Re: FDR riding in a Packard

Posted by HH56 On 2024/2/20 14:25:49

A fair number of Packards but doesn't seem like some of them stayed in service all that long. -- 2 or 3 years for some. Wonder if they had a replacement or lease like schedule or maybe rotated mfgs every few years.

Makes sense he would travel a lot in a prestigious convertible sedan during the war in spite of his car preferences but also surprised he didn't use a closed car more. Believe it was mentioned in the Burns series that the secret service had serious issues with him wanting to use the Lincoln or any convertible on so many occasions because in one of his early terms he was riding in another convertible when someone took a shot at him.

In the series there was a car that might have been the Lincoln on a campaign tour when the skies opened up and he got soaked. Went on to say the tour continued in the rain for several miles with him as well as others in the car soaking wet. He finally got so cold the secret service was able to convince him to allow them to drive the car into a hotel garage so they could get him a room where he could change clothes. Begs the question of whether the convertible top worked or if being seen in a campaign appearance was so much more important.