Vehicle Description
1949 PACKARD EIGHT STATION SEDAN WOODY WAGON
A curvaceous break from the square, fruit crate depot hacks that
came before, this fastback is a two-ton barrel of Detroit's finest
buttercream. A beautifully preserved, meticulously detailed,
faithful example benefitting from a full mechanical and cosmetic
restoration top to bottom, inside and out. Originally a west coast
car, fully sorted, strong and solid, this is Packard's "Double-Duty
Beauty," their last station wagon, fully dressed, with a handsome
boatload of factory options and no buried surprises, except for the
180 h.p. H.O. 327 / 4-barrel engine upgrade, to roll it along like
a full keg headed towards a thirsty Friday night taproom.
KING OF THE CARRY-ALLS... HEAR, HEAR.
QUEEN OF THE HIGHBALLS... HICCUP.
Country club charm. Carry-all convenience. Grand as an Adirondack
lodge. With luxurious seating for six, 21 square feet of cargo
space and a picnic table for a tailgate, Packard's "Double-Duty
Beauty" chauffeured post-war giddy, tipsy ballroom-hopping parties
all night long, into quiet, red-eyed retreats to field and stream
come first light on the weekend. Whether hauling fishing kit and
hunting rifles, or blue-ribbon flats of flowers for 4-H Club
competitions, it is ruggedly constructed and dutifully well-rounded
as an Octoberfest beauty queen tapping kegs of Olde Frothingslosh
on a 1949 auto parts calendar page. No matter what adventure it
inspired, it's elegance and engineering is without a doubt, pure
Packard.
According to Robert J. Neal's wonderfully researched publication,
PACKARD 1948-1950, the utilitarian Station Sedan is a unique, rare
model. This exclusive, bobbed boat tail beauty is one of 3,800
examples hand-built in a very limited run, before the model was
discontinued by the end of 1950, with few surviving almost seventy
years of inevitable wear, neglect and Mother Nature's decay.
ENDLESS HOURS. COUNTLESS HANDS.
A FINE EXAMPLE FROM COAST TO COAST.
This Station Sedan reflects the talent, enthusiasm and discretion
of devoted Packard Club members who built old and new back together
in the last five years and 3,000 miles, so seamlessly, that it's
original showroom soul remains intact with a current, clear,
notarized Pennsylvania title.
Packard series 2201
VIN data plate G272898 (CA DMV renumbered, long ago. Possibly on
top of the Packard renumbering of Station Sedans up to three times
before selling these slow moving, expensive models over three
calendar years.)
- Briggs body style tag: Model 2293-5025
- Firewall theft tracking number: 837728
- Paint Scheme: W (Arizona Beige )
- Trim Code 614: Tan leatherette & pinstripe vinyl
- 120-inch wheelbase
- Gross weight: 4,080 attractive, well-concealed pounds
- Assorted date stamps:
- Clock: 9-48
- PPG/Herculite/LOF Safety Plate glass:10-48
- Speedometer: 11-48
A COSMETIC RESTORATION SO EYES NEVER TIRE IN ADMIRATION.
Mae West opined, a woman should cultivate her curves, "They may
look dangerous, but they'll be impossible to avoid." This Station
Sedan has become again a compelling feast for the eyes, making a
Vargas pin-up break from the wooden fruit crate box utility that
defined wagon design since the drawl of a horse. All Packards are
famous for being a sight to behold. This car is no exception,
possessing an organic shape that is as much a piece of minimalist
sculpture as it is a sumptuous way to get from here to there.
WOOD
About 2/3 of the original honey-toned wood was preserved with a few
unsalvageable pieces used for templates blended in new maple.
Stripped, sanded, stained and then finished with 15 coats of
marine-grade polyurethane by San Diego woody expert, Bowden Auto
Body, Escondido, CA. All refinished sections were reinstalled as
factory fit, with new 3M Di-Knoc used on the door panel and
tailgate inserts.
BODY & PAINT
Also at Bowden, all body panels were removed and completely
disassembled for blasting, sanding, prime and paint, with new metal
replacement only in a front floor section. Interior floor and door
shells eventually coated in POR-15 and layered in sound dampener.
Factory panel fit prevails with hardware, gasketing and seals as
needed between all metal and wood. Resplendent in Arizona Beige,
it's nothing but pure buttercream icing deep enough to slice.
TRIM
All chrome and stainless (except for dash components) was removed
and either re-chromed or polished by the best shop in Los Angeles,
Van Nuys Plating, and it shows. All rubber seals around glass,
windows, doors and vents were replaced using Steele Rubber
products. The wood graining around the tin window trim was redone
for all four doors and both rear compartment windows, six frames
total. The dash is untouched, still lovely in it's original wood
grain and chrome jewelry.
INTERIOR
A complete, new and correct interior was installed by a talented
upholstery shop, Armand's Auto Upholstery, Walnut Creek, CA, whose
owner owned a Station Sedan and knew them well, having restored a
few west coast examples with expertise. Seat fabric, door panels,
kick panels, windlace, headliner, and rubber flooring were all
replaced using correct materials. Seat frames stripped and painted.
The rear cargo area plywood and stainless luggage rails were
refinished to showroom effect. A removable, square-weave wool
carpet is also installed over the original-style, ribbed mat rubber
flooring. Overall, proper fit and finish throughout, very well
done. Finished with seat belts for five and factory floor mats.
From the hushed closure of the bank vault doors, the cabin is
quiet, solid and as exceptional as the exterior. The seats are firm
again. The windows mechanisms roll with ease. The glovebox is the
only perfect square shape on the whole curvaceous car. Under the
original wood-grained dash, seat adjustment, dash controls and
pedal release, all mechanical and electrical controls are precise
and move effortlessly, operating like new again. Under dash is
tidy, and stock, with NOS switches and rebuilt overdrive cable. The
Victrola-sized tube radio was removed to ease installation of new
wire harness, shed quite a few pounds and improve around-town gas
mileage. The only understandable uninvited guest is a hidden toggle
switch for the auxiliary, inline fuel-pump.
CHASSIS
Underneath, the frame and body panels are exceptionally straight
and clean, without signs of accident or repair. Thoroughly steamed
cleaned and wire brushed from front to rear, with removal of loose
undercoat and debris from entire front clip, wheel wells, across
floor panels and rockers, beneath gas tank, then coated in only
chassis black oil-based paint. Seams sealed, no surface rust, solid
as the topside of the car.
THE CHERRY ON TOP OF THIS MECHANICAL RESTORATION IS REINTRODUCING A
PROPER MOTOR TO CAR AND COMPANY UNDER THE HOOD.
While P is for Packard, it better mean Power. Taking inspiration
from the powerful reputation Packard earned from V-12s to Merlins,
this car has the "fire-breathing" upgrade that the factory
eventually proposed to accelerate the behemoth Station Sedan into a
next generation 23rd series, before being axed from the lineup. So
better late than never. Out with the tired, original 288 and in
with a fresh 327 engine rebuilt by Ross Miller of Speedwell Garage.
Ross, a master mechanic and engineer, National Packard Club judge,
forum advisor, international ambassador and overall
skinned-knuckle, rolled sleeves, hands-on flywheel for all
roadworthy endeavors in a Packard.
MOTOR
327 c.i. Thunderbolt H.O. head ( iron-1953 ) w/ 4-barrel Carter
carb...for more information please contact the seller.
