Re: New "What Ifs?"

Posted by Rusty O\'Toole On 2014/6/27 22:44:58

Packard outsourced to Briggs in 1940 or thereabouts. So did many other auto makers. Not just bodies but many other parts. A common sense way of getting good parts for the best price, it was often cheaper to buy from specialists than make everything yourself.

Not only Packard, but Cadillac, Lincoln and others were moving away from the big custom built cars. The senior bodies and tooling had their day, so had the juniors which dated to the mid 30s. Packard's answer was a one model or one body policy based on the Clipper. This was not satisfactory as the Clipper body was not big enough for a senior car, but they sold pretty well until 1951. They very cleverly made 2 versions of the 51 body, one for junior models and a stretched version with different roof and rear fenders for the seniors. This worked very well although, they could have used more body styles for the senior cars, than just a 4 door sedan.

I would like to hear from the experts on the straight eight, but I believe the last straight eight was all new in 1948. It was their bad luck that they put their money into a new flathead straight eight, just when the industry was about to go to the OHV V8.

They weren't the only one. Lincoln brought out a brand new flathead V8 in 1949, and Hudson a new straight six flathead in 1951.

I tend to agree about the 1948 face lift, however it was popular and up to date looking at the time, and did give them something new to sell without the expense of an all new body.

I am more disappointed by the all new 51s. It would have been a sensation in 1948, but by 1951 was just another car, that looked like the 1948 Cadillac and Futuramic Oldsmobile 98.

Even more disappointing is their reluctance to face lift the 51 body and give it a fresh appearance in 52 53 54. I know they did rework it every year but the changes were not obvious to a casual glance because they kept the same grille and front end appearance.

Packard was trying to give buyers in the medium price and high price brackets a genuine choice, by making a more conservative type of car than the tail finned V8 monstrosities featured by GM. In other words, they were willing to concede Hollywood and Broadway to Cadillac - and take the rest of the country for themselves.

This was not a bad strategy, unfortunately they overestimated the taste of the car buying public. It turned out they wanted tail fins, 3 tone paint jobs, toothy chrome grilles,gas hog V8s, and styling that resembled a Zoot Suit with neon buttons.

When they got wise (55 and 56) it was too late, the tide was already turning to smaller cars.