A Packard Panther on the Street...
Posted by Leeedy On 2020/4/11 10:46:06
Since many Packard fans are presently cooped up doing social distancing at home, I thought I would break out an image from my files to share with you.
This photo was taken in the early 1970s in Southern California. You can tell a little about the time period from the cars in the background.
I can tell you more about the occasion later. But for now, I'll let you take a look and see what you can find here.
Also, an important thing about this particular Panther with the 1955 cathedral tail lights-and its sibling bronze and black car: these two cars are NOT "Panther-Daytonas"... no matter how many times this is stated. NOT Panther-Daytonas. Just Panthers.
As indicated in the book, "Creative Industries of Detroit- The Untold Story of Detroit's Secret Concept Car Builder" there were two distinct flavors of Packard Panther. The first two Panthers were rechristened "Panther-Daytona" because of the record-setting speed run made in Panther #2 at Daytona Beach, Florida. Those two cars had 1954 Clipper tail lights and superchargers. As Panther-Daytonas they were both painted a bright orangish-red hue.
The second two Panthers (and that makes a total of four, folks) absolutely did not have the features of Clipper tail lights (at least not more that a hot minute) and never had superchargers and were never known as "Panther-Daytona" and never said so on either car. This despite every mention of these cars claims they are "Panther-Daytona"... no way. No how.
The Panther shown here belonged to Creative Industries of Detroit... and later, over the years, a string of other owners. I knew it personally from new and I had friends who actually worked on building the Panthers, including this one. The General Manager of Creative Industries, Rex Terry, who was a friend, drove this car around Detroit in the 1950s and I saw it many, many times.
By the way, I drove Panther #2 years ago and rode in the Panther you see pictured here. And for you fans of Detroit's famous Woodward Avenue, this Panther was often seen at TWO locations on that wondrous street of cars:
1.) The Totem Pole Drive-In restaurant
2.) The Brass Rail Bar & Grill
The lines of this car were repeated on the De Soto Flightsweep cars (and Virgil Exner is praised for that design by those who never looked at-or don't want to see-the similarities). Of course, there are those who seem offended when this fact is pointed out. Richard Teague kept a design office at Creative Industries and it was Richard who came up with this re-design of the original.
Attach file:
(173.30 KB)
This photo was taken in the early 1970s in Southern California. You can tell a little about the time period from the cars in the background.
I can tell you more about the occasion later. But for now, I'll let you take a look and see what you can find here.
Also, an important thing about this particular Panther with the 1955 cathedral tail lights-and its sibling bronze and black car: these two cars are NOT "Panther-Daytonas"... no matter how many times this is stated. NOT Panther-Daytonas. Just Panthers.
As indicated in the book, "Creative Industries of Detroit- The Untold Story of Detroit's Secret Concept Car Builder" there were two distinct flavors of Packard Panther. The first two Panthers were rechristened "Panther-Daytona" because of the record-setting speed run made in Panther #2 at Daytona Beach, Florida. Those two cars had 1954 Clipper tail lights and superchargers. As Panther-Daytonas they were both painted a bright orangish-red hue.
The second two Panthers (and that makes a total of four, folks) absolutely did not have the features of Clipper tail lights (at least not more that a hot minute) and never had superchargers and were never known as "Panther-Daytona" and never said so on either car. This despite every mention of these cars claims they are "Panther-Daytona"... no way. No how.
The Panther shown here belonged to Creative Industries of Detroit... and later, over the years, a string of other owners. I knew it personally from new and I had friends who actually worked on building the Panthers, including this one. The General Manager of Creative Industries, Rex Terry, who was a friend, drove this car around Detroit in the 1950s and I saw it many, many times.
By the way, I drove Panther #2 years ago and rode in the Panther you see pictured here. And for you fans of Detroit's famous Woodward Avenue, this Panther was often seen at TWO locations on that wondrous street of cars:
1.) The Totem Pole Drive-In restaurant
2.) The Brass Rail Bar & Grill
The lines of this car were repeated on the De Soto Flightsweep cars (and Virgil Exner is praised for that design by those who never looked at-or don't want to see-the similarities). Of course, there are those who seem offended when this fact is pointed out. Richard Teague kept a design office at Creative Industries and it was Richard who came up with this re-design of the original.
Attach file:
(173.30 KB)
This Post was from: https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?post_id=221097