharing. It’s one of the big mysteries to me why not a single car producers of today are using interconnected (front/rear) suspension. It gives such huge comfort benefits that it’s almost a no brained. I have never had the pleasure to travel in an interconnected Packard but the small interconnected Citroën’s and cars with Moultons Hydragas an Hydrolastic suspension always brings a smile to my face when traveling in these 😂
Beautiful Car, i have a 56 Packard Clipper Super Coupe here in England UK
I imagine that 2-speed trans accounts for the most of the car's slow acceleration.
The only American car with 4-wheel torsion bar. Chrysler was front only, and no load lever. Oh, the trans: part of the development cost was for a lockup torque converter, almost 30 years ahead of Detroit - and they were MADE IN DETROIT! Slow ratio steering, but you could steer with a single finger, no power assist. 26-1/2 quart cooling system capacity - over 6.5 gallons! A few years back, a hot-rodded 374 Packard made for the Engine Masters series produced almost 450 (later 475) HP on the dyno. Impressive.
Dad had a red/black '55 Clipper Custom Constellation, 2-door hardtop.
Luvin' your car, and your presentation.
I'm looking for 1954 Pacific or Panama which will be my 3rd Packard and I'm still on the 9-main bearing str8 8 with 3-speed overdrive.
The red hexagon in the center of the 'ship's wheel' had been a Packard emblem, on it's own, for decades and was rendered in red cloisonne.
Beautiful car, but my favorite Packard cars were 1950 and before.
The most unique feature (besides full torsion bar suspension) was the transmission with LOCK UP torque converter. that began in 1948 and wasn't implemented in american cars until late 70s. Packard -provided 4 rear axle ratios , 287-1 being standard giving nice tall gears for highway driving.
Ultra-matics were smooth as silk as well. Most of the time you didn't feel it shift.
IN 55-56 the Senior Series cars did have a sylized Cormorant on the hood as well (the '56 version was sleeker) and a cloisonne Packard coat-of-arms on the hood (on 56's) and an embossed painted metal version on the circle-and-vee on the grille (on 55's). The crest did feature the Cormorant which was an integral part of the Packard coat-of-arms.
Had a 56 400 back in the 80's for a few years. Sold to a Packard collector from New York. Wonder if it's still around.
Great video! Thanks for posting!
Good Video - Beautiful Car - I'm a 1956 Model, also !
Wish Packard could have survived. My uncle drove Hudsons in the 50's till; he couldn't find them anymore. Two brands that should have remained in business.
❤❤❤ Мне жаль , что Пакарды прервались в 1958г.. Уникальный бренд!!! Ваша машина красивая! 2х цветная краска 🎉🎉🎉
Packard is A number one
It was an attractive car. Very reminiscent to a 1955-1956 Mercury, but not quite as sleek. They just couldn't catch up to what was happening at the time. Considering the reputation Packard had for decades, it's really sad that they shuttered .
Whenever a car fails in the marketplace, the old cliché' "It was ahead of it's time." Packard was dragged down by Studebaker. But James Nance and the Packard Board of Directors failed to examine Studebaker books until it was too late.
Thanks for this nice presented car! 👍
Outstanding car /////
Thank you! A very educational presentation. It's amazing how many features - interior features, especially - of my 1956 Coupe de Ville were incorporated into the 1956 Clipper. I wonder who was spying on whom :)
I love the car !!!
At one time Packard was The "Rolls Royce" of American cars. More expensive than any but the most custom made cars. Like a Duesenberg. Fabulous cars. "Ask the man that ouns one" Mine is a 1951 "300". When I was born I came home from the hospital in my dads 1956 Clipper. But It was not as pretty as this one
I think up through about to 1950 Packard was very competitive with Cadillac and Packard seems to have made a lot of police cars (pretty powerful in their day) and funeral cars,limos and hearses
"Hey look ma, the cars got boobs!!, I mean Dagmar's!!" 😂😂😂 Hilarious
Clipper as of separate make instead of Packard Clipper as of 1955 and before, but it was a one year make for 1956. Clipper was formerly a low priced Packard.
great car . lucky man !
The Packard "Clipper" name had been around for years before 1956. Maybe the 1940's? It was meant to be the entry-level , lower cost Packard.
Only the Caribbean models had the hood scoops, and yes they were made of lead. It was a real chore opening these hoods.
You didn't mention the most unique feature of the UltraMatic transmission, it has a lock-up torque converter, giving a true 1:1 drive ratio. About the only other automatics at this time which had a lock-up torque converter was the Borg-Warner 3-speed automatic and the Detroit Gear automatic, also a product of Borg-Warner.
Torsion bar suspension was a great idea as Chrysler used it on their front suspensions for decades. Chevrolet used them on their early-60's pick-ups which had independent front suspensions. GM used them on it's first front wheel drive cars, the Olds Toronado and Cadillac ElDorado. There just wasn't room for conventional coil springs. You will also find torsion bars on some Class A motorhomes.
Wow until the video I now the model thanks
1956 was only the last year for the full size Packard. Studebaker- Packred went on to make smaller cars that they put the Packard nameplate on because they owned it, so 56 is technically not the last year for the Packred.
It's a beautiful car! What might have been...
People today are unaware of how bad most paved roads were 60 years ago, compare to todays paved roads. In fact; there were probably more dirt and gravel roads than paved roads, which means the unpaved roads were incredibly rough! American cars if that era were designed to ride as smoothly and comfortably as possibly. They were never meant to be tossed around in turns, and were heavy for the same reason.
she's a beauty! the dash reminds me of a 1960 Chris Craft cabin cruiser my dad owned when I was a kid...that was also a sweet all American beauty. slow? not at all, I prefer to say leisurely, pleasant and not at all jarring as any luxury car owner with refined sensibilities would prefer. what's the big rush hot shot?
That's the one and only boat I'd ever own, a mahogany-trimmed CC cabin cruiser. Oh, man, you lucky kid you!
58 was the last year of the Packard, in Clipper form two more model years
There was a Russian made car called the "Chaika" which I think appeared some time after the loss of Packard cars being made in USA,not sure just when the Chaika appeared however,I think there are rumors that some of the Packard tooling and/or manufacturing equipment may have ended up in the Soviet Union? (Chaikas look very similar to the last two years of Packard models)
Packards,Packard Clippers,and "Clippers" are all very similar except for slightly shorter wheelbase on the Clippers and somewhat different engine availability?
All 1945-1950 Packards were Clippers, with the Patrician being introduced in 1951.
It was known as the “panoramic” windshield and it started throughout the industry in 1955!
3:47. Gears and shafts in trans also aluminum? Dynaflow went to aluminum CASE in 56 to save weight.
Cool car. What highway are you driving on? It looks a lot like my old stomping grounds around Paso Robles.
Great video. Thank you for sharing historical information on your beautiful Packard. I’m a Packard guy also. I have a 55 Packard Clipper Deluxe. Can you please provide any information regarding aftermarket A/C ? It really gets hot here in the South!!! Thank you!
It’s a typical under dash Vintage Air unit. Works OK.
Do you know of a website that I can perhaps purchase an aftermarket a/c for my 55 Packard Clipper Deluxe?
I recently bought a audi TT mrk 1 and would like to build a vw 1.8 engine, bored and stroked to 2.0. Can you help me out storting what parts to buy? I saw your video but I couldn't figure out what parts are most important for a 400 to 500hp build.
Jump on the Facebook group “1.8t 20v Tuning”. There are a lot of recent posts with builds and discussions on the stroker options, from TDI cranks, FSI cranks, 2.0 blocks, ect.
¡ Una descripción sin igual ! Detalle pir detalle del fabuliso Packard Clipper Custom de 1956. El mejor US car ( the best )
My father had at least 3 Packards back in the day. Don't know what years they were though?
IN MY DAYS PACKARD WAS A BIT OF LAUGHINGSTOCK!
HOWEVER THE STICK TRANSMISSION THEY HAD WAS NEARLY BULLETPROOF!
I RAN ONE BEHIND AN J-2 OLDSMOBILE BUILT ENGINE IN AN 33 DODGE PICKUP STREET ROD!
EVEN BETTER IT WAS A 3 SPEED WITH OVERDRIVE!
I wish you to enjoy this nice classic Coupé car. From what price starting today a 1956 Clipper Coupé matching numbers in a good condition in the US?
You don’t find them for sale much, but cars in this condition are about 20-30k USD.
Absolutely bitchin`, a beautiful car the likes of we will never see again.
i would love to buy it is it for sale?
There were Clippers in 57 but they were based on Studebakers
I think 1956 was a best year for American cars, such as Lincoln Continental, De Soto (Imperial, Chrysler 300), Chevrolet Belair, and Packard Clipper. Why do I say this? Due the landed design for each stuff, tail lights are nice ok, not too much vig or small, the frontal grille in 1956 is decent for all these brands, 1957 are an exageration of design, complicate and unnecesary curves and chrome parts.
Mi humilde opinión. 😘
Greetings from 🇨🇱 Santiago Chile SouthAmerica
with no seat belts-a hard pointed/curbed dash it was was a real death trap I .wonder how many people had their brains bashed out on that metal dash in a wreack
I would suggest you don't get one then. 🙄
I grove countysidon to dat car back in 6oth.
"hot ride" might look into the Studebaker Hawk with the Packard V8 or (I think) a Hudson/Nash car was fitted with a Packard V8--not sure whether those were hamstrung by the horrible Packard automatic however-I think that transmission was a major factor in the demise of Packard-hopefully the version in the "56 isn't as big a disaster as the ones were in "55
a shame that the Packard engine factory wasn't allowed to continue to manufacture engines for other makes after the vultures began feeding and that Packard didn't put a Hydramatic into its top of the line cars-- probably what you want in a Packard is their 3 speed manual with overdrive and short final drive ratio--
at least that one has the shift lever and not the Edsel style pushbuttons that get stuck in Park until another vehicle gives you a nudge uphill to relieve the "torque lock " situation that won't allow the pushbutton mechanism to get the trans out of Park
Some have said that the Packard V8 was about the best engine of its day but it seems to have overpowered the automatic transmissions in 1955 which led to the sales collapsing in "56 although perhaps some of the weakness of the transmission had been addressed-
as to other mid-1950s cars and the popularity of the Chevrolets as collector cars I think the Oldsmobile 88s were better looking and probably performed better,at least when comparing Olds automatics vs. the Chevrolet automatics
would be nice to roadtest a 1950's era Packard with the 9 main bearing Straight Eight and the 3 speed plus overdrive ,I believe that engine was 327 cubic inches for comparison most competing Straight Eights only had 5 main bearings and were probably not as well balanced as the Packard Eight (although lessor Packard Straight Eights might have only had 5 main bearings)
We looked at quite a lot of cars when searching for a family coupe of the era including a Hawk, Olds, Buick, Ford, and Chevy. We fell in love with the Clipper and so far it’s a keeper!
Thanks
Gotta work on the sound, guy.
Even level modulation. And
breathe from your diaphragm.
Good brochure pics.
I am glad to see and hear that you love the car. BUT.......that year of Packard was the lowest of the years until the end of Packard. They cut corners everywhere they could. That is why you don't see Packards on the road today.
Lots of reasons are cited for their demise going back as far as the great depression along with all the other independents, most to do with business decisions, but no reputable historian has cited quality as a reason for Packard's demise. They struggled with finances towards the end, but they were some of the best engineered cars to the very end, and what they had on the drawing boards for 1957-58 before they ran out of funding was similarly remarkable, such as a new automatic transmission mounted in the rear with transaxles for fully independent torsion level suspension.