One of America’s leading luxury car manufacturers until the late 1940s, Packard was struggling to keep up with new market trends and the brutal sales war waged by Ford and GM in the 1950s. Lacking the funds to retool its factory for brand-new cars, Packard began using Studebaker platforms in 1957.
Hoping it would remain relevant until it could afford to offer redesigned automobiles, Packard launched a “new” Clipper based on the Studebaker President. To set it apart from the President, Packard used various components from the 1956 Clipper, finned rear fenders, and extra chrome trim for a more upscale look. The lineup included the Town Sedan four-door and the Country Sedan wagon.
Unfortunately for Packard, the Clipper was met with negative reviews due to its similarity with the Studebaker President. No longer the exclusive brand it once was, the company lost most of its traditional customers as well as many dealers. In addition, the cars were often mocked and called “Packardbakers.”
Packard sold only 4,809 Clippers that year. The sedan was by far more popular with 3,940 units, while the station wagon moved only 869 examples. While not as desirable as other grocery-getters from the era, the latter is now a hard-to-find classic. Especially if we’re talking about examples that are still road-worthy.
The purple and white example you see here is one of those Country Sedans that still has what it takes to act as a daily driver. It’s a survivor that’s been partly restored and shows only 58,000 miles (93,342 km) on the odometer. It had three owners up until now, and it’s looking for a new home.
What makes this wagon a survivor, you ask? Well, the upper half of the body still sports the car’s original paint. The interior is also just like it came from the factory, save for the reupholstered front bench. And it looks pretty nice and comfy. The drivetrain is of the numbers-matching variety, but both the engine and the transmission have been rebuilt.
And this wagon packs quite a peppy powerplant because the 1957 Clipper came with Studebaker’s 289-cubic-inch (4.7-liter) V8. A supercharged setup borrowed from the Golden Hawk, it was rated at 275 horsepower when new. A number that puts it on par with the fuel-injected 1957 Chevrolet Nomad. The car was driven only 3,500 miles (5,633 km) with the restored drivetrain.
The wagon also comes with lots of new-old-stock parts, as the seller and his dad had plans to restore it. Hopefully, someone who genuinely loves the Studebaker-based Clipper will give this finned grocery-getter the refresh it deserves. Because it’s a truly unique car that doesn’t deserve the heat it’s getting from diehard Packard fans.
If you’re in the market for a rare and somewhat unusual classic, this Town Sedan is located in Lodi, California, and offered via Facebook Marketplace for $27,000.
