Hi

Glad it's not been given the Packard name, though the radiator grille shape is somewhat suggestive of classic Packards, albeit oversized and pretentious.

I also see a '40's White Truck radiator grille in that shape.

Either way, it's not a wonderful design, but wonderful design doesn't seem to be critical now. Italian design houses don't have a good feel for large sedan styling.

Steve

Hi

Checking my Lincoln texts, there were Lincoln commercial chassis available during most all the Model L, K, KA & KB years. Wheelbases ran from 150-160". The numbers produced were miniscule.

The Lincoln Zephyr was unit body construction which didn't lend itself well to commercial body conversion, plus no long wheelbase Zephyr commercial chassis was offered.

One '41 Lincoln Custom, the 8 passenger/Limousine style body, was converted to an ambulance, still exist in restored condition.

The Fords and the Macauleys had a friendly social relationship over the years, I recall reading. As has been noted, a Cadillac would not have been considered as appropriate transport as Henry Ford's last ride. There were Ford hearses built over the years, wonder why one wasn't rounded up?

Steve

Hi

No, people shouldn't even try, because every try has produced either a pale imitation or, more often, an embarrassing one the denigrates Packard!

What Packard was, as ScottG points out, was very much a product of it's era. Something that could only come to be within a specific economy and culture. That situation no longer exist, any revival results in an anachronism.

Do the better thing to preserve what was, buy a Packard, any Packard, especially one in danger of being lost. Restore it, share it with others, spread the word about what was, enjoy it's qualities, be it's steward and conservator, carefully find its next generation conservator.

And, never waste resources on new Packard revivals.

Steve

Hi John

Wonderful performance!!!! I got a big charge out of when you exampled the music accompanyment for the silent films.

I was singing along with everyone too. What a prefect instrument the theatre organ is to get those of us with....uh....less than great voices...to sing out in good fun!

Wish you could have had more time to do additional numbers, hopefully Garrison will have you guest star again when they appear at a facility with a theatre organ. If he does, maybe you can get him to add Packard as a 'sponsor'.

Hearing you play makes me envious, must be a marvelous kick to be so talented and skillful with such a difficult instrument. So glad you share this gift with all of us.

In the words of Lawrence Welk "A wunnerful, A wunnerful!!!! John!"

Steve

Hi Mr PB

Looking forward to your performance on PHC this evening, I'll be listening, as I do every week.

Steve

Hi Guscha

Thanks for giving the correct spelling of 'scaphandrier', when I typed it it didn't look right but I couldn't find my reference with the correct spelling. Thanks for the translation as well, 'torpedo' was a popular description for phaetons in America as well.

On Packard books: YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MANY!!!!! Each covers facets, but no one book can cover every aspect of it's fascinating history. Reading everything and studying all photos is the only way to develop a fairly complete understanding. It also helps one know when to recognize and dismiss the perfunctory opinions about why the automaker failed.

Or, one can do as a Studebaker enthusiast friend of mine does, when ask why Studebaker went out of the car business he replies "People were stupid and didn't buy 'em, that's why".

He's a nice guy, something of a character, but not one of the great minds of the century!

Steve

Hi

That style seems to have been almost completely the province of Kellner of Paris who named it 'Scaphandier', I believe.

Personally, the body layout never made much sense to me. Basically it's a phaeton with an oddly small enclosed top over the rear seat only, not even including the rear cowl. Something of an enclosed version of the cape or victoria phaeton popular around the WWI period.

Most custom bodies Kellner built were beautifully proportioned and detailed, these stand as the exception.

Steve

Hi Kool Kojak

You'll get all the encouragement and good advice you'll need right here, the guys here have had extensive problem shooting experience on most all things Packard, including the Ultramatic.

Although you may prefer an automatic, I have to play devil's advocate and suggest you might look for a parts car equipped with manual transmission and overdrive to convert your car. If not a parts car, perhaps someone on this forum might have a stick shift set up to sell.

Good Luck and enjoy that old Packard, will be a good thing for Hollywood folks to be reminded of what once was the preferred motorcar to be seen in on the boulevard.

Steve

Hi Rusty

"One thing I am not clear on. When I read a discussion of this kind, it appears that Cadillac beat Packard by cleverly offering cheaper mass produced cars and easy financing to outsell Packard. While Packard foolishly offered cheaper mass produced cars which only cheapened their name and drove away customers.

I don't quite see why using the exact same strategy was brilliant and successful for Cadillac and foolish and destructive for Packard."

On the surface, it looks like the same approach, and while it is similar in many ways, the degree to which each went downmarket differs. Check my posting above to see which market Cadillac exploited and Packard ignored until it was too late.

Steve

Hi

In the auto business, two maxims apply: "Perception IS Reality" and "Nothing is more fragile than a reputation for high quality". Regardless of reality, these are the controlling factors. Rumors of quality problems spread like wildfire, just as those of financial distress and potential orphan status.

As complex and unfamiliar as the '55 models were, maintaining assembly operation as they were up to '54 would have gone a long way toward avoiding the situation that resulted in those quality problems. Plus, avoided the waste of $30 million to move into a crackerbox!

Apparently, they were able to overcome those challenges by indication of the existing cars. Still, better to avoid the potential problems in the first place. A damaged quality reputation is very difficult to repair, Toyota is about to find out how difficult!

Steve