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.

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