1955 Packard 400 Hardtop Coupe Walkaround

Packards were restyled for model year 1951, allowing "pillarless" hardtop coupes to be added to the line.   Through model year 1954 they were based on Packard's shorter 122-inch (3099 mm) wheelbase.   For 1955, the Packard line was massively facelifted.  Clipper hardtops retained that wheelbase, but a hardtop line was added to the longer, 127-inch (3226 mm) wheelbase used on the more luxurious Cavalier and Patrician 4-door sedans.

Those longer hardtops were called Packard 400s (Wikipedia entry here).  This might have been somewhat confusing because, for model years 1951-52, the label 400 was applied only to Packard's top-of-the-line sedan, not to hardtops.

Those 1955 400 hardtop coupes were impressive cars.  So is the set of images below of a '55 Packard 400 hardtop coupe listed for sale.  They were found on Hemmings web site.

Gallery

1953 Packard Mayfair - car-for-sale photo
An earlier hardtop coupe based on the shorter wheelbase.  The design below was a massive facelift.

1955 Packard 400 photo set
In order to keep up with American car styling fashions, the main structural difference was the panoramic (wraparound) windshield.  The front end was restyled with a less-massive grille.  The rear fender has a more squared-off leading edge.  Plus the wide, ribbed chrome swath from the front wheel opening to the rear fender.  Result: a new personality for Packard.

The rear fender is pretty massive, but that chrome swath and two-tone paint scheme distracts the eye from it.

Taillight housings were called "cathedral" by some observers.  A better solution than seen on 1951-54 senior Packards.

The shapely trunk lid was retained.

Fenestration is conventional early 1950s American.  Unchanged from previous Packards: looks good.

A handsome design by styling director Dick Teague who later led American Motors' styling.

The upper side chrome strip blends into the upper grille frame.  Headlights assemblies also relate to that.  Very professional touches.

Headlight housings also have that cathedral touch.  The upper grille frame and hood sculpting are modernized versions of traditional Packard themes.

Dashboard / instrument panel.  I find this the least-successful feature.  The brightwork looks like it could cause annoying light reflections.  That V or checkmark at the right helps fill space, but seems silly.  I would have simply extended the lower frame from the center to the right edge.  And used a different, non-reflecting material.