Re: Make your Packard an Ambassador?

Posted by Dave Brownell On 2014/4/17 8:22:23

At first I thought this might be a question about retro-fitting a Packard 352 into a 55-56 Nash V-8. Instead, it was much more profound.

For most of us, there's something about a tender spot in our development around the ages 10-14 when we fixate on a car that we retain, and if fortunate, later strive to buy. Sometimes it's a friend or family member who aids in the process, either by enabling these desires or simply gives us a car "of our dreams." Getting a youth to develop a desire for an old Packard is probably a pretty tough challenge unless it's a car that's being actively loved by someone close by. The most encouraging contemporary scene I am aware of is the Kansas college that offers a degree program in classic car repair/restoration. I believe that Jay Leno is a big fan and supporter of this effort and hope that other regions watch for signs of success in its programs and graduates.

I have four sons and two of them are engineers. One of these boys was once a top graduate in an high school automotive class and was offered a scholarship to a famous automaker's technical institute. He turned it down (as I screamed in anguish!), saying that he had had enough being raised with a pack of old cars. Instead, he went in a different direction and is successful in his field. Now, at age 42, he still does much of his own vehicle and fleet maintenance, but fooling with the family Packard is yet to happen. So far, the grandchildren are viewing the old cars around our place as an oddity and any fascination is a thin veneer. But there's hope for some familiarity breeding a budding appreciation. I did catch one eight year old grandson bragging about the pushbutton transmission and the suspension that goes up and down. His buddy countered that his father's 70s Charger has a wing on the back. Wait until the concept of rarity takes root. That may take some time. At this point, Car Guy may be a skipped generation condition.