Re: Synopsis of forces and events leading to '48-'50 styling
Posted by Mahoning63 On 2020/3/23 17:53:10
Thanks JD, appreciate the heads-up. Have changed the image's title, don't like being knowingly in error. Spend enough time unknowingly so...
"What if only the center section is cross-hatched (like a senior) but all the way down?"
Let's take a look, bkazmer. Have included a bonus (aka mistake) on far right, having accidentally lowered the center section all the way down to the bumper on my first attempt. Maybe it could have worked too. For both mods the problem area would have been the intersection of horizontal bars inter center grill because they are not on the same plane. Horizontal bars would have either needed beveled at the intersection or boxed in with a vertical piece alongside the grill. Both would have looked odd but the design could have been resolved with who-knows-what solution had the designers set out to make the center section taller in the first place.
Steve - agreed, a '49 Ford share was out of the question. Pondering the Lincoln share, if nothing else it points to the need to field two cars, one delivering volume, the other prestige, both with healthy profit. No question Cadillac lived off the Buick 70 share, that was its key. Luxury and near luxury. Packard's lux and near lux carried same name and general appearance, probably resulting in a fair amount of cannibalization of the top car over the years. A different brand in the near luxury space might have prevented that - Commodore or a more gussied up Ambassador - or more differentiation between the two Packard-branded cars. 23rd Series Super Eight moving from 122 to 127 chassis and offering a Deluxe trim is classic example of Junior eating Senior.
Confounding things is fact that Packard's dealers needed a volume car to stay alive, something well below near-luxury. Either that or Packard needed to make its cars so darn superior that per unit profits became highest in industry and everyone - dealers and factory - were able to live a healthy life on 50K units per year. See mid to late 1920s.
3/24 EDIT: beveled the horizontal bars at intersection with center grill, and refined image on right above bumper.
Attach file:
(74.19 KB)
"What if only the center section is cross-hatched (like a senior) but all the way down?"
Let's take a look, bkazmer. Have included a bonus (aka mistake) on far right, having accidentally lowered the center section all the way down to the bumper on my first attempt. Maybe it could have worked too. For both mods the problem area would have been the intersection of horizontal bars inter center grill because they are not on the same plane. Horizontal bars would have either needed beveled at the intersection or boxed in with a vertical piece alongside the grill. Both would have looked odd but the design could have been resolved with who-knows-what solution had the designers set out to make the center section taller in the first place.
Steve - agreed, a '49 Ford share was out of the question. Pondering the Lincoln share, if nothing else it points to the need to field two cars, one delivering volume, the other prestige, both with healthy profit. No question Cadillac lived off the Buick 70 share, that was its key. Luxury and near luxury. Packard's lux and near lux carried same name and general appearance, probably resulting in a fair amount of cannibalization of the top car over the years. A different brand in the near luxury space might have prevented that - Commodore or a more gussied up Ambassador - or more differentiation between the two Packard-branded cars. 23rd Series Super Eight moving from 122 to 127 chassis and offering a Deluxe trim is classic example of Junior eating Senior.
Confounding things is fact that Packard's dealers needed a volume car to stay alive, something well below near-luxury. Either that or Packard needed to make its cars so darn superior that per unit profits became highest in industry and everyone - dealers and factory - were able to live a healthy life on 50K units per year. See mid to late 1920s.
3/24 EDIT: beveled the horizontal bars at intersection with center grill, and refined image on right above bumper.
Attach file:
(74.19 KB)
This Post was from: https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?post_id=220336