1954 Packard Eight Convertible – Sold?

November 4, 2022, Update – We just confirmed the listing for this “Classifind” expired, so with no replacement found, we’re assuming this ride is “Sold?” While this one got away, please reach out either by email or call us directly if you’d like to be informed when we come across something similar.

Luxury manufacturer Packard offered two convertibles for the 1954 model year.  While the stunning Caribbean was the brand’s flagship model, for about half the price, you could step into a Packard Eight convertible such as this yellow over red 1954 example originally listed in October 2022 on Craigslist in Antelope, California (Sacramento).  The seller explains that his reason for selling his ten-year-old restored example is that he’s getting too old to enjoy the car any longer.

Currently offered for $35,000, Classic.com, the analytics and search engine for the collector car market, confirms the ask is at the high end of the five-year rolling average of this guide’s summary for Packard Cavaliers produced for 1953 and 1954.  By clicking on the green dots in the graph below, you can navigate to each comparable car sold as a way to help you evaluate the price of the convertible featured here:

As a second data point, the  Collector Car Market Review Online Tool reveals the seller’s ask falls between this guide’s #3 “Good” estimate of $23,975 and its #2 “Very Good” appraisal of $36,650.

The 1953 Cavalier was easily identified from other Packards by its unique chrome side spear trim.  Packard also created a Cavalier sub-series under which three other Packard models, marketed under various names were grouped:

• Packard Caribbean 2-door convertible based on the Packard Pan-American show car featuring coachwork by Mitchell-Bentley of Utica, Michigan
• Packard Mayfair was based on the two-door Clipper Deluxe but featured higher interior luxury through fabrics and chrome trim.
• A convertible model, using Cavalier trim, was offered during the 1953 model year and was priced lower than the Caribbean.

For 1954, the Cavalier was again offered as a four-door sedan only, but the range also lost its sub-series, and the Caribbean was moved into the senior Packard line where it remained until Packard transferred manufacturing to South Bend in 1956. The 1954 Cavalier featured “slash” trim on the rear doors. It used the same 127-inch wheelbase as the premium-level Patrician series, but with the straight-eight engine as in the Clipper. This 327 cubic inch I8 with a four-barrel Carter carburetor was rated at 185 horsepower.

The Hagerty YouTube Channel features this Buyer’s Guide for the more upscale Packard Caribbean convertible, most of the items mentioned also apply to Eight convertible we’re featuring here:

The limited pictures taken from a distance make it hard to verify the quality of the ten-year-old restoration of this 1954 Packard Eight, especially with no interior, engine, or chassis shots provided.  However, we’re confident an in-person inspection combined with better photography will confirm the quality of the restoration.

Here’s the seller’s description:

Show or go: What would you do with this restored 1954 Packard Eight Convertible?  Please comment below and let us know!