1953 Packard Clipper 4-door Sedan

Here’s a car that looks very much like it did when it rolled out of the Packard Motor Car Company in Detroit, Michigan in 1953! It is beautifully original. Just sitting in it takes you back 60+ years to a much different USA. Notice the thickness of the sheet metal and the immense amount of room for passengers. This 4-door 1953 Packard is full of history, while still in excellent condition! The very best part is that it has less than 40K miles and looks like it, too! We are selling it only because we are short of space.

I am the third owner of this 63-year-old car. It was kept in a storage facility for most of its life. The first owner purchased this car brand new in 1953. The man only drove it in the summer months, keeping it in storage the rest of the time. He put 31K miles on it in nearly 60 years. When he was older and had lost his driver’s license, he would sneak out at night and drive the car, so his kids finally had to take the car away.

Mechanical – This car is powered by a straight-eight 288cid motor. This is a luxury car, so it won’t hot rod off the line. But, you soon realize how much total car you have at your control as it eases through the gears. Less than 40K miles are on this car! Listed are recent improvements to the car:

front and rear brake wheel cylinders
new brake master cylinder
new front and rear brake shoes
new gaskets and seals
new battery
a completely cleaned gas tank
a rebuilt carburetor
new exhaust manifold gasket

There is also a newly painted engine and engine bay with Packard gray paint that is period correct. The automatic transmission shifts smoothly. This car has a 6 volt electrical system. The whitewall tires are good, the emergency brake works. The exhaust system is okay, but will need some improvement in the future.

Exterior – The paint color is Packard Galahad green. When viewed up close, there are some scratches and nicks on this 63-year-old car. It even has fender skirts, although their green color is not identical to the rest of the car. You will see some pitting on the chrome and discoloration on the bumpers. There is no significant rust. The car body is nice and straight. All of the windows are in very good condition and roll up and down like they were brand new. All doors open and shut smoothly. The trunk is super clean with the original spare tire and jack.

Interior – The dashboard is in fantastic shape. See the pictures. Everything works, even the radio. What you notice at first glance is that the dashboard is complete, there is nothing missing and it’s clean and shiny. The door panels are quite clean for a car of this age. The seats are original cloth seats with no rips or tears except for the back of the backseat is starting to wear through in one place. The robe rail is good. The headliner is good, except for a little hole under the passenger-side sun visor. There are two sun visors. There is even a working courtesy light.

Structural – The car is straight and the only rust I see is a little surface rust.

Payment & Policies - This vehicle will be sold as is, where is, with no warranty of any kind. US buyers only. It can be inspected in person with appointment. We can be reached by email only. If you wish to talk by phone, just leave us your phone number in an email and we will call you. The title is clear and in hand and will be accompanied by bill of sale. Only cash, wire transfer, or money order will be accepted. Car cannot be moved until payment has cleared. Shipping the car is the buyer's responsibility, however we will help with loading on this end. A non-refundable $500 deposit is required within 24 hours of end of sale. Balance must be paid within 24 hours. Car must be moved within 30 days unless special arrangements have been made with us. Some miscellaneous parts, as well as owner's manual, will be included with the car. So that we don’t waste your time or ours, please be sure you can actually pay for the car if you are so inclined when you come to look. Also, remember that there may be some faults about this car that I have overlooked; I have given it my best shot. We reserve the right to correct any mistakes in this copy. Spoken words will take precedence over written words, in that case.

In Conclusion - The cars of this era have so many features not found on today's cars. The little vent windows (both front and rear,) the extremely heavy steel components, the robe rail for backseat customers, the comfortable and large back seat for a family of six, are just a few. This car is an non-corrupted original example of fine automobiles produced by The Packard Motor Company until the late 1950's, a piece of American history you will be proud to own. The main competition for a Packard Clipper in the early 1950’s luxury car class was Cadillac, very good company to compete with. 1953 was a great year for Packard Clippers. More were sold in 1953 (16,000) than in any other year in Packard history!

The little bit of wear and tear you will see on this Packard Clipper is testimony to its history and to its survival over the previous decades. When you drive it, people notice. With most modern cars looking much the same as each other, this beautiful Packard really stands out! It's easy to find a classic car that has been restored. It's much more difficult to find one that is nearly all original, like this Packard. You can see and feel the originality in this car when you slide under the wheel. As an investment, this car has a lot of upside. Buy it, maintain it, and it could pay big dividends in a few years. The truth is out ... the right classic car, especially an original one, can fetch a very good return on investment!

To own and/or to drive a Packard brings smiles! Here’s a chance to be that guy Packard was appealing to 63 years ago when they proclaimed in their advertising, "Ask the Man Who Owns One!”