Re: SP merger

Posted by Mahoning63 On 2015/3/4 19:25:59

Lots of good thinking, Steve203, you're really encouraging fresh and thought-provoking conversation with these recent threads. Much appreciated.

JJN seemed to structure the entire S-P deal so that he, not the company he served, came out on top. Just like Mason, his first priorty was to be in charge. The Achilles Heel that ultimately led Packard to its doom?

Always liked the idea of Studes rolling down EGB. Don't know much about how the two lines were up but theoretically it was possible to configure one for the Studebaker chassis. Both it and Packard were body on frame so the basic assembly sequence would have been similar.

The timing to do it in 1954 or 55 would have been razor thin, Nance getting the notice from Chrysler in late '53 about Conner and probably taking several months to decide what to do, while beginning negotiations with Studebaker. Seems he felt he had Clipper "in the bag" so no need to fill EGB up with even more volume. Clipper was another of his big mistakes, he would have really needed to hit a styling home run in '57 to make the new brand resonate, and by the looks of the clays we've all seen, not sure it was even a base hit.