Re: Attractive 1939 1238 Model 12 Packard on ebay

Posted by 58L8134 On 2016/11/18 8:38:27

Hi Garrett

"...they were still doing well enough in the late 1930s to buy an upper end car, but refused to do so."

Your grandfather's outlook was held by many in those difficult years. Especially in small towns, where it was considered unseemly to flaunt one's good fortune while so many neighbors struggled to make ends meet. As much as they might have enjoyed a nice new Packard Super Eight or Twelve, buying a 120 was more socially acceptable.

This change of attitude enforced by the economic realities forced many high quality luxury carmakers from business completely. Packard, as well as the Big Three luxury makes, changed their type of products in response. Its true they went down market in size and price but quality wasn't necessarily compromised. Progress in design, engineering and manufacturing throughout the decade was headed in the direction that rendered the large grandiose luxury cars irrelevant.

Steve