Treasure trove of Packard history

Posted by Dave Brownell On 2017/2/10 8:39:23

For those Packard history seekers and data geeks among us, Big Kev just posted a 1949 Steel Magazine article that will keep us busy for a long time. It is a long and well-illustrated look at the history of Packard from the beginning until the Golden Anniversary in 1949. I have carefully read Turnquist, Ward and the Kime-edited books, but there were items in here that I have not seen elsewhere. From pictures and descriptions of the fifty or so most important/influential men (they are all men and that will quickly reflect the times) and what they did in their jobs, to the diagram of the production schedule of the post-WW II plant and sequence of how the cars went through the assembly process.

Knowing how history turned out five or six years later for the PMCC, there are points in this story where you see the mistakes beginning to be made, and the false premises they were acting on. It is not hard, given hindsight, to see what was happening and what might have changed the outcomes.

I made the mistake of reading the entire article before bedtime and my dreams were vivid about what was going on at Packard and wanting to shout "Don't do that!" Between all our forum's faithful historians and experts, this is must reading that will cause discussion and speculations aplenty. I do hope the regulars (Howard, Dave C, Leeedy, Tim, Steve and Fred have their chance to read and reflect on what is said. This is valuable stuff for a guy like me.