Hi 55PackardGuy

On the engines, the only Packard V-8 used in a Studebaker model was the 352 ci in the 1956 Golden Hawk.

With the Utica engine plant in the hands of Curtiss-Wright for 1957 and all operation in Detriot shutdown for lack of finances, the Studebaker 289 ci was fitted with a supercharger to up the horsepower to match that of the '56 352, mostly for sales purposes.

Understand, the '57 Packard Clipper was intended as an interim model, very much a retrenchment and stopgap effort. The primary consideration was to keep a Packard model on the market, give dealers something to sell in the event that a completely new Packard and Clipper could be brought to market.

Studebaker-Packard Corporation, what was left of it, was as broke as any bum on a South Bend street. In reality, Packard existed in name only, no separate design or engineering effort was in place at South Bend. Heck, it barely existed for Studebaker, which was walking death all of '58 until the Lark appeared.

The merging of the remaining four strongest Independents into a corporation was pursued by George Mason of Nash-Kelvinator in 1946-48 when all the companies were experiencing explosive sales and were profitable. In spite of prescient Mason laying out all the well considered reasons, all of which pointed to doing otherwise would lead to massive difficulties and ultimate demise, none of the other principals and/or boards would participate. Each turned down the idea.

Records indicate when the idea resurfaced in the '53-'54 period, the Packard board approved a merger with the Nash/Hudson combine but when Nance found out he wouldn't be in charge of it all, balked and talked the board out of it. Nance and Romney were oil and water, it would have been contentious at the top if it had come about.

I've always wonder if board members of the respective companies, when dealing with the morass of troubles in the post 1950 years, suddenly recalled Mason's proposal, put their face in their hands and cried "Why? Oh Why? Didn't we listen to George?!?!?!?

Steve

Hi Owen

I ran across these Cord pictures on an Ebay listing. I had always wondered how the factory pieced seven stampings together for a solid metal top for such a low volume car.....lots of hand labor!

If anyone has a similar picture of a '41 LeBaron Sport Brougham body showing the leading seams, I'd love to see it.

Steve

Hi

How did they piece seven stampings into a metal roof? Have a look!

Steve

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Hi

Interesting car, too bad they didn't keep the Packard radiator and hood shapes. It looks like most any of those period speedster but rather generic.

Steve

Hi

Congratulations on a successful and relatively troublefree trip. A leaking waterpump reminds one it is a 74 year old car, but no major failures or inconveniences demonstrates its a good mechanically strong one.

Sorry to hear that you couldn't find lodging conveniently when you sought it. It's always difficult to know beforehand where to make reservations on an adventure. I would have been nice to take a more leisurely tour better rested.

Keep us posted on your progress with that sweet 120B!

Steve

Thanks Guscha!
What a wonderful website! I'll be looking at this one for hours!
Steve

Hi

Thanks for posting these, I love seeing design work for Packard as well as all makes.

Most interesting is the Robin Jones concept, who moved on to Ford after his Packard years. I see '55-'56 Mercury overall, minus details such as the center grille division and 'dagmars', also '56 Lincoln headlight brows.

The link doesn't work for me, perhaps it's my old browser?

Steve

Hi 39super8

Good Heavens!!! What a gorgeous Packard!!!

Congratulations for getting such a fine car and keeping it as original as possible. I, for one, am green with envy!

Steve

Hi

The following information was forwarded to me about a cache of Packard in Lawrence, Kansas and subsequently information from Mr, Nick Schmiedeler recently.

My name's Nick, and I live in Lawrence, KS. Found your website online
>here - just curious if anyone has ever tipped you onto the
>"urban-Lawrence Packard graveyard"*
>**
>*.........there is a home in the middle of downtown, at 1100 Rhode
>Island, across from the Lawrence Police Station, and it was abandoned
>long ago.......far as I could guess, I'd say at least 25 or 30 years,
>maybe more. I'm probably not the best contact on this information, but
>I've heard varied accounts as to why this beautiful double-lot in the
>middle of a primo-real-estate neighborhood has not been cleaned up or
>bought. One account says an old man used to run an automotive shop
>there, (there's still a sign on one of the buildings that says
>"University Motors" or something, way up high), and when he died, there
>was a tift with the rest of the family and the city, and they just
>refuse to have it developed. *
>**
>*Anyway, the backyard area has a 6' fence that surrounds everything, and
>if you peak in, you can make out, parked bumper to bumper, about 3 or 4
>rows of 3 to 4 Packards each, so that'd be what...........9 to 16 or so
>Packards? Best as I can tell, they are ALL Packards, and with some
>research, look like Clippers, at least most of them. Varied models of
>Clippers, but all in all, average to good shape I'm guessing - some
>rust, flat tires, etc. But also a very tall pile of bumpers right by
>the fence - Packard bumpers? I would guess. Very hard to see inside
>there really.*
>**
>*This may not be news to you at all, but if you're interested, and you
>know there are people that would be interested in these cars, I could do
>a little research in the city offices and see who exactly owns the lot,
>and connections might be made. I don't know how cooperative these
>people may be, but there it is - a tip on some Packards sitting idle for
>what looks like a long, long time.*
>**
>*Please let me know one way or another if you might be interested in
>this - I do like researching the history of our fair city, and I'm sure
>I could pass on some new discovered info if anyone is interested. *
>**
>*Take care, Nick S. in Lawrence, KS.*

The University Motors information:

- University Motors (and their repair shop) - the Packard dealer - was only ever located at 707 New Hampshire. First phone book listing for University Motors at their one and only location ever - May, 1949. Last listing, December, 1963. So, University Motors, only ever listed as a Packard dealer with no other car maker sales, ran at 707 New Hampshire from 1949 to 1963, according to the city directories and phone books. So my guess about them re-locating or having some other arm of their company operations at the site we visited - 1106 Rhode Island, is incorrect. That's simply the location that all unsold/broke-down or other Packards ended up after the '63 closing probably - and have been ever since I'm guessing - 47 years now.

- Interesting side-notes about the 707 New Hampshire dealership location (currently a downtown parking lot) - phone book listings for that address -
* 1945 - Bodin Nash Automobile Sales (one year only)
* 1946 - 1948 - Lawrence Willys Automobile Sales (3 years only)

Now some more BIG NEWS - previous to May, 1949 with the introduction of University Motors Packard sales, there had been at least 2 OTHER PACKARD DEALERS !!!! Again, all this taken from city directories and phone books -

* Kraft and Starr Co. Packard Sales - 1818 Massachusetts, in 1947 (one year only) - that space is now a liquor store. In 1946, Kraft and Starr is listed as a Agricultural Implements supplier company, and in 1948, it's not listed at all.

The Lawrence Library has no directories prior to 1930 and the city directories get pretty sketchy for all the 1930's - several years are missing, but the 1933 and 1936 directories both list : * Reusch Motor Co. Packard Sales at 737 New Hampshire - now a restaurant space, used to be called "Red Hot Garage" in the 1980's - it has a garage door on it and old cement floors - obviously an old mechanics/showroom garage.

If anyone would like to contact Nick Schmiedeler directly, I can forward this email address.

Someone in the area familiar with this cache?

Steve

Hi Owen

Thanks for the report and pictures, look like a great time except for the extreme heat. That's what kept me from attending, it just drains me.

If you have more pictures, we'd all love to see them!

Steve