Re: I have just struck gold...in my own backyard.

Posted by portlandon On 2008/5/4 11:43:55

It's funny BH how you said having a packard in the driveway or on the property helps. I couldn't agree more. I have had alot of different projects over the years. For along time I had alot of 58-66 Thunderbirds in the garage. But I have never had as many converstaions, stories, or attention than after I acquired my '55 400.

I remember an old fellow, about 75-80 years old walking his dog up & down my street. He had been doing this for years. We would say hello now and than. Than I had my Packard dropped off along side the garage after buying it. The next time he walked by, he stopped dead in his tracks, walked right up to me and said "I haven't seen a packard in year!" He rambled off all the options to me, the torsion suspension, (He knew more about the car than I did). I asked him how he knew so much about it, and he told me that he had worked for Studebaker for 30 years and had worked there during the Merger. He remembered the Studebaker dealers were in awe of the new '55 & '56 packards. Alot of the Studebaker dealers in the Oregon,Washington & Idaho area started selling both brands at their dealers. He had some good stories. I hadn't seen him for awhile, one of my other neighbors told me that he had died. I wished I had asked him more.