Re: Packard versus the Rest

Posted by Ross On 2010/12/6 22:28:47

Oh, what a fun topic!

Being in the old car service business I've had the opportunity to drive a lot of different old cars and observe:

Era for era, the Packards are often more fun to drive than the competition. The others had some strong points but...

1950 Windsor Newport: excellent build quality and unbeatable dash treatment. Awkward, slow shifting transmission and very "heavy on its feet".

49 Buick: Suspension only worked well on boulevards as a result of incredible unsprung weight. Hopeless in corners on the backroads.

49 Lincoln Cosmo--where did all the gasoline go?

41 Cad: Where's the overdrive?

I like to drive my cars hard and meet or beat traffic. The Packards do this with no stress. Many cars of the pre-55 era could not manage a sustained high speed as they were geared for secondary roads and lacked the option of overdrive.

Having said all that, here are two oddball picks that won my respect the hard way: 50 Ambassador--snappy, smooth, quiet, and surprisingly light on its feet. 49 Frazer Manhattan: Astonishingly comfortable seats(so many seat springs it would make a Custom Eight blush), great ride, easy handling, a bit slow but turned in 20 mpg.