Re: Packard & Hudson proximity

Posted by Tim Cole On 2013/2/12 16:18:25

Actually Ford bought Lincoln as revenge against Henry Leyland who replaced him at the Ford Company after he was thrown out. That company became Cadillac Motors. Edsel used Lincoln as a refuge.

I agree that the only way Packard could continue would be through merger. However, corporations take on their own culture due to human vanity which would have made for a difficult success. Considering the chrome carnival wagons of the late 1950's maybe it was better that Packard ceased production. Studebaker-Packard never went bankrupt and never screwed their debtholders like Ford, GM, and Chrysler have. Studebaker-Worthington did very well.

The older I get the more I like the postwar Packard cars. Even the maligned 22nd series was not considered ugly and actually sold well. Even Tom McCahill thought they were good looking. In some respects I think they are an improvement over the Clipper.

During the 50's Ford and GM were forcing inventory on dealers and there was no way Packard could compete against that.