Certainly the postwar system was very much like the systems used by other manufacturers...GM and Ford. I am not sure how Chrysler's sytem for the Crown Imperials through 1950 worked. I just find it interesting that a company which fitted the hydraulic system as standard in 1941 and 1942 dropped the whole idea at the very time the competition was adopting it...witness Lincoln fitting the window lifts to the standard Zephyr based coupes sedans and convertibles in 1946 as they were moved a bit up market. Cadillac did the same thing for the Seventy-Fives and the convertibles (as did Buick). In my opinion, it served to weaken the Packard cars' image of modernity in a world that had changed. Perhaps the superb craftsmanship should have been enough, especially in the top of the line cars.

Unrelated, but interestingly, Vantage Motor Works in Miami has a 1938 Rolls-Royce convertible sedan which was factory fitted with electric window lifts and an electric to. It has a beautiful row of push-pull knobs on the fascia to control the windows--as well as winding handles, for failures I guess.

Another interesting fact...even with trunk mounted unit, Cadillac offered AC for convertibles in 56...they even described it as "perfected" in their brochure that year. To knowledge, no one else using the rear systems offered air conditioned convertibles or station wagons. There was one custom 54 Packard wagon which was described as having AC.

I'm a bit of a gadget nut ...and the hydraulic windows fascinate me. Of course I know the convertibles in 48-50 had the system, and the professional cars seem to often be so equipped. I have only seen two sedans...and those were on Ebay...a 50 Custom Eight and a 49 Super Deluxe with the hydraulic windows. Were they that uncommon? I am a bit surprised as Cadillac and Lincoln fitted them as standard equipment on their top cars and Chrysler included their electric system on all Imperial models. Any thoughts or production figures?

Chrysler's scoops looked more like Cadillac's in 55 and 56...in 53 and 54, the Imperial and other Chrysler products used a flat intake.for.the Airtemp unit. That unit used hot gas bypass technology which gave a degree of automatic temperature control ...the driver only selected fan speed...much like the front mounted 55 and 56 Packard system. It.is interesting.to me that.GM used.the front.mounted system first in 54 for Pontiac then in 55 and 56 for Chevrolet and Pontiac...just as Ford.did...the better brands...including Lincoln and Cadillac continued with the trunk units. Buick went to an in dash system in 56.

The illustration you have is opposite the table of contents of the January 1937 FORTUNE magazine, that is to say page 52. An article on Packard begins on page 55 and continues to page 60. The article continues on page 110 through page 118. There are a number of photographs, generally of executives. As might be expected in FORTUNE, the emphasis is on the business side of things.

I believe it is pewter...according to one of the references in the 1941 section here.in PackardInfo.

WOW...that's as good as President Reagan's Morning in America commercial!!!

Look at the brochures too. I have the 1948 and 1949 Custom brochures...the 49 is really quite common ...look at the 49 Cadillac catalogue. The 53-54 and 56 brochures are very nice (at least the prestige ones, but by then the market was lost.

I could not agree more...the entire senior line was ignored, but in some ways this trend had started in the late thirties.

I have been reading this thread with some interest, and like most people who love packard, have a few thoughts. To me, this biggest problem with styling and marketing was the similarity in size and appearance between the products...there was really very little externally to "move up" to with the upper range cars. That did change a bit at the end. Also, the lack of continuity in style hurt the image...perhaps moreso than the dogged clinging to the conservative lines in the late thirties did.

Packard might have been better off to have followd a more Cadillac like approach for the 1948-50 cars...put them all on the 127" wheelbase with the larger engine and use the shorter wheelbase for their intermediate (Clipper) range. The Custom could still have gotten the biggest engine. Also, I wonder if a little more length and bulk at the rear would have helped...look at the Lincoln Cosmopolitan...it does not vanish behind the passenger compartment when viewed from the front.

Also, from a marketing standpoint, I wonder why Packard did not look at the equipment levels and match Cadillac and Imperial, and use things like hydraulic window lifts to add appeal to the Patricians and earlier Custom Eights as they did with the 160s and 180s in '41 and '42. If you go to http//www.tocmp.com, they have added the 1942 Senior brochure which clearly shows that part of the difference between thse two lines was added equipment.

These are just a few thoughts i had and I would welcome your comments.