Re: Packard's Imported to England

Posted by Owen_Dyneto On 2007/9/12 8:46:40

Somewhere in the mountains of Packard data I have an article from a Canadian newspaper written some years ago by a Studebaker employee in Canada who previously worked at the Packard facility. In this article he relates a bit of history of that facility (opened about 1933?). I have many photos of RHD Packards built in Canada with RHD, and have also seen one 1936 120 coupe with LHD with a Packard-Canada VN plate. I also have an article somewhere that details the Commonwealth rules for "Canadian content" to quality the cars for duty-free export to the UK. As I remember, a very large amount of the car was Canadian based; tires and glass were Canadian as were electrical components, bodies were assembled, painted and trimmed in Canada; engines were built up from parts, upholstery and other soft materials were entirely of Canadian content. I'll no doubt find these articles someday and will try to remember to post them here when that happens. I believe the Canadian Packard facility closed just prior to WW II, and RHD cars were then assembled in Detroit thru 1954 (the RHD parts are listed in the parts books). Leonard Williams did the RHD conversions for 1955/1956, though they were very few in number. A few 1956 Packards were also built from knock-down kits by the D'Iterian Bros. in Belgium who were doing the same for Studebaker and VW. Elsewhere in this website you'll find a roadtest on one such 56 Clipper converted by Leonard Williams.