For 1948, Packard’s new 22nd Series used a wider and lower adaptation of the sleek Clipper lines, ruling out a traditional station wagon body. Instead, Packard took four-door, six-passenger sedans off the production line, and the body supplier, Briggs Manufacturing Company, changed the roofline to incorporate a liftgate and tailgate. Using ash and maple, Briggs converted the sedan into a full station wagon and installed steel supports at the B-posts and D-posts. It was also the most expensive of the short-wheelbase Packards, as it sold for $3,424. No doubt in part due to this price tag, only 3,885 Station Sedans were built from 1948 through 1950, with the majority produced in 1948; relatively few of these have survived to the present.

This stylish 1948 Packard Station Sedan is painted in Cavalier Maroon and underwent an extensive cosmetic and mechanical restoration under previous ownership. The exterior birch framing was restored by a specialist in New Zealand while the car was there for a 1,200-kilometer tour of the South Island. The interior ash was replaced by the well-known Antique Auto Restorations, of Seaside, California. Subsequently, the Packard was repainted, and the wood was refinished to its original luster. The chrome was also re-plated, leaving the brightwork free of any serious blemishes, and it continues to exhibit an excellent shine.

Beneath this Station Sedan’s Cormorant mascot-adorned hood sits a smooth-running 288-cubic-inch inline-eight, which is paired with a three-speed column-shift transmission. The Electromatic clutch permits shifting between second and third gears without the clutch, and the overdrive enables easy cruising for highway travel. After acquisition by the Bill Boucher Collection in 2014, the Station Sedan’s well-maintained restoration was further burnished, including a full overhaul of its fuel tank, as well as fitment of a new ignition switch and numerous small interior trim components. Invoices spanning 2014 through 2016 are on file.

As it stands, this Packard Eight Station Sedan is ideal for show, tour, or simply for a fun afternoon on the road.