Re: New-to-me Packard V-8 trivia!

Posted by Rusty O\'Toole On 2009/12/11 23:03:09

I doubt they were made of leftover parts. My impression was that they planned to continue producing Packards but the problem was they could not afford a new body design. There was a plan to buy Lincoln body shells from Ford and modify them but this fell through. At the last minute they came up with the Packardbaker for 57. This is why they had a lot of engines left over, the Packardbakers used Studebaker engines.

What I would like to know is what happened to the Packard engine tooling. If Studebaker couldn't use it why didn't they sell it? A truck manufacturer could have used it, the way LaFrance and Seagrave used Pierce Arrow and Auburn 12s long after the car companies went out of business.

I can't believe a practically new engine factory was sold for scrap. But what happened to it?