Re: Packard & Hudson proximity

Posted by Tim Cole On 2013/2/12 21:42:43

About the Lincoln. Henry Ford was an extremely vindictive individual bordering on insane. He treated Edsel like crap because he apparently wanted him to rise up and give Henry a reason to throw Edsel on the street. Instead Edsel kept a stiff upper lip which drove his father nuts. Henry even called up his henchmen and gave them orders to "go rough up Edsel a bit".

When he bought Lincoln he staged a publicity photo intended to publicly humiliate Henry Leyland. He then emptied the factory in front of Leyland and let it sit empty saying only "I have a definite reason for buying the Lincoln plant." After Leyland quit operation resumed.

I'll give Henry Ford credit for pushing the Model T, which was the best all around car on the road when it came out, and the V-8 which was a complete triumph.

Despite being engineered by "the great" Henry Leyland the Lincoln was a failure on the road and really not even as good the Model T. So it made no financial sense to buy company. Especially when there were so many other quality brands available.

Somewhere around here I have an interview with one of the engineers at Lincoln and he said the car was no darn good.

I wouldn't trade places with Henry Ford or Edsel in exchange for their riches because sanity is more important.