Packard Eight "bathtub" Twenty-Second and Twenty-Third Series (1948 to 1950)

The 1948 to 1950 Packards were the Detroit company's first proper post-war restyle, and the last cars it built before the squarer 1951 range. Packard's body supplier Briggs developed the smooth, slab-sided "envelope" shape from the earlier Clipper, keeping much of that car's chassis underneath. When it was shown in 1947 the design won a fashion award, but it dated quickly, and enthusiasts have long called these cars the "bathtub" or "pregnant" Packards.

The range ran in two series. The Twenty-Second Series covered the 1948 and early 1949 cars, and the Twenty-Third Series arrived in 1949 to mark Packard's fiftieth anniversary and carried on through 1950. The Eight was the entry model, with the Super Eight and Custom Eight above it, all using L-head straight-eight engines.

On the road these are big, soft cars. Independent front suspension and a leaf-sprung rear axle give a smooth, floaty ride, with plenty of body lean if pushed. The straight eight is quiet and torquey rather than fast. The real point of interest for a 1950 car is Ultramatic, Packard's own automatic, which used a torque converter with a lock-up clutch for cruising. Packard developed it without outside help, and it is regarded as one of the more advanced American automatics of its day. Sales were strong in 1948, then fell away as GM's overhead-valve V8s and hardtops arrived, which is why historians see these cars as the start of Packard's decline.

• Years built: Twenty-Second Series 1948 to 1949; Twenty-Third Series 1949 to 1950. Packard did not run a strict model-year changeover, so registration years can mislead (see Identity).
• Body styles (Eight and Deluxe Eight): four-door Touring Sedan, two-door fastback Club Sedan and, in 1948 to 1950, the wood-trimmed Station Sedan. Convertibles were limited to the Super and Custom lines.
• Wheelbase (Eight): 120 in.
• Engine (Eight): 288 cu in (about 4.7 litres) L-head straight eight with five main bearings and solid lifters. PackardInfo lists 130bhp for 1948 and 135bhp for the 1950 Club Sedan.
• Other engines in the range: 327 cu in Super Eight (145bhp) and nine-bearing 356 cu in Custom Eight (160bhp).
• Gearboxes: three-speed column-change manual; Ultramatic automatic from 1949 on Customs and from 1950 as an option across the range.
• Electrics: 6-volt, positive earth.
• Production: PackardInfo records 11,589 1950 Eight Club Sedans of body number 2395-5. Old Cars Weekly gives 42,280 Standard and Deluxe Eights for the 1949 Twenty-Third Series model year. Treat all figures as approximate, as sources group them differently.

• 1948 (Twenty-Second Series): new envelope body; Eight, Deluxe Eight, Super Eight and Custom Eight; Station Sedan with structural hardwood trim; painted bumper centres on the Eight.
• November 1948: for registration, 1948 cars became "1949" Series 2200-9 cars without real changes.
• 1949 (Twenty-Third Series, from May): mainly cosmetic changes. Chrome side spear, chrome bumper centres and a larger rear window. The Super Eight took on the longer body and most Custom styling cues.
• Ultramatic: first offered in mid-1949 on the Custom Eight, then as an extra-cost option on every Packard for 1950. Sources differ on dates; one history places first availability in May 1950, and Old Cars Weekly says November 1949 for all models.
• 1950: final year of this body and of the 356 Custom engine. The 1951 range used an all-new body.

Bodywork and structure

These cars have a separate frame with the body mounted on brackets. Owners report that the body-to-frame brackets rot, so look underneath at each mounting. Floors rust at the base of the A-pillars, often because water gets in along the leading edges of the front doors, so lift the mats and press the footwell corners. Check sills, door bottoms, the boot floor and the lower rear wings, which are long, deep panels and costly to make good. A car that has lived in a hot, dry state may have sound metal but sun-damaged paint, rubber and interior. Station Sedans need their wood checked for rot and loose joints. Chrome is extensive and expensive to replate, so look closely at bumpers, grille and side spears for pitting.

Engine

The 288 is a long, understressed side-valve engine and owners describe it as tough. At a viewing, look for oil leaks, signs of coolant mixing with oil, and a radiator that has been recored or replaced. Overheating is the usual complaint with big straight eights in traffic, so ask about the cooling system. Solid lifters mean some valve clatter is normal, but a heavy knock is not. A car that will not idle cleanly may simply have stale fuel and a tired carburettor, or it may have stuck valves after storage. Many cars have had an electric fuel pump added; it should be wired safely and fused.

Gearbox and drivetrain

On an Ultramatic car, ask for the fluid level and colour to be shown and listen for whines or harsh engagement when the selector moves. The selector quadrant reads Park, Neutral, High, Low and Reverse. The car normally starts in High, using the torque converter, and Low is a driver-selected gear. In normal use you should feel the lock-up clutch engage at cruising speeds. Period drivers often started in Low and shifted by hand, which was hard on the transmission, so ask how the car has been used. Manual cars should change cleanly without crunching into second.

Suspension, steering and brakes

Expect soft springing and lean, but a car that sits low at one corner or wallows badly needs springs or dampers. Bounce each corner and look for weeping dampers. Check the front suspension joints and steering linkage for play by rocking the front wheels. These are drum-braked cars; ask when the hoses, wheel cylinders and master cylinder were last renewed, because a car that has sat will often have seized or leaking hydraulics.

Electrics and interior

The positive-earth 6-volt system works well when cables and earths are in good order, but slow cranking usually points to undersized or corroded cables rather than a need for 12 volts. The Packard Club advises against converting original cars. Check that lights, wipers, the clock and instruments work. Interior trim and headlinings are specific to body style, so a complete, original interior is worth having.

Identity and paperwork

On 1939 to 1950 cars the vehicle number is on a metal patent plate on the engine side of the bulkhead, with a separate Briggs body plate and a stamped theft-proof number nearby. A 1950 car should read 23##-5-####, while a 1949 Twenty-Third Series car has no "-5". The engine number is stamped on a machined pad on the driver's side of the block, below the head. Check these against the V5C. Because 1948 cars were relabelled as 1949 for registration, a UK document's year may not match the build. A car built before 1 January 1986 can qualify for the historic tax class, and one built or first registered more than 40 years ago can be MOT exempt if it has not been substantially changed, but the owner remains responsible for keeping it roadworthy.

Mechanical parts, gaskets, seals and rebuild kits are available through established American Packard suppliers, and the shared engines and chassis help. Body panels, trim and Ultramatic internals are harder to find and often come secondhand. In the UK, look for a specialist in pre-war and early post-war American cars who knows straight eights and older automatics. Clubs:

• The Packard Club (Packard Automobile Classics): packardclub.org (opens in a new tab)
• Packards International Motor Car Club: packardsinternational.com (opens in a new tab)
• Packard Automobile Club of GB: listed in the DVLA's V765 club list and in the Classic & Sports Car club directory, which gives a contact rather than a website.

• Is this a genuine Twenty-Third Series 1950 car, and does the patent plate number match the V5C?
• When was the Ultramatic last serviced, and does it lock up and select Low and Reverse cleanly?
• Has the cooling system been overhauled, and does the car overheat in traffic?
• What rust repair has been done to the floors, A-pillar bases and body mounting brackets?
• Is the car still 6-volt positive earth, and what electrical changes have been made?