This week is my own 1953 Packard Clipper Deluxe. It has the original 327c.i. straight eight, with a three speed column-shifted standard tranny. She came out of eastern Oregon some years ago, so it was pretty solid til it sat out in this good ol' rust inducing Humboldt county fog. Anyways, I rebuilt a Carter WGD two bbl for it, a Frankenstein mix of a 928S and a 756. The fuel tank was flushed, but i still get sediment coming through the lines. Other than minor tune-up stuff like plugs, wires, cap and rotor, and all the filters, the running gear is completely stock. As far as I know, the engine has never been opened up. After media blasting and painting the original wheels, I mounted a set of NOS 8.20-15 B.F.Goodrich Silvertown white walls on them. Hubcaps are '55 Caddy on one side, and '59 Rambler on the other. I couldn't decide between he two, so just had to use both. But hey, it works for me. That's all I've done to her so far, but there will be much more to come. After the body is straightened out I'm gonna spray it with a kustom mixed green-gold metallic two-stage, but that's quite a ways off just yet.
-Shorty LaVen
