Photo: houstonoddities/eBay
America's leading luxury car manufacturer before World War II, Packard, had fallen behind the Big Three in the late 1940s. By the early 1950s, its products were perceived as old-fashioned. In an effort to change that image, Packard designed the Caribbean, one of its most iconic nameplates.
The story of the Caribbean began in 1952 when Packard unveiled the Pan-American concept. The two-seat roadster was well-received at auto shows across the US and prompted Packard to develop a production model. The latter arrived in 1953 with a similar design and a four-seat layout.
The Caribbean was actually based on the Cavalier convertible, but it sported many custom features that made it as glamorous as the Cadillacs and Lincolns of the era. The Caribbean was significantly redesigned in 1955 and was discontinued in 1956 when Packard's production ended in Detroit.
Like most Packards, the Caribbean was a slow seller. In its four model years on the market, the nameplate moved 10,816 units. And many of them were sold in 1955. Specifically, the 1955 Caribbean found 9,127 customers, leaving only 1,689 cars delivered in 1953, 1954, and 1956. The 1954 version is the rarest of the bunch, with just 400 sold. The two-tone beauty you see here is one of those cars.
There's no info on how many 1954 Caribbeans survived to see 2024, but I can tell you one thing: examples in this type of condition are as rare as they get. And not only is this drop-top a stunning-looking classic, it's also a highly-original rig of the low-mileage variety. The odo shows 33,622 miles (54,109 km), which is extremely low for a vehicle that's nearly 70 years old as of 2024.
As you might have already guessed, this Packard has been restored. The paint was applied over ten years ago, and the colors are factory-correct. Packard offered 13 different hues in 1954, and this car appears to sport Galahad Green Metallic over Packard Ivory. The interior matches the exterior, with both green and ivory adorning the dashboard, door panels, and bench seats.
The cabin looks just as good as the exterior. The seats come wrapped in leather, while the floor is dressed in wool carpets for a luxurious experience. More importantly, thanks to a recent refresh, the powered soft-top runs like it should and looks the part. The only issue with this car is that the radio no longer works.
The good news continues under the hood with an all-original inline-eight engine. Yup, this Caribbean doesn't have a V8 because Packard did not introduce such a mill until 1955. The Caribbean debuted with a 327-cubic-inch (5.4-liter) L-head inline-eight in 1953, and the 1954 upgrade brought a 359-cubic-inch (5.9-liter) powerplant under the hood.
Rated at 212 horsepower, it was the final incarnation of the straight-eight design Packard had first introduced in 1924. The power hits the rear wheels through a rebuilt Ultramatic two-speed automatic gearbox. The 1955 and 1956 Caribbeans used V8 engines rated at 275 and 310 horsepower, respectively.
This stunning piece of Packard history is looking for a new owner from Houston, Texas. The auction is taking place as we speak, with bidding already at $29,500. The reserve is still in place, and the auction is set to end in a little more than 24 hours. How much do you think this Caribbean is worth?
The Caribbean was actually based on the Cavalier convertible, but it sported many custom features that made it as glamorous as the Cadillacs and Lincolns of the era. The Caribbean was significantly redesigned in 1955 and was discontinued in 1956 when Packard's production ended in Detroit.
Like most Packards, the Caribbean was a slow seller. In its four model years on the market, the nameplate moved 10,816 units. And many of them were sold in 1955. Specifically, the 1955 Caribbean found 9,127 customers, leaving only 1,689 cars delivered in 1953, 1954, and 1956. The 1954 version is the rarest of the bunch, with just 400 sold. The two-tone beauty you see here is one of those cars.
There's no info on how many 1954 Caribbeans survived to see 2024, but I can tell you one thing: examples in this type of condition are as rare as they get. And not only is this drop-top a stunning-looking classic, it's also a highly-original rig of the low-mileage variety. The odo shows 33,622 miles (54,109 km), which is extremely low for a vehicle that's nearly 70 years old as of 2024.
As you might have already guessed, this Packard has been restored. The paint was applied over ten years ago, and the colors are factory-correct. Packard offered 13 different hues in 1954, and this car appears to sport Galahad Green Metallic over Packard Ivory. The interior matches the exterior, with both green and ivory adorning the dashboard, door panels, and bench seats.
The cabin looks just as good as the exterior. The seats come wrapped in leather, while the floor is dressed in wool carpets for a luxurious experience. More importantly, thanks to a recent refresh, the powered soft-top runs like it should and looks the part. The only issue with this car is that the radio no longer works.
The good news continues under the hood with an all-original inline-eight engine. Yup, this Caribbean doesn't have a V8 because Packard did not introduce such a mill until 1955. The Caribbean debuted with a 327-cubic-inch (5.4-liter) L-head inline-eight in 1953, and the 1954 upgrade brought a 359-cubic-inch (5.9-liter) powerplant under the hood.
Rated at 212 horsepower, it was the final incarnation of the straight-eight design Packard had first introduced in 1924. The power hits the rear wheels through a rebuilt Ultramatic two-speed automatic gearbox. The 1955 and 1956 Caribbeans used V8 engines rated at 275 and 310 horsepower, respectively.
This stunning piece of Packard history is looking for a new owner from Houston, Texas. The auction is taking place as we speak, with bidding already at $29,500. The reserve is still in place, and the auction is set to end in a little more than 24 hours. How much do you think this Caribbean is worth?
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