Hello Gentlemen

"So Studebaker effectively bumped off two Luxury make in its lifetime. I guess hindsight isn't twenty-twenty after all, or Packard would have thought twice."

This opinion seems to be rife in the old car world but an examination of the facts brings one to a contrary conclusion.

Reading carefully the posting from the P-A website above, one finds that P-A was bought in 1928 at a time of financial strength by Studebaker Corporation. President Albert Erskine bought P-A as part of his plan to develop full market coverage for the corporation in the GM model. Throughout their ownership, considerable investments were made in P-A products and facilities in an effort to modernize both. The Receivership into which Studebaker fell in 1933 came about because of over-optimistic policies of Erskine and his board. P-A was only sold off to a private investment group in 1933 in order to raise funds for Studebaker Corporations' own survival as part of the receivership plan. P-A by this juncture had become a real financial drain on the corporation.
The new owners had their opportunity to try to make it a profitable enterprise, something that was virtually impossible for an independent luxury carmaker in the mids of the Depressions. The P-A demise in 1938 was fully five years after Studebaker relinquished control.

Factors not stated in the posting at the time of the Studebaker purchase was that P-A was in poor financial condition, with an antiquated factory and outdated product lines. Their factory was largely a hand labor operation, their Series 80 was uncompetitive and the large Series 36 completely antiquated (a giant T-head six). Worst of all, P-A lacked development money to create new product lines. Herein Studebaker truly came to the rescue with funds to develop the new Eights for 1929. If not for Studebaker purchasing and investing considerable money in P-A when it did, P-A would have gone the way of Locomobile.

Fast forward twenty plus years, Packard management decided combining with Studebaker offered an avenue for survival in the overheated market of the time. Remember, structurally, it was a buyout by Packard of Studebaker without thorough examination on the part of either party of the others business condition.

As they say, no one twisted Packard's arm to do so. The fact that Studebaker was in worse financial shape, only to be revealed once the deed was done, speaks only of the automotive industry management inexperience that Nance and his men brought to this decision.

To Nance's credit, he understood product content and promotion in appealing to buyers; this resulted in more appealing and interesting cars. But his lack of automotive industry experience with finance and management, displayed by the Studebaker purchase and the disastrous move to Connor Avenue are truly the decisions that drained the corporation's resources and lead to the collapse.
Studebaker may have been the millstone, but he and his people are ones who hung it around their necks!

Thanks for reading my diatribe, hope it gives you a broader perspective on these events. I welcome dissenting views as long as they're civil.

Steve

Hi

Went, Walked, Looked, Saw, Marveled, ENJOYED!!!!

Does time speed up rapidly when one is immersed in an enjoyable pursuit? SURE DOES!

Steve

Hi PackardV8

As bkazmer noted, the '33 President Speedway Eight Series 92 would be the last pre-war Studebaker comparable to and competitive with the Packard models until the advent of the Junior models.

With the prosperity of the late 1920's, a number of the medium priced car makers entered a series in the luxury car price class. Their motivation was the volume success of the Packard Single Six/Standard eight and the LaSalle in the emergent entry-level luxury price segment from $2,000-$3,000.

In addition to the Studebaker Presidents beginning in 1928, Nash developed the Ambassador 490 for 1930, REO their Royale by 1931, Graham-Paige Eights such as 835, 827, 837 & 137, Hupmobile Custom Eight model U, Chrysler the Imperial L-80 and Custom Imperials as well as Buick 90 Series.

As the Depression deepened, these series found a rapidly diminishing market. The results were the dropping of the luxury series models as follows: the 92 President after 1933, the Royale 831 & 835 and Ambassador 1290 after 1934, Graham Custom 137 after 1931, Hupmobile U after 1932. The upper series nameplates would appear on the subsequent high end middle priced models throughout the remainder of their time in the car business.


Chrysler continued the Custom Imperial CL through 1933, becoming the Custom Imperial CW, various Custom and Crown models through 1942. Buick built the Series 90 through 1942 as well. Of course, these last two makes had the considerable resources of their parent corporations to support the cost of producing relatively tiny numbers of luxury models.

The easiest way to identify which models are comtemporary to Classic Packard is to check the CCCA list of approved Classics.

If you have the chance to inspect a '28-'33 President, you'll find it is a finely engineered and built car comparable to the Packards in it's price class.

Steve

Hi

Will be there late Wednesday or early Thursday.

Look for the graybeard in the blue Packard cap with the sublime look on his face in the proximity of custom-bodied Classics!

Will have a name tag "58L8134" for those who notice and want to talk Packards, custom-bodied cars, independent makes, auto history.

Steve

Hi

The wins in Hudson had more to do with the roadability and lower center of gravity of the Step-Down Hudsons versus the competitors than the engines.

Nice that Hudson had one last hurrah before oblivion!

Steve

Just bumping these together for use at Hershey

Just Bumping these together for use at Hershey

Hi packardtaximan

Thanks for noticing and enlarging on my questions regarding whether this car was a taxi spec car.

It's my understanding that dealers would order the taxi spec cars to sell to customers wanting the more durable features found on those models.


Also I note you have a lwb New York taxi, is it the only one still in existence?

Steve

Hi

Another conversion I'd like to see would be a '51-'54 Henney Senior hearse or ambulance built into a parade phaeton. Think of a Packard version of the '50 Lincoln Cosmopolitan parade phaeton used by President Eisenhower.

With the top and upper door structures removed, then a trunk area section from a sedan fitted. That section would also have seat back mountings. The rest of the rear passenger compartment could include a set of folding jump seats out of another make 8 passenger sedan/limousine. A light folding top structure would be desirable too if the car were to be usable in inclement weather.

All finished in a classic dark blue, with flag staffs, lights and step plates and handles for the security detail, it would be a kick to drive in local parades.

Steve

Bump

Coming up shortly, anyone interested?