Randy Berger My Answer to You About Nance

Posted by Packard53 On 2010/2/2 17:57:36

Randy: Have you ever read the book The History of Hudson by Don Butler? This book is about the history of Hudson it was first published in 1982 by Crestline Publishing.

Butler was an automotive designer employed after WWII by both Hudson and Nash. His employment with Nash was from 1948 through 1956. After the merger with Hudson in 1954 he was given charge of the interior styling studio for AMC.

On page 312 of the book Butler had the following to say about Nance. On January 14, 1954 the board of directors for Hudson and Nash-Kelvinator approved a plan to merge as American Motors Corporation.

In February 1954 James J. Nance ended efforts to integrate his company with AMC. Butler states that Meade Moore then head of Nash engineering told him Butler that Nance withdrew mainly because he could not be the top man of AMC.

Later I will post remarks by John Conde and what he said was the reason that a Packard Nash merger failed to take place


John F. Shireman