Re: Late to the Party - The Packard V-8

Posted by Jack Vines On 2018/8/29 10:33:10

Thank you for a very thorough and well written article. The discussion about the 1956 Studebaker Golden Hawk pulled together several scattered pieces to explain it clearly.

However, one must take issue with the title, "Late to the Party". It's not as if there were deadline; rather it was an ongoing process. Every manufacturer other than Willys introduced a new OHV8 design between 1949 and 1955.

1949 - Cadillac and Oldsmobile
1951 - Studebaker and Chrysler
1952 - Lincoln and DeSoto
1953 - Dodge and Buick
1954 - Ford/Mercury
1955 - Packard, Plymouth, Chevrolet and Pontiac

Is is logical to single out Packard as "late to the (V8) party", when three much larger and better funded marrques, Chevrolet, Pontiac and Plymouth, were on the same time line?

One might point out Studebaker was among the earliest with an OHV8 and it didn't save them.

As we all know, the independents were doomed. It was only a matter of how and when they'd go under. There will always be debate if Studebaker, Hudson, Packard and Nash had merged and if a magician with the talent of a Lee Iacocca became the CEO, they may have lasted longer and may even have fought Chrysler in the race to the bottom.

jack vines