Re: Ex-Packard Designers

Posted by 58L8134 On 2014/8/1 10:01:37

Hi

Two words comes to mind when I see the '54 Plymout Belmont: inept styling. It appeared in its resale red iteration at Hershey a few years ago. It was surrounded by the curious but few seemed taken with it. The front is the same configuration as the rear of the '52 Ford but sectioned and grille added....it ain't pretty! The remainder looks heavy, ungainly and uninspired, as bad as its contemporary showcar, the '54 Dodge Granada. I doubt if Virgil Exner penned those things....unless he was having a really bad day suffering a bad hangover! BTW, a "back-porch continental kit" couldn't spoil the Belmont, it already was!

Thanks for the Bill Brownlie images, they show the '50's design trends nicely. Its rare to find designer not working in that vein, Brownlie was in step with his times. While they're not as appealing as what Teague did for late Packards, they'd have been prefectly acceptable as Dodges or DeSotos.

Of the Continental Mark II: Its been a longtime favorite though it seems to lack to a degree the verve of the original '40-'41 Continental. Certain areas such as the steep windshield rake and slightly too-long rear deck (sized to accomodate a folded metal convertible top) detract.

One problem that bugs me personally is the front wheelhouse which isn't quite open enough at the top, tends to cover the upper portion of the tire as the front springs relax. Looking toward a rear three-quarter view, the front wheel disappears a bit too much, it really could have benefitted from more open front wheelhouse and wider front track.

It's well to remember the Continental Mark II was very much a vanity for the young Fords then in charge. It had little chance of commercial success but was done to show the rest of the industry they could run Ford Motor Company well and build one of the best cars in the world, costs bedamned. The money they lost on it wasn't enough to sink the company and they ended up with darn nice cars to sport around Detriot in, Continentals that looked great in the DAC parking lot!

Steve