Re: How long did Packard build trucks?

Posted by Owen_Dyneto On 2012/10/9 8:52:57

Packard competed in the very high end of the truck market with Pierce-Arrow, Locomobile, Jefferey and Peerless among a few others where the market segment was small; the primary reason they left the market was the lack of growth of sales, especially with the end of large government orders during WW I. The market was well-populated with makers and one reason for low sales in addition to the post WW I recession was that, unlike after WW II when surplus trucks were mostly scrapped where they were, after WW I the Army brought back many of the trucks used overseas and donated them to local and state highway departments and the like, thus compounding the problems of a stagnant market. Packard just lost interest in a non-growing market and focused on cars thereafter. Packard trucks were built 1903 thru 1923.

About 45,000 trucks were built and the Kimes-edited book has a chapter on them with many great photos, and which is the source of the numbers and the opinions above. I don't know how many are left, perhaps 50 or so (pure guess); you might check with Dave Lockard of the Packard Truck Association in York, PA. Their annual meet is usually just after Hershey.