History My Great-Grandma and Grandpa's 1947 Packard Clipper

i had a '42 coupe in the 60's for a brief time.it took me awhile to get used to how vibration free and smooth running it was.more than once i tried to start it at a stop light thinking that it had quit running.

 

Thanks for the replies everyone. The Packard wasn't alone up there, though. It wasn't the first and definitely is not going to be the last to come down from the mountain.

This is my grandpa's high school car. Some might think it's beyond repair, but I can't wait to bring it home someday. There's just something about it. 1949 Studebaker Champion.





And then there's my Great-Great-Grandma's Ranch Truck, also parked sometime in the sixties. It has the coolest Patina and actually super rot free. It think it must be something to do with the mountain air. It would make the perfect "shop truck" but my cousin already claimed it.



Some of you might remember my uncle, Nitro-Flattie1's 1931 Ford Model A Pick-up, which has been in our family since new and came from the same place. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=211989&showall=1





There are a couple parts cars, like the 1950 Chevy that was rolled of the side of the mountain in the late 50's and a 1951 Chrysler who's Hemi drivetrain was swapped into a 1950 Ford in the early 60's. There is supposedly a Model A roadster hiding up there in pieces somewhere, too, that might have been pushed over a cliff. I tried searing for it but only found a pile of model T fenders. Haha.

(sorry, nothing is for sale at the moment)

 

Classy old car. My uncle in Winnipeg sold them when they were new.

 

Cool car and even cooler story! Thanks for sharing.

 

Stay on top of the story!
Sounds Interesting !!

 

Great story, and great vids!!
OT question, but what model of Cat is that, and does it still have the pony moter start??
Kinda looks like the one I logged with!!

Shadetree

 

1943 D4. Yep, still starts with the pony motor.

 

I've seen those Packard flathead 8's used on irrigation pumps in orange
groves around here. Good save.

 

That Packard is cool as hell! I had to laugh when you said it was your "great-grandparents' car" - that makes it seem sooooooo long ago! My great-grandma never owned a car in her life!

That really is a great car to do up. A true "one-family-owned" car, for certain!

Is the car all black, black top/blue body, or black top/gray body?

 

sweet

 

Black top and gray body.

 

Now that is a fantastic story ! You are real lucky to have that car and after a good bath she really looks good ! A great car and they really do ride like a dream on the open roads ! Keep use posted !

 

Who cares about the car! j/k
Look what was stashed under it.
This was my dad's... where's the grill???

 

Heres a few more... Enjoy.






Looking for the treasures!

 

I was so excited to see this car come out of the old garage.
When i was a kid, i was so scared to go in there because of the bats and god knows what else was hiding in there.
It was a fun Satuday to spend with my brother and my nephew and to get to see some real light on this car... and not just a flashlight...like we normally did. Good times!

 

Wow! ... cool story, pics, & videos ... thanks for sharing

 

Really enjoyed wayching and reading the story. Can't wait to follow the story through, I love these kinds of stories ........congrats and good luck with her.

 

Great story on the car . Also great coverage of all of you recovering it from the shed . Body looks like it is rust free all around . Will be one nice cruiser going down the road .

 

What year liscene plate is on it?

 

Its great that somebody or just your family in general had the insight to hang onto this and at least keep it somewhat out of the elements. Family pictures, items, mean an aweful lot to me and I've got a pretty good idea they mean the same to you also. Please keep us up on this project. Those motors had a 7 main bearing bottom end and had un believable torque too. Soundn't be too bad to get started up and running again.

Michael

 

The "MBR 132" plate is a 1963 (yellow on black) California plate.


The "4B 67 Z90" plate is a 1951 (yellow on black) California plate.

 

Thanks for the info on plates HEMI32. I always wondered what year the plates were in the original pictures. I just never could make them out.

Thanks for posting your pics Uncle Tj.

 

I couldn't make out the date either ... but I knew that '51 plates were the only (post '47) plates with the "19__CALIFORNIA__nn" on the bottom ... click HERE for more info on CA plates of the 50s.

 

Thank you for the link! Very cool. I really want to find some '47 plates so we won't have to run new white plates on it. If anyone has a set for sale let me know. Thanks.

 

Another option (and IMO, the best ;-) ).....you can register the car with the California black plates currently on the car. As long as you have the title of the car or *any* old California registration for the car with that plate number --> MBR 132. This proves the plates were originally assigned (in 1963) to the Packard. Good luck.

 

I have the original title for it from when my Great-Grandparents bought it in '51. It lists the plates that are in the old pictures, not the ones that are currently on it. I won't bring that title or the plates to California DMV anyways because they'll try to take them. They tried to do the same thing with my '50 Dodge. I had to fight them pretty hard...

 

Do you have *ANY* California registration for the car with the "MBR 132" license plate on it? If you do, that is the key to getting the car registered with those plates. Showing any paperwork tying the plates to the car is what the DMV is looking for. Be persistant and don't be afraid to ask for a supervisor. If you don't like your answers pack everything up and find another DMV office.

 

1st off, Thanks for your service to our country. That has got to be one of the best post here on the HAMB I have seen. Very nice story. Great photos! Thanks for sharing. In the 3rd color shot there is a rifle leaning against the shed. Was that in the car? Thanks again, Slim

 

Thank you very much for the kind words. No, the rifle belongs to my dad. We get some weird people coming up the road sometimes... haha. The Packard was full or rat turds and acorns. Found one petrified rat and some parts to the D4. That's about it. The story goes that the radio was taken out when they parked it and put in the basement of the house so no one would steal it, but someone broke into the house and stole it anyways. Too bad, I wish I could have heard what it sounded like.

 

Great Blog. Going to add it to mine. Slim