Re: No paint code-What color was my car???

Posted by HH56 On 2009/8/16 13:04:05

Color selection on the seat covers was limited, wasn't it. Don't know the answer to that one either but it apparently was a fairly popular option with big stores selling them as well.

It was promoted to protect the fabric and make things last longer--particularly in families with small children (of which I was one and did my share of destruction) & since the 2 car family was more the exception than the norm, more wear and tear would be expected. Probably the Korean war plodding along and recollections of rationing so make it last were also incentives to purchase. Could also have been a fad or social statement as covers for living room furniture were also plentiful--(but in our house, those could have been because of my brother & I).

As to the striped cloth, you have to understand that Packard was a very conservative company then--some would even say stodgy--and their main clientele were apparently happy with dull non flash colors. The quality was superb and that apparently mattered more. The competition started to promote flash, so in 52, they hired a designer to bring a bit more pizazz into things and it gradually started getting a bit better. Of course, when the 55's came along it was just about all guns blazing in the color/fabric dept---although they did hold off on copying Kaiser's bamboo or dragon skin vinyl motif..