Since 1953 Packard had been keeping their medium priced Clipper line clearly separate from the luxury Packard models. This 1956 Packard Patrician sat firmly in the latter camp.
How often do you see one of these? With low production numbers they are becoming a very rare sight.
After a big restyle in 1955 there weren’t too many changes to the external appearance of the ’56 models except a new grille and a few trim changes. The reality was that this was the last year of the true Packards. They were only to last a couple more years and the ’57 and ’58 cars were really re-badged Studebakers.
They were all new fabrics and fabric designs for the 1956 model year were the most striking and luxurious that Packard had used so far.
The instrument panel is a work of art although similar to the 1955 offering. The machined look really projects a luxury image and is absolutely full of round dials and knobs with everything located within a tight space behind the steering wheel.
Under the hood sits a 374 cubic inch, high compression overhead valve V8 outputting 290 horsepower. It was a new, larger engine for 1956 and came standard on the Patrician and 400 and was paired with a Ultramatic Drive automatic transmission.
Packard Options / Extras on this Patrician
| Option | Price |
|---|---|
| Radio | $102 |
| Hydraulic power steering | $115 |
| Power brakes | $39.80 |
| Power window lifts | $108 |
| 4-way power front seat | $70 |
Packard sold a total of 3,775 Patrician 4-door Sedans for the 1956 model year. They were relatively expensive cars sitting around the same price as a Cadillac Sedan at $4,160 base price.
This ’56 Packard Patrician is currently for sale on eBay. (follow the link for lots more photos)