1955 PACKARD CARIBBEAN
NUMBER PRODUCED: 500 ORIGINAL PRICE: $5,932 VALUE RANGE:
$53,600–$136,000
For 1955–56, the entire Packard line re- ceived a major facelift. Caribbeans now shared bodies and major components with the Packard Patrician and Four Hundred, including their wraparound windshield and longer wheelbase. Gone was the Continental spare. The front ensemble, including the grille and coved headlights, was designed by an independent firm, Sundberg-Ferar, while Dick Teague’s team did the rest of the car, including the cathedral taillights.
Most 1955 Caribbeans came with a three-tone paint scheme: light color on top, dark color below, with a broad, bright accent stripe in between. Custom- ers could special-order solid and two- tone paint combinations, but few did.
The 1955 Caribbean also boasted the most powerful version of Packard’s new 352-cid V-8. The engine used two four- barrel carburetors, boosting it to 275 hp at 4,800 rpm. Standard equipment now included the Twin Ultramatic with lockup
torque converter, which launched the car in low range and shifted automatically to high (previously it launched in high). And at steady speeds, the torque converter locked up for better fuel economy.
Another 1955 engineering innovation was Torsion-Level, Packard’s self-leveling, interconnected front/rear torsion bar suspension. This gave a superior ride over rough surfaces and provided anti- dive/squat/roll handling. It also held body height and headlight aim constant.
The 1956 Caribbean received minor styling tweaks, but its major change was the addition of a hardtop coupe. The hardtop had a padded roof and cost $500 less than the convertible. Inside, all Caribbeans came with reversible seat cushions, with one side upholstered in leather and the other in cloth. You simply flipped the cush- ions over. The interior color scheme matched the exterior, which again came in three colors.
In 1955 and ’56, many Packards suf- fered mechanical problems, the most serious being the V-8’s lack of oil pres- sure due to a poorly designed pump. This led to spun bearings and starved valve gear. In addition, electrical gremlins turned up in the Torsion-Level suspension and pushbutton gear se- lector. These glitches, plus an exodus of dealers, didn’t help Packard sales, which dropped from 89,730 in 1953 to 28,799 by the end of 1956.
With the Packard-Studebaker merger in October 1954, and Packard produc- tion ending in late June 1956, by 1957, all Packards became rebadged Stude- bakers. And the end was nigh for both once-proud marques.
For more on Caribbean specs and production, and to watch a bonus video, go to
hagerty.com/packard.
HAGERTY.COM 47
PHOTOS: JULIA LAPALME/MOTOR TREND CLASSIC
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