Packard Caribbean

The Packard Caribbean was a car, the Packard Motor Car Company in Detroit manufactured in the model years 1953 to 1956.

" Dreamcar " Pan American

Inspiration for the Caribbean was the Packard Pan American show car, which the company Henney Motor in the previous year at your own risk had built. It was a three-seater sports cabriolet based on the Packard Convertible Coupe. A total of 6 copies at a price of U.S. $ 10,000 were built. This gives a list price of $ 18,000 would have been indisputable. But Packard CEO Nance wanted to give such a image promotion program on the mark again some glamor. Therefore, the new Packard 's chief designer Richard A. Teague was commissioned to design a luxury convertible with elements of the Pan American that could be but offered at a realistic price.

Model series

Also Teague came from the standard convertible. As a major contributor to the rise in price has been waived three-seat design. The result was the Caribbean, which was manufactured from 1953 to 1955 only as a convertible. In the last model year 1956 still came a hardtop model to do so.

1953

It is a bit ironic that not the "inventor " of the concept Henney got the contract for the series production but the rival firm Mitchell - Bentley Corporation in Ionia (Michigan), which simply offered the conversion much cheaper. Again, you went from factory Convertible from which Packard partly assembled anlieferte. By far the most elaborate renovations were to make the body analogous to the Pan American low by cutting 15 cm sheet from the flanks. This attracted huge adjustments all around and in the interior by himself. The mechanical components were unchanged from the convertible; so the only available engine was the eight-cylinder in-line engine with a 7-bearing crankshaft, 5,358 cc (327 ci) of displacement and 180 bhp (134 kW) which was also used in the Packard Cavalier and Mayfair. The top engine with 9- bearing crankshaft remained so to the ( much cheaper ) Patrician reserved.

The Caribbean was the probably the most easily identifiable Packard Model. Although he had the same radiator grille with a ribbed center bar like the other expensive models, but the hood only had with him a broad but non-functional air scoop and was not intended for a hood ornament. The rear wheel wells were cut out circular in contrast to the other models had to bring any casing around the stock chrome wire wheels by Kelsey -Hayes to better advantage. The only chrome trim on the side was a deep extending to the body bottom edge trim strip over the entire car length and around the wheel cutouts around. A spare wheel cover with steely in the middle of the tail ( Continental Kit) part of the basic equipment. Standard were also high, thick padded leather benches. Most Caribbean were also well equipped, the Ultramatic automatic transmission and power windows were in the first year to the Yamaha accessories. The official color palette of the Caribbean was limited sand colors on the color Polaris Blue, Gulf Green Metallic, Chestnut Brown Metallic and Sahara. But Packard was ready as always to oblige; therefore some Caribbean in ivory and black were painted.

The Caribbean 1953 is part of Packard's 26 series and under the circumstances the first model, the Richard Teague had designed for the company. With a list price of $ 5,210 (compared with $ 3,476 for the 250 Convertible) the Caribbean was by far the most expensive model on a standard chassis, Packard and moved to a level comparable to GM's Dream- Car Trio level.

The first Caribbean is the most reserved and formal makes these components more successful. In the first year 750 copies were made and these cars are very sought after by collectors today. Well restored copies today cost regular six-figure dollar amounts.

1954

The Caribbean was the slight facelift the rest Packard series. Like the other upscale models Patrician, Cavalier, Pacific and Convertible he also got the headlight housing with " fins" to distinguish it from the more favorable Clipper models. Its appearance, however, remained independent even if the wheel wells were not quite rounded and a new chrome band allowed a fashionable two-tone paint. Directly behind the door a Packard logo was attached. The standard was richer than all other models with features such as power steering and brakes, the new Gear Start Ultramatic, electric adjustment for wheels and front bench seat, split heating / ventilation, windscreen washer, two front ashtray, the famous Continental spare tire with formwork, spoke wheels and wide whitewall tires.

As part of the facelift all models mentioned, upscale received a further development of the large number of eight-cylinder engine. They had grown to a displacement of 5,834 cc ( 356 ci ) and there was only the version with 9- bearing crankshaft and the power was 212 bhp (158 kW) higher than that of the Cadillac V8 in the same year; the end and culmination of years of experience with this engine design. The choice was between the four colors Chariot Red, Polaris Blue, Gulf Green and black; all in combination with exclusively Arctic White ' in the front part of the body.

Overall, only 400 were produced Caribbean this year, as few as in any other year.

1955

For model year 1955, the Caribbean was all Packard completely revised as. Finally, there was also on the long wheelbase coupe (400). The standard convertible accounted for. Also the Caribean was now on the Long chassis with 3,226 mm ( 127 in ).

Of the simpler models, the Caribbean differed by two air intake on the hood dummies instead of the hood ornament. The Continental's spare tire was gone, it was a three-color paint standard. It consisted of a white body shell. Two parallel chrome strip ran just about the whole car length; the upper rose steeply just before the rear end. The area in between bordered the second color. It was suspended about 30 cm behind the door of a chrome element. In it sat a lamp which served as a position light with the light on and the door is opened brightly lit to illuminate the ground when exiting. The third color ran along between the sill and the lower chrome strip. Apart from the four offered from the factory color combinations was any more as desired possible unless it is approved by Teague's design department. The interior was also tuned in three colors ( leather) and on the exterior color.

For the first time the new brand logo ("V" on a circle) was used; the traditional coat of arms is still at the center. The trunk lid had been taken over by last year's model and also wore the chrome element with conventional crest. The triangular tail lights received the new logo.

Technically, the Caribbean was again closely related to the other large - Packard models. He received this as the greater of two new V8 engines with 5801 cc (352 ci), but in addition also a Rochester carburetor system with two quad carburetors and a special mixture of lead. In addition, the engine was compressed slightly higher. All this brought the performance to 290 hp at 4800 rpm SAE. This Packard came into the reputation of being the manufacturer of the most powerful production car in the world - if you generously the built in limited numbers Chrysler C-300 was not aware of.

Even Verständlichn also included the new automatic "Twin Ultramatic ", " EasAmatic " servo brakes, one Gemmer power steering and "Torsion Level Ride", the innovative torsion bar suspension with elektromotischer level control, as well as standard such as the electro- hydraulically operated soft top, Kelsey - Hayes wire wheels, " Wonderbar " radio with automatic station search, electrically operated windows and seat adjustment, tinted windows, etc. the short list of accessories included only the air conditioning.

As a result of the subscription of a new body shop shortened model year ( 17 January to 2 November 1955) 500 Caribbean were built at a price of $ 5,932.

Celebrity owner of a '55 Packard Caribbean was the French actor Yves Montand.

1956

1956, the Caribbean was to own luxury model series, and it was a hardtop model to do so. The differences in the exterior decoration to previous model year were not great at first glance. Similarly the other Packard models, the barges were greater above the headlights, front bumper horns moved further apart and changed the pattern of the grille. The deposited lattice made ​​of anodized aluminum were now available for the vents under the bumper. Soon after the introduction of the '56 Packard series, this grid was changed from colorless ( " aluminum colored " ) on gold - anodized. The first introduced last year, new brand logo ( a "V" over a circle) was emphasized. The sides remained unchanged. It was for all models a new, bauchigeren trunk lid, the also graced the new logo. In the golden circle was integrated into the traditional coat of arms, which was used to Entriegelng and a key hole cover at the same time. The cathedral-like taillights lost the incorporated logo. The front parking lights and turn signals as well as the lateral position lamps were now matted instead of clear. Inside the Caribbean received new seats with removable seat and back cushions. These pads were covered on one side with leather and on the other with bouclé fabric.

To distinguish them from the other Packard models in turn served the hood with two air inlet dummies instead of a hood ornament, which on the whole vehicle protracted and at the rear steeply rising stripes, triple coating ( others were available on request) and Kelsey -Hayes wire wheels.

What was new for model year 1956 for the first time a two-door hardtop coupe Caribbean available. It got all the features of the convertible. The roof was white with Hypalon, a forerunner of the vinyl roof relative.

She was equipped for all Packard ³ on a 6,132 cm ( 374 ci) enlarged version of the V8 engine from the previous year. Only in the Caribbean, there was a mixture system with two quad carburetors. Thus, performance is increased from 290 to 310 hp at 4600 rpm SAE. The in-house automatic "Twin Ultramatic " and the torsion bar suspension "Torsion Level Ride" were slightly revised. Packard was the first manufacturer ever this year, a rear axle with a differential lock, called " Twin Traction". "Touch Button ", which is also new, and is available as an option for all Packard and Clipper Print Key operation for the automatic transmission was standard equipment in the Caribbean.

Packard was in this year, provider of the most technically challenging and innovative U.S. vehicles and the Caribbean whose coronation.

In the entire model year (November 3, 1955 to September 25, 1956 ) 263 hardtop models and 276 convertibles were produced. The list price was $ 5,495 for the hardtop and $ 5,995 for the convertible.

In June 1956, the Curtiss -Wright arms company took over the Studebaker -Packard Corporation. The production facilities in Detroit were abandoned then what the end for Packard automobiles in the traditional sense and thus also for the Caribbean meant.

Prominent owners of a Packard Caribbean Convertible was the actress Jean Peters and the singer Edith Piaf.

Swell

• Gunnell, John ( Editor): The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946-1975, Krause Publications (1987 ), ISBN 0-87341-096-3
• Packard, A History of the Motor Car and the Company - General edition - Beverly Rae Kimes, editor - 1978 Automobile Quarterly ", ISBN 0-915038-11-0
• "The Packard Identification Guide Volume One ", Dr. Robert B. Marvin; 2t. edition; R- Mac Publications ( 1990)
• " Packard Motor Cars 1946-1958 Photo Archive ", Mark A. Patrick ( editor); Iconographix Osceola WI (1996 ), ISBN 1-882256-45- X
• "The Packard: 1942-1962 ", Nathaniel D. Dawes; A. S. Barnes & Co., Inc., Cranbury, NJ (1975), ISBN 0-498-01353-7
• " Packard Gold Portfolio 1946-1958 ", RM Clarke; Motorbooks International, ISBN 1-870642-19-8
• "Triumph and Tragedy: The Last Real Packards " by Richard M. Langworth, in Collectible Automobile, Issue September 1984, pp. 6-25; ISSN 0742 - 812X
• George Vance -The Packard Club 53-54 Caribbean Roster Keeper