HomePick of the DayPick of the Day: 1956 Packard Patrician top model from the storied...

Pick of the Day: 1956 Packard Patrician top model from the storied brand

The plus-size luxury sedan is ready for driving in commodious comfort

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When mechanical engineer James Packard first started selling cars in 1899, he positioned the company in the upmarket luxury segment, with model pricing in the $2,000s as compared with competitors’ cars starting at $400 or less.

 In the decades that followed, Packard continued to establish its foothold as a luxury marque and became a top-selling high-end brand by the 1920s.  By the middle of the 20th century, the company’s offerings had diversified into multiple models, including a top-line “400.”

The Pick of the Day is a 1956 Packard Patrician listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Sacramento, California.

“Runs, drives, stops, merges with highway traffic speeds with no problem,” the listing states.  “This car is a real head turner.”

Packard offered the Patrician for six years, naming it after a ruling class in ancient Rome.  The label first appeared in 1951 to identify the 400 model, slotted as Packard’s highest trim level available at the time.  A few years later in 1955, all Packards went through a redesign and received hooded headlight housings, a new grille and “cathedral-styled” taillights.  The model’s last year arrived in 1956 when designers added even more dramatic peaks over the headlights and black-painted bezels.

During the midst of all this evolution, the Packard Motor Car Company joined forces with Studebaker, and the Packard nameplate was removed from the marketplace in 1959.  The Studebaker-Packard entity in its entirety became defunct in 1966.

packard

Mechanically, this Patrician has received attention to the power windows, brakes, tires, suspension and carburetor, according to the listing.  The seller notes that the AM radio is inoperative, the dash clock is not working, and one of the blinker lenses is missing. 

A 374cid V8 was the sole engine available for the Patrician during the 1955 and 1956 model years.  The Twin-Ultramatic transmission has push-button controls, and the seller states that the gear shift mechanism was recently serviced.

packard

“Car doesn’t need anything now except a new owner,” the listing concludes. “I have too many cars and simply have to sell a few.”

The seller is asking $18,000 for this high-end Patrician.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

Tyson Hugie
Tyson Hugie
Tyson Hugie is a Phoenix-based automotive enthusiast who has been writing for The Journal since 2016. His favorite automotive niche is 1980s and 1990s Japanese cars, and he is a self-diagnosed “Acura addict” since he owns a collection of Honda and Acura cars from that era. Tyson can usually be found on weekends tinkering on restoration projects, attending car shows, or enjoying the open road. He publishes videos each week to his YouTube channel and is also a contributing author to Arizona Driver Magazine, KSLCars.com, NSX Driver Magazine, and other automotive publications. His pride and joy is a 1994 Acura Legend LS coupe with nearly 600,000 miles on the odometer, but he loves anything on four wheels and would someday like to own a 1950 Buick Special like his late grandfather’s.

6 COMMENTS

  1. I am interested but I live in Puerto Rico. I can fly to your spot and drive to Fl. Can you inform me how much will it cost to get it home?

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