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1947 Packard Clipper Deluxe
John Ashton
1947 Packard Clipper Deluxe
John’s Car
While still owning the 1950 Lea Francis, in June 1966, a RHD 1947 Packard Clipper Deluxe was advertised near Jesmond and I bought it for £55. This car was a dream to drive and used the 282 cu in (4.6 litre) side valve straight eight engine which had lots of low down torque. I used to enjoy overtaking cars on hills. However on a trip to Tamworth in 1969 as I pulled out to pass a vehicle on the long hill just north of Wallabadah the engine started making a massive banging noise. I turned the car around and coasted back down the hill to the NRMA depot in Wallabadah. The mechanic heard the car come in and walked over saying sounds like you’ve done a big end. He said the car would have to be towed but all the way back to my home in Boolaroo would not be covered under my NRMA membership. So I decided I would drive the car and see how far I could get before it failed and that would save some of the towing cost.
The banging sound was very loud and the mechanic thought we would not get far. But I drove the car the 220 km home with the banging noise like a sledge hammer rapidly hit the block staying the same. In fact I drove the car for several more weeks and it never failed. As I was in my final year at University, and not having time to organize repairs I decided to buy another car as at the time the Lea Francis had a just had the gearbox replaced and I was in the process of replacing some of the timber framing which had rotted.
John Ashton