Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Was struck by the difference between '37 1508 and '40 One Eighty convertible sedans parked next to each other at this year's National Meet in South Bend, particularly how both had long wonderfully sculpted bodies - "Senior" in Packard parlance - but from firewall forward one could see erosion of tradition. Not in hood length so much as shortened axle-to-dash and less tailoring discipline up front. Walking the grounds, the 1940 and later top-of-line Packards seemed increasingly "Junior Plus" in proportion and less Packard in facial expression as the years progressed.

Mug shot aside, what would traditional Senior proportions have looked like in the early Fifties? We've covered this ground before but I'd like to show a few new work-ups. First is flagship sedan based on 200, with 6 inches added to axle-to-dash, 5 to body just like 300/400 sedans, and 5 to decklid and rear overhang, for wheelbase of 133 inches and overall length of over 225 inches. To my eye this car would not only have been a genuine Senior but fully the equal to Cadillac 60 Special. I also happen to think the car looks great with the 200's backlight and taillights, and this re-use strategy would have been in keeping with Packard's earlier tradition of using common styling elements (excepting hood vents) up and down the line.

To tool this "400" affordably and profitably Packard could have held constant for several inches certain sections on the hood, decklid, front and rear fenders and rear doors such that the 200's body panels could have been stamped from the 400's dies.

Underhood the 1950 356 Super Eight could have been bumped up to 400 CID, cranking out 190 HP for 1951 and probably 235 HP by 1953. A long wheelbase 2-row "500" Executive sedan could have been derived from this car.

The second work-up is a modified Mayfair, lowness being the key proportion making it Senior. Image has 2-1/2 inches sectioned from 122" wb body while front fenders/hood have been lengthened and doors and windshield moved rearward same. Rear fenders have been sectioned only 1-1/4 inches to stand them up relative deckid. Subtle Darrin dip gives the car flow just like the '54 Cadillac coupes. Convertible Victoria would have also been offered, both "300" cars powered by the 155 HP 9 main bearing 327 Eight.

These cars and the volume 200 line would have made for an attractive and expansive showroom that returned to Packard's earlier winning formula and, with modest appearance changes every two years, served the company well until 1957.

All thoughts welcome!

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Found a wonderfully filmed video today of a low mileage 1952 Patrician. Here's an image mod of screen capture that stands up and refines the grill. Mated to lengthened sedan above I think the car would have held its own against that pre-war 1508 and returned Packard to a position of preeminence in 1951.

EDIT: in thinking about the large price and size gap between what-if 122 and 133 wb sedans, Packard could have offered an interim 127 wb sedan with 133's body mated to 122's shorter hood and deck, basically the 300 sedan we know but with 200's backlight and rear fenders/taillights. In this scenario the line-up could have been:

100 - 122 wb 2-dr, 4-dr - 288 Eight, opt 327
200 - 127 4-dr - 327 Eight
300 - 122 2-dr HT and convertible - 327 Eight w/9 main bearings
400 - 133 4-dr - 400 Eight
500 - 142 4-dr 2-row sedan and EDL - 400 Eight
600 - 155 4-dr 3-row sedan and EDL - 400 Eight

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I think the 356 engine was pretty much obsolete in Packards thinking by 51 and also expensive to build but if they had chosen to enlarge the 327 block earlier than 54 it may have served the purpose and would have differentiated the top spot until the V8 was completed.

Reading thru Bob Neal's book on the development of the 51-4 models, Packard seemed to be in a large state of uncertainty after the somewhat dismal sales of the 23rd series. With them wanting or needing to cut costs it is a miracle they even came out with what they did. Couple that with some of the bad decisions that sales made -- or maybe couldn't convince the board to implement -- it makes you wonder how they sold what they did. Of course, there is nothing like hindsight. I guess there is some consolation that Stude pre Packard did the same thing in 53 when management decided to build sedans but the buyers mostly wanted hardtops.

IMO, the square pattern grill is too busy for that front surround in that last photo. Maybe a wider spaced square pattern would work but that small square arrangement to me doesn't work at all. Can't think of what it reminds me of but definitely not something I would want to look at every day.

This is an interesting proposition.

IMO, your idea would look much better using the Patrician 400's "C" pillar and rear fenders/taillights. To my eye, the roof line and rear of the "Junior" cheapens the effect you seek to achieve. I've never liked the looks of the "Junior" series of Rinehart's '51 design rear of the "B" pillar.

More Monday Morning Quarterbacking. It's too bad that Nance didn't go to Packard in 1949 when they first approached him. They should have had the V8 no later than 1953. I think their story would have had a much happier ending had those 2 things happened. But, as they say "If 'ifs and buts' were candy and nuts, we'd all have a Merry Christmas" ...

Hi

Fine proportions elevate a design, as Paul's exercise demonstrates. For comparison, here are the 1949 Cadillac 60 Special, 133 inch wheelbase and Series 62, 126 inch wheelbase. Note that while the longitudinal length of the V8 is approximately half a straight eight, Cadillac styling still saw fit to proportion their cars such that the cowl-to-front-axle length is appropriate to the latter configuration purely for style and marketing considerations.

For the 23rd Series, management decided to move the Super Eight from the 120 inch to the 127 inch wheelbase chassis shared with the Custom Eight. Spatially there was no need for an additional seven inches to fit the 327 engine into the chassis. Although Custom Eight tooling amortization was one reason; beyond the practical realities was recognition that buyers in the premium/luxury segment expected the car to look the part as well when compared to competitive models. Unfortunately, this approach didn't carryover to the 24th Series development.

An extended deck was another feature which would become increasing popular throughout the '50's and '60's; the 1948-'49 60 Special the first postwar examples. GM employed this approach with significant success throughout all their makes except Chevrolet over the next two decades. The premium price percentage over the standard models ran anywhere from five to thirty percent greater, multiplied over tens of thousands of units. Packard missed this opportunity just when they could have benefited most.

In that era of rising general affluence, sport models with verve created by lowered proportions, Darrin drip and lengthened hood could hardly but been a hit. Subtle changes can render the Contours so much more appealing.

Larger displacement, higher horsepower engines were also expected as one moved up the price scale. Going to the trouble and expense to build a nine main bearing engine without enlarging it for noticeably better performance exposes another aspect about which management appeared to been clueless.

Steve

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Steve, thanks for the historical background and images. Because the 60 Special launched in first half of 1948, in planning the 24th Series Packard knew exactly what the new proportion benchmark was. Where was the gumption to match? Or the creativity? We can surmise that the would-have-been flagship would have needed to share the same tooling as the shorter models except for unique roof stamping, otherwise there would have been no business case. Packard had done just that with the 12th Series, where careful study of the many bodies reveals what appears to be an incredible amount of surface sharing.

I think 1951 was the year Packard should have also rediscovered its former winning branding strategy. When the 12th Series launched, did Packard or its customers think of the 1200 Sedan as "junior"? No! All Packards were Packards first, each carrying a high standard. The 1951 entry Packard should have been contented to hit that same standard, including visual cues. In carrying identical styling elements across the entire line-up, the owner of the lowest priced Packard could take satisfaction in his purchase every time he saw a flagship that was bigger than his but otherwise similar in appearance, certain in his standing as full-fledged member of the club.

Here are a few more attempts at the grill. First has too much dark matter for my taste. Second is preferred and an improvement over my first attempt. Note that Pan American has what appears to be nothing more than sheet metal with square holes punched in it. That's not my intent here. Instead envision a finely crafted mesh with depth and visual interest. Packard grill shields on late 20s/early 30s come to mind as do many other possibilities.

Have also attached a 133 extended deck version of 1954 Patrician to show how the roof and taillights would look with enhanced proportions. These things being a matter of personal taste, I never liked the wrapped backlight in this upright form but do think it works great on the hardtop's lower roof with faster backlight.

Am including a 1954 Clipper on 133 wb and with extended deck too, because I think it would have made a good follow-up to '51-52 200-based design as a '53-54 series, slowly but surely catching up to Cadillac's airy greenhouse of 1950 and on.

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I really like the '54 Patrician with the extended deck.

Ad agencies are paid to make compelling ads, and given the chance to do a rendering instead of using a photo will happily embellish to project the ideal. So it was with this '54 Patrician. How come the ad folks knew instinctively how a proper Packard should be set up while Packard didn't, or couldn't, or wouldn't? With a car like this EGB would have probably made a handsome profit and restored the Packard name in short order.

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Here's the rendering scaled to match the wheelbase of earlier photo mod. Incredibly, the rendering's axle-to-dash and door widths are the exact same dimension as the 133 work-up while the decklid length is within an inch. Beltline is lower than actual and the rear roof dispenses with the bulbous shape that turned me off to the Patrician's greenhouse and wrapped backlight in the first place. Basically, the agency drew a 133 car with extended deck! So much for folks not being aware back in the day.

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Here's a match-up with modified brochure photo of actual Patrician to depict 133 car with extended deck. Same matches to white car only this time the actual Patrician's roof comes off looking perhaps a bit less bulbous.

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