The 1951-52 Patrician 400's straight-eight got nine main bearings instead of the usual five — pure over-engineering, since it added zero extra horsepower.
Lead trim: Patrician 400 327 cu in straight-eight (150 bhp)
Packard Patrician 4001951–1952
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Packard Patrician 400 yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactThe 1951-52 Patrician 400's straight-eight got nine main bearings instead of the usual five — pure over-engineering, since it added zero extra horsepower.
The Packard Patrician 400 replaced the Custom Super Eight as the highest trim level for 1951 and 1952 (designer John Reinhart), identified by its stainless-steel trim including "the fishtail" on the top rear fender, three chrome ports on the rear fenders in 1951 and four in 1952. It was a premium four-door sedan only on the 127 in wheelbase shared only with the 300, with power from the 327 cu in (5.4 L) in-line eight delivering 150 bhp, its nine main bearings (instead of five) giving no increase in power; a 2-speed Ultramatic automatic; list price $3,662, the most expensive senior Packard. For 1952 Dorothy Draper did the interior colours, with Wilton carpeting and hassock-style rear foot rests; Henney built a few nine-passenger Executive Sedans and Corporate Limousines on a 148 in wheelbase until 1954 and Derham a few Custom Formal Sedans. 9,001 were built in 1951 and 3,975 in 1952. Wheelbase 127.0 in, length 219.7 in, width 78.3 in, height 62.2 in.
Collectors Spotted in the Packard Patrician Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Packard Patrician yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
One published trim in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patrician 400 327 cu in straight-eight (150 bhp) | 1951–1952 | 5.4 L Inline-8 | 150 hp | — | — | RWD | automatic | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
After decades of building only straight-eight engines, Packard finally broke tradition in 1955 and gave the Patrician its first-ever V8.
Starting a 1953 Packard Patrician meant flooring the accelerator pedal to trip a switch built into the carburetor — a real ignition key with a start position didn't arrive until 1954.
The 1951-52 Patrician 400's straight-eight got nine main bearings instead of the usual five — pure over-engineering, since it added zero extra horsepower.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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