WHY THE NONSENCE ?

Posted by Peter Hartmann On 2008/11/2 12:16:10

These forums are often a fantastic source of great info. I might otherwise never have found on my own.

One example is one of you guys (thanks, whoever you are!) noted in here about the Univ. of Michigan/Detroit Public Library Packard photo collections are now avail. to us with just the "click" of our mices....! (meese ?)

But here's the problem. A very human condition is wanting to sound authoritive. My prejudice is the younger generations are even less restrained, less reluctant to stick their noses where they havnt been educated, than we older people, to whom accuracy and integrity have some value...? ? ?

While browsing thru the fantastic collection of photos, I came upon one (IMAGE ITEM EB01e824) which shows a bunch of new ZIS 110's. SOMEONE felt the urge to tell us how much he knows about these "Russian Packards". Repeats the nonsence that "PACKARD SENIOR DIES SOLD TO USSR BY U.S. GOVERNMENT URGING..."

At my age, I should no longer be surprised that the human condition includes, way too often, a burning desire to say something, ANYTHING, to sound important.

Those of you with at least the intelligence of a sand flea recognizes this "Russian Packard" crap as absolute nonsence.

Of course Packard HAD NO DIES TO SELL. Chassis/frames were purchased from the major frame supplier A.O. Smith. Zimac/"pot metal" fittings, door hardware, latches, etc., brakes, bearings, carbuerators, ignition systems, radiators, and starting in the late 1930, the entire body of the car, all purchased from UNRELATED OUTSIDE SUPPLIERS.

Never mind the fact that Russia is on the EUROPEAN continent, using METRIC measurements.

Never mind the fact that dies are hardened steel - kind of hard to bend em into changed shapes....!

But, what the heck - even in our own forum someone decided they wanted to say that "1938 PACKARD SUPER EIGHT AND TWELVE SHARED THE SAME CHASSIS...."

The issue of the ZIS is, of course, well-described elsewhere in this forum, by some apparently knowledgeable guys.

What I am trying to point out here, is, as we speed away from the period that Packard existed, with more and more generations of smart-mouths wanting to say something...ANYTHING to sound important.....I STRONGLY recommend you dont "drop your guard"...be suspicous of ANY "self styled expert" who 1) wasnt actually "there"...and 2) probaby wouldn't know which end of a screw-driver he or she sat on....!

Now...back to those mini-dresses...