Re: The History of Packard

Posted by Dave Kenney On 2008/10/8 12:20:58

Peter, I owned both a 1952 Chrysler Windsor with the "Fluidmatic" transmission and also a 1947 Cadillac 75 Limousine with Hydamatic during the 1960's The Hydramatic was a superior transmission and to tell you the truth I have often wondered why Packard didn't buy the rights to use it in the early 40's instead of creating the trouble prone "Rube Goldberg" Electromatic clutch which my '47 Super came equipped with. As you mentioned Lincoln and I believe Hudson as well as Rolls-Royce used Hydramatic transmissions under licence from GM so maybe GM would have sold it to Packard also but maybe not. My brother owned a 1949 Olds 88 in the early 50's and I can recall how he could "smoke" the back tire from a dead start and was I impressed as that was something that my 47 Cadillac could not do! My old 52 Chrysler, with the flathead 6 engine and "M-6" transmission, was very slow off the line as can be imagined but once in high, which was an overdrive gear as I seem to recall, it could cruise quietly at 60 mph. I enjoy my Packard and use the Electromatic clutch in city driving but it would be even more enjoyable with a Hydramatic although I would miss the overdrive on the highway. A friend of my brother owned a 1950 Packard with 288 engine and Ultamatic and I remember that it would seem to wind up slowly on takeoff and then lock-up but it was quite slow also. I don't know whether or not my Chrysler was quicker off the line as we never raced but I imagine it would have been close.