One of my neighbors moved to an assisted living facility and his kids were cleaning out the house. I have never seen some many TV error commercial items like the Veg-o-matic, etc...
On and end table near some busted up wood table top tube radios, was a dusty old box, I didn't bother looking into to. It was later in the Day and the people were starting to clean up the area. A guy asked the owner how much for the car radio, and I thought, Damb, should of looked in the box!
The owner said $15.00 firm. The guy said I'll give you 5. Owner no have to be 15, it's special. The guys thinks for a couple of minutes and then leaves. I jump in and ask what car is it out of. He says, it's actually a new radio that was left in parts inventory at the Packard dealership where his dad worked. He goes on to tell me when the dealership closed his dad took it home. He kept it all these years, hoping someone with a Packard would come along.
I did a quick cash inventory ancd had only 8 buck, which he turned down. I told him I understood, and only hoped that someone who realized how valueable this would be to a Packard owner bought it, and not someone who decided to shelf it or throw it away.
We talked for a while, and I asked if he would be around in an hour or so. With his affimative, I went to lunch and the bank.
When we came back I asked if he'd bundle the radio with three books I found and an old pocket knife for the 15 bucks he wanted. He jumped at it and said he was glad somebody who realized it's value bought it. I promised to find a Packard owner and to see it made it into it's original car.
So here are a few pictures of the radio. The chrome plating is peeling off, and all the push buttons are gone as well as one knob, but everything else looks perfect including the speaker.