This 1947 Packard Custom Super 8 Touring Sedan was sold new by Ostendorf Motors in Buffalo, New York, to a family from Santa Barbara, CA. There were 2 brothers, and they each bought a ’47 Packard custom 8, when their military service ended, and then drove them home to Santa Barbara, where both cars lived until 1968. Well known Collector Bob Davies bought them both from the family in ’68. This car was by far the nicer of the two, at the time still having original paint in Vermont Green and Vanderbilt Grey. Bob was a careful and knowledgeable owner, and he kept the car in excellent shape, and took it to tours and shows. I remember the car from the 1985 January Packard meet in Anaheim, where I parked across the show aisle with my own ’47 Custom 8 that I had just finished restoring. This has always been a nice car, and has had excellent care from it’s owners. After Bob’s passing it went to Bob Brelsford in 1998, and then to Max Fields in Arizona. I bought it from Max in 2012, and sold it to the current owner. It has successfully completed many national tours and CCCA CAR-A-VANs, most recently the Idaho Sun Valley caravan and the Utah – California leg of the 2013 Coast To Coast “Rediscover America” CAR-A-VAN.
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The Custom Super 8 was the top of the Line, with 356 Cubic inch straight 8 – good for over 100 MPH when new, and more than enough to propel the car at freeway / interstate speeds today. It has factory overdrive, a key feature that allows sustained high speed operation. The Custom super 8 included luxurious interior features including individually wrapped seat springs, chrome steering column and parking brake handle, and front to back headliner seams and cloisonne enamel hubcap emblems in Packard’s signature hexagon style. Additional accessories on this car include the Deluxe steering wheel – the “Banjo” or “K” steering wheel – and the roof mounted antenna, goddess of speed hood ornament, and rear bumperguard.
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The 2 tone in Vermont Green and Vanderbilt grey makes an attractive design even better. Of course this is the factory 2-tone paint scheme.
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The paint was redone under Bob Brelsford’s ownership sometime after 1998, as was the wiring harness. It’s a beautiful, high quality paint job in the proper colors, with only the slightest signs of touring and use.
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Straight. Smooth. Rust Free. Only 1 paint job in the last 67 years ! Note the excellent radial whitewalls, perfect for touring.
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Excellent original chrome up front, with only some blushing on the bumpers and very , very minor pitting on the die cast grille pieces, which I think are the original ones.
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Excellent !
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Super in profile! actually, Custom Super!! Note the beautiful hubcap emblems.
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Absolutely lovely. Ready to go on tour now. The Brakes were completely redone in 2012 with receipts to match. In fact, there are work receipts going back to 1970, including an engine rebuild in 1991.
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The full repair history back to 1970 as documented by receipts.
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California Registrations back to 1968.
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Let’s take a look inside the beautiful interior! ALL original with the exception of the front seat cushion, which was redone with the correct Bill Hirsh broadcloth during Bob Brelsford’s ownership. That is the original, impossible to re-create and excellent Moss-Tred Carpeting, which was a very thick wool cut pile carpet with no edging – instead, it was wrapped around and bound to a rubberized backing underneath.
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All original and beautiful back here.
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Here’s a better view of the woodgrained accent bar and robe rail.
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Beautiful original doorpanels and woodgraining. Of course the top of the window sill shows the effects of touring and elbows resting on the open window.
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Pretty – and original – dashboard. Note the chrome steering column and parking brake, a hallmark of the Custom Super. The less expensive Packards had tan steering columns.
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The Deluxe Steering wheel, original to the car and still in excellent shape, with only some very minor cracking at the very top of the wheel. This is a super rare and desirable acessory!
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The mileage is not original, the speedometer is known to have been changed. We know this because it’s noted in this book that details the service life and history of the car – inscribed in by Bob Davies, Bob Brelsford, Max Fields and the current owner.
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We also know, based on this entry and the receipt file that the 356 Cubic Inch engine was replaced in 1983 because of a crack. The new engine is a G5 stamped engine, meaning it is a 356 Cubic inch engine from a 1948 Packard. Those engines are identical except for the serial number. That engine was rebuilt again in 1991, and continues to give good service today!
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Here’s the engine itself. 356 Cubic inches, straight 8, smooth as glass and powerful as a locomotive.
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The mighty powerplant has successfully completed many tours. Your tour could be the next one!
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A great running car! It shows great oil pressure, it runs nice and cool, it has all the power it is supposed to, and it keeps up with high speed interstate traffic effortlessly. My only comment to make on the operation is that, when warm, the car has a lifter tick and a very slight whine in second gear. A brand new hydraulic lifter is included with the car.
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Excellent clean trunk with spare and spare-only hubcap.
It even has the original trunk matting in excellent shape.
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Nice.
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Here are some photos of tours and events this car participated in. It’s been well travelled and well cared for. A big box of photos, magazine articles, receipts, old registrations and history on the car is included in the sale.
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Delightful!
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I love it!
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Beautiful chrome and accessory bumper guard.
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Here’s the roof antenna and the glare proof mirror
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Owner’s manual, and delivery tags for the mirror, rotary antenna and clock.
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The Front to Back headliner, another hallmark of the Custom Super 8.
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Another Custom Super 8 feature were these stainless bands and leather wrap at the seat base.
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beautiful ashtray with gold Packard lettering and cat-eye lighter.
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A beautiful car ready for CCCA and other Club tours and Events!