Re: The History of Packard

Posted by Peter Hartmann On 2008/10/8 10:38:12

THE ULTRAMATIC transmission - the "blow" that killed Packard ?

Good question. Many of us who owned Ultramatic-drive equipped Packards believe that this sorry excuse for incometence was almost as important a factor in "killing" Packard, as the sloppy build quality.

It did not take a rocket scientist to figure out that 1) people wanted automatic transmissions 2) people wanted reliable automatic transmissions 3) people who purchased expensive cars with automatic transmissions expected them to perform well.

The development and execution of the General Motors four speed "Hydramatic" transmission set the standard that continues today - I am not aware of any modern production car that offers less than a four speed automatic transmission. Even small-engined lower-price cars equipped with Hydramatics in the early 1950's would "blow off" Ultramatic-equipped Packards.

Packard was not alone in screwing up its reputation with crummy, unresponsive transmissions. Chrysler Corp. went down that road in the late 1940's, and it almost put the Imperial out of business. (anyone in here actually driven a "Fluid Drive" equipped Chrysler product?).

Of interest on the other issue ( terrible loss of standards in "build quality"), Chrysler copied Packard, and were it not for repeated massive govt. "bail-outs" of tax-payer cash, they would have been out of business decades ago.

The primary desgin failure of the Ultramatic that crippled the already declining performance of Packard cars (compare what a 1941 "356" Packard would do, performance-wise, to a 1951 Packard "327) was accompanied by inadequate execution.

Makes one wonder if there really is a "death gene". Designing a "NO SPEED" transmission? In a luxury make with a reputation for performance? From the same company who once included amongst its slogans " Master Motor Builder"...? and "The Value Of Reputation-Ask The Man Who Owns One...?

But Packard managed to pull it off! For those of you who are wondering what I am talking about, let me explain how the Ultramatic worked, and how it compared with the Hydramatic transmssion that set the standard for reliability and performance.

The Hydramatic, again, had FOUR speeds foward. A super LOW gear to launch the car rapidly - then three more close-ratio speeds to assure instant responsiveness in ANY speed raqnge.

The Hydra-matic multi-speed flexibility permitted very high final drive ratios, for economical and quiet extreme speed crusing. Ford's Lincoln division, several "independants" recognizing the adequacy of the Hydramatic, made it an "option" avail. in their products.

With the Ultramatic, an extremely "high" final drive ratio wasn't possible. The device had NO foward speeds - meaning you start out in "high" or direct drive, with a slippery torque convertor to get the car moving, then it "locks up" in direct. NO "passing gear" above around 50 mph. I remember being beaten in a drag race by a GARBAGE TRUCK ! (Hydramatic-equipped, of course...!).

Yes, you could MANUALLY bring in a reduction gear by moving the steering column shift lever, but people who bought cars for automatic transmission features, were turned off by that. Yes, I designed a "trick" modification so you could start out using that reduction gear, but even that would only bring the performance of an Ultramatic-equipped Packard up to - this is no exaggeration - garbage truck standards (dont try and drag race a city bus unless you put your Ultramatic into "low" range..you will lose!)

I find it fascinating that even with all the effort post-war Packard management expended in trying to destroy the honorable reputation of Packard, when the advertising literature went out for the introduction of the 1955 Packard, and promotional films of the famous "high speed" test-run, Packard still had enough reputation to cause sales to sky-rocket. People WANTED to believe in Packard even as late as the introduction of the 1955 model year products. And they PROVED it with sky-rocketing sales orders.

Perhaps John can fill us in on how stories of the introduction of the "gear start" Ultramatic, and stories about how the '55's were bringing back Packard's legendary performance immage, caused those improved sales. For a few months. Till the cars got into the hands of consumers, and the facts of how awful the quality-control was.

Killing cultures, corporations, even individuals, can be very profitable. We have seen how, if you are "connected", you can profit by destroying entites. Studying carefully how Packard "set the standards" for corporate suicide is, in my view, important to understanding how our industry screwed up our country. I can understand why some people do NOT want the "Packard Death Gene" issue discussed.

Just as Packard was a model for success in its "golden years", the Ultramatic-equipped Packards, in my view, were a model for corporate suicide by American industry in the years that followed.