Hi Turbopackman, Denny Z & JW

Thanks for the compliments, Gentlemen. Makes me feel good to know other Packard folks appreciate my design work and watercolor rendering art.

Overall credit has to go to the design masters of that brief, wonderful Classic era that will never be repeated. I just try to design what they might have after seeing their masterful custom body designs. All the more amazing as they had nothing to reference.

These color rendering I post will show you the Packards I would have in my dream garage if that were possible.

I've designed and rendered custom designs on other Classic marques, but must admit, Packard is my favorite.

More will be shown here as I complete them.

Steve

Hi

Congratulations on buying such a nice solid car so inexpensively. Makes this easterner jealous, all our supply has been rust ruined. With the 318, should be a nice driver for now, until you can locate a 289 for it.

I'd suggest you keep an eye out for '61-'63 Cruiser model Studebakers that would be runable but parts car for a replacement engine, good earlier engines find there way into Golden Hawks.

There is considerable interest in these with the Studebaker folks as well (the author of whom is one). Sign onto Studebaker Driver's Club Forum for Studebaker-specific posting and show those folks your fortunate good new project, many are glad to help.

By the Way, what is the 57L-#### and the body no.? (found on that tag on the upper cowl, right side, under the hood.

Steve

Hi

One design frequently leads to another, this is my color rendering for a '30 745 Speedster Sport Phaeton. It was inspired by the Roadster-Phaeton by LeBaron on the '29 Stutz Model M, for proportions and details.

Yes, I know, no such chassis was built. But, for a never extant custom body design, might as well build in on a never extant chassis. The idea of a 745 chassis with the 734 powertrain is an intriguing one.

Enjoy!

Steve

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Hi

Anyone found the sale price results of the Benoy Packard auction this past weekend?

Steve

Hi (Again)

On the issue of whether the influx of Packard people into Lincoln in time to greatly influence the '58 models: I doubt if they had any great affect on the results.

Consider the timing, leaving Packard in mid-'56 to arrive at Lincoln development program two years along for a car whose prototypes were in existance and pre-production cars would be underway by Spring '57.

Anyone have insight on the timing of that '58 development program? (I know this isn't the Lincoln Forum, just the same there is such a wellspring of knowledge out there I have to ask)

Steve

Hi

Mr Pushbutton: Thanks for the insight and inside information on Chrysler's body engineering and build quality problems in that era. I have seen both pre-'57 Packard and Chrysler bodies under restoration, yes, nearly identical......just hadn't had the light go on!

For years, I've noted the much higher survival rate of pre-'57 model Chrysler products but hadn't recognize the reason was directly caused by the Briggs buyout. Inexperience in engineering does show terribly in those cars.

As much as I like the '57-'58 Forward Look styling, all have lousy build quality, Imperial excepted somewhat. I had assumed the poor quality was the result of the extreme rushed development to make the '57 sales year, noted in other sources as a two year crash program rather than the normal at the time three years.

Insights: This is why I like this Forum so much, that and the civility of the participants!

Steve

Hi

Mr Pushbutton, you make a point I had never considered before, the quality of bodies after the folding of Briggs into Chrysler. The poor overall quality of the '57 and later cars is well known. Was this the result of major changes in the body engineering management?

The reason I posed the question initially stems from hearing stories of those who told of trading their '53-'56 senior Packard models for Imperials in '57-'62.

When ask why they chose Packard:
"Cadillac is too flashy, too common, owned by the new rich"
"Imperial is better engineered and built"
"Imperial is the type of car Packard would be building if they still were in business"
"Lincoln? When they learn to build a real luxury car, I'll think about one"

And some comments not fit for a gentlemanly forum!

Steve

Hi

More than once over the years, I've come across anecdotal evidence the public preceived Imperial as marketplace replacement for Packard.
Anyone else come across this?

Steve

Hi

As much of a '57 or '58 Packard as we'll ever have. They're good cars, just not what everyone would want a '57 Packard to be if they could have been continued in Detroit.

Thanks John, that is a good summation of events. The financial Waterloo of '56 forced decisions no one wanted to make, maybe not even Hurley. But the whole objective was to salvage some portion of the corporation, and since it's main products were cars, and Studebaker had the better chance of volume sales.....lead to the consolidation in South Bend.

I truly wish we could have had at least the '57's that were on the verge of production, and Packard could have lasted through the '60's into the early '70's but then die before we had to have Packard versions of cars such as Lincoln Versailles and Cadillac Cimarron.......Ugh! Shutter!!!

Steve

Hi Steve

Thanks for your compliment and interest.

I have the following watercolor renderings completed and will be posting images on here when I have good digital images available:
A '32 DeLuxe Eight Sport Sedan
A '38-'40 Continental Touring Coupe (think Letoureur & Marchand meet Darrin)

In process now as a color study, a '745 Speedster Sport Phaeton, same long full-length hood and fenders as seen on the posted images, but as a long and muscular Phaeton, it's a heartbreaker!

Found on here under "Concept and Show Cars" are my two '57 Detroit-prototypes renderings in color

I create all these as my versions of Packards I would design and have built for myself if that were possible. Packards are a favorite subject.

Other Makes I've designed and rendered are:
A '33 Auburn 12 Salon Sport Convertible Victoria
A '35 Pierce-Arrow Sport Sedan (design based on the Metropolitan Town Brougham by Brunn)
A '33 Studebaker Speedway President Convertible Victoria
A '36 Studebaker Skyway President Eight Town Car
Two view of a '36 Studebaker President Convertible Coupe (one was prototyped but never volume produced)

And to get some of that Fifties design out of my system and on board.
A '58 Continental Mark III retractable hardtop convertible (Proportioned and given design hallmarks from the Mark II) It's pretty far out there if I do say so myself!

Steve