Vehicle Description
1950 Packard Super 8 Touring Sedan
The 1950 dealer brochure for the Packard line is so wonderfully
illustrated and simple, and touts the new Ultramatic transmission.
With a series of colorful illustrations, it highlights the
advantages of the automatic. In one image, a woman is at the wheel
and a baby is next to her in an untethered bassinette...in the
front seat! The caption reads, "In Packard Ultramatic drive,
there's no jerking because there's no clutch pushing ever...no gear
shifting anywhere, any time.". That lucky kid! The models are
displayed as well and the 1950 Packards had a distinct shape with
long bodies and robust sloping rear halves.
For consignment, a stunning 1950 Super Eight, big bodied and bold
and possessing the Ultramatic! This car has been partially restored
at some point and among the post war cars under our roof, this has
a unique presence and distinctive profile.
Exterior
Bathed is a sea of black paint, the tell tale characteristic narrow
grille that opens to wider grin is pure Packard of the era. The
grille frame on top is a sculpted reminder of a time when artistic
craftsmanship reigned, crowned with the Packard crest. The huge
swan ornament, with outstretched wings and nodding head would stop
birdwatchers in their tracks...it's spectacular. The chrome bumpers
look great and the rest of the brightwork is mixed between
excellent and good. The profile of the car is breathtaking. A long
hood tops wide fenders, the raked windshield meets a roofline that
rises slightly to meet a forward leaning and large rear pillar, the
heft of which is redoubled as it meets the trunk and rear fenders
which swoop rearward as if in motion. The fender covers the top of
the rear wheels and then is augmented by a small fender skirt that
bisects the wheel leaving only half of it exposed. Packard hubcaps
cover each of the 15-inch wheels. The rear view is wide with
handsome taillights and a substantial rear chrome bumper. The paint
is not perfect. There are areas of rust bubbles forming below the
paint on low parts of the car and some rust on the bottom edge of
the rocker panel. The paint is dull in some spots and has an orange
peel texture in other areas.
Interior
Light gray and darker gray patterned velour like cloth loosely
cover the door panels in horizontal and diagonal stitched patterns.
All of this is topped with a sculpted art deco crown. This material
also covers the front and rear bench seats. The elaborate plastic
steering wheel has metal topped spokes and a horn ring emanating
from the clear plastic Packard center cap, which shows a bit of
crackling. The simple dash has two round gauges: a speedometer in
single digits and a clock, both with artful backgrounds. They flank
four square gauges and a Packard plate, all in a wonderful art deco
style font. The steering column and dash surround is glossy metal
with a sort of woodgrain design, and the center area has a large,
metal ribbed speaker over robust metal toggle switches. Below that,
some painted tenite knobs. The AM radio is positioned vertically
compared to what we're used to, but the frequency numbers are
upright, splendid! The floor is covered in woven gray material and
looks good, and the soft headliner is in excellent condition. The
large trunk is flat and has a low lift over. The spare tire is a
white wall and presents with a Packard hubcap.
Drivetrain
A 327ci L-headed inline 8 cylinder engine is under that massive
hood and was factory rated at 150 horsepower, nothing to sneeze at
in 1950. The 2-speed Ultramatic transmission sends power all the
way to the back wheels where it finds 3.54 gears occupying the rear
axle. The green painted block of the engine and the rest of the bay
is in driver quality but not bad considering the age. Drum brakes
are found on all corners.
Undercarriage
Not horrible for a car that is 74 years old. Certainly, areas of
surface rust and maybe a bit more advanced on the frame where
pitting and flaking is definitely present. There's rust on the rear
leaf springs and shocks and surface rust on the exhaust system
which tracks a single exhaust into a stock style elongated muffler,
and out modestly out the back with a single tailpipe. We note some
oil on the rear differential and some on the transmission oil
pan.
Drive-Ability
Soft seats greet our derriere as performance wasn't associated with
seats in this era. This is a big car, and you wonder how people
managed in cities and on narrow streets "back in the day". At any
rate, the straight eight came to life and we steered this big ship
out of port. It is whale like in its proportions but drives nice.
With a small carburetor, we're not tearing up the track, but it has
adequate power and a wide turning radius. Save for the C-pillar,
visibility is good. As we said, this car has a presence which is
magnified when it's moving. We note the cool radio isn't working,
the high beams don't respond to the switch, and it pulls to the
right upon braking.
The Packard family, and by that we mean enthusiasts, are a fervent
and meticulous group. They know these cars inside and out and would
be happy to help in your endeavor to own or even restore this
unique piece of automotive history. We don't recommend carrying a
baby in the front, but this car could provide a good bit of family
fun!
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in
person.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and
we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host
Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends
in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and
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