Considering Packard v. Hudson

Posted by 19482255 On 2009/12/23 17:14:45

Thanks guys for all the replies to my previous post.

Veering off topic from my original question (hence the subject name change):

I would love to hear from the Men who Own Them (most appropriately, owners of 1948-1950 Packards) what it is about their cars they love. Obviously, given how much time, money, energy and passion goes into a hobby, I am carefully considering my options before jumping into my next classic vehicle project.



I've owned vintage cars before (currently a MoPar man, I own two Dodges and one Valiant). But recently, I've considered defecting from Chrysler products, and embracing a new auto marque as my hobby. Through my observations of style, function and engineering, I've determined I would like to own both a Packard and a Hudson. But right now, I will only consider one.

For Packard, I'm zeroing in on the 1948 Custom Eights. I have always loved the design lines, having been enamored with the Custom 8 convertible that appeared in Back to Future over 20+ years ago. The stories I have heard about the 356 cid eight and it's smoothness/quietness are too numerous to mention, and I would like one to call my own.

What are the pro's/con's of owning a Packard? Do any of you happen to own a Hudson of the same time period as well? What are the differences and what do you like about the Packard?

For a potential Packard buy, I'm interested in knowing about:

1. Club support
2. Resource availability (parts & cost)
3. Overall comparative cost (Packard v. Hudson and other brands)
4. Overall Packard experience, compared to other marques.

I've truly not yet made up my mind which car to go for, so thanks to all for the help, I appreciate the candid responses.

Happy Holidays!