Packard Forum Index » Studebaker Built Packards (1957 - 58)

This is just an impression...but for such low production numbers, there seem to be a fair number of '57-'58 Packards out there.

Or does Ebay bring them all out of the woodwork (or barns, garages, fields... ...?

It could be that the few hard-core customers that bought them in 1957 and 1958 had a sense that these might be the last Packards and hung onto them. Either that, or the cars were so worthless on the used car market (or the owners were so embarrassed about being seen with them) that they simply hid them away rather than try to sell them.

I'd be interested to hear other people's ideas on this too.

I know of one 1957 Packard that was purchased new with a 1950 Packard for a trade which he received $800 against the new 1957 Clipper $4353.38 price. This car was sold about 3 miles from the dealer where it was kept by the first owner and his wife.
When the Husband died the widow had a young man up the street drive her around in the car when she died in 1987 he got the car.
When the fellow died his father kept the car in his garage for two years father put it up for sale two that is when I came into the picture being the third owner of a 1957 Packard with 30000 miles and only a small amount of rust on a Pittsburgh car which is in it self hard to believe. It has been my dream since 1957 to own a black 57 Packard. Now to get it back to the way I remember them when new .

Here are a few points to consider. The "true" Packard guys do not recognize the 57's & 58's as Packards. So that limited the following. The Studebaker guys did not embrace them as true Studes at first, now they do. This futher limited the following. And now for the parts....body parts are tough to find in good shape. When Studebaker went out of business the parts were sold to Newman and Altman. When they were bought out and parts were moved from a huge building to a smaller one....the parts that were less in need were tossed. Many, many, many Packard fenders were tossed (dumpsters full), thus leading to a further decline in the interest of the car. Recently there has been a comeback due to the ride and look. This is mainly coming from the Studebaker guys. Take care

The S/P Corporation had the right to put that badge on any car they built. I recognize 57 and 58 Packards so I guess that makes me not a "true" Packard guy. Oh well, I've been called worse - a lot worse.

I like to use the phrase "1956 was the last Detroit built Packard".

While the Southbend cars are Packards by name, they dont share really any of the parts of drivetrain of the their Detroit older brothers. So as far as repair and service information goes, the Studebaker manuals provide more help to those owners then any of the previous years Detroit Packard manuals or service information articles.

I am glad we are starting to get more content for the 57-58 owners. We have a few articles in the 57-58 section. But we are lacking in the service manual department for those owners.

Personally, I would be interested in tracking down one of the "Packard" badged Studebaker pickups that was sold by some of the South American dealers. I think that would be and interesting shop truck to have. Or at least the badging and any picture to convert a Stude pickup to the "Packard" badged version.

I have the Studebaker and the supplement for 1957 Packard Clipper which I will send to you to copy. It does not come apart like the regular manuals but is only 46 pages. The regular 1956 Studebaker manual is needed for some things it is the if you want to copy the Studebaker manual I can also send that but its a larger book similar to other manuals. The Studebaker manual cover the 352 Sky Power and the Ultramatic transmission. Not to upset anyone but both of these manuals are mark Studebaker Packard Corp.

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Well from mid '54 on, I belive that was the offical corporate name. So noting to be offended about. I have bought a few NOS parts for my '54 that were in S/P boxes.

Al, I should have your manuals back in the mail to you on Monday. Just waiting to hear to consensus on the 46-50 Manual if it's ok to scan.

Looking forward to the 57 content. Thanks again!

I have to agree with Randy.It was the Studebaker-Packard corporation.I have never understood why the name was last when they actually bought Studebaker but its "Not for me to say".They are great road cars.In fact,besides the Golden Hawk, no 57 Studebakers are supercharged yet all 57 Packards are supercharged.

Hi

I've been informally tracking the '57 & '58 Packards for about twenty years, and yes, agree they seem to have a high survival rate for such a low production car. The survival rate for all V-8 Packards, be they Detroit or South Bend cars, seems quite high. I'm glad of it, too.

Conjecturing on why so many survive, I think they were set aside by folks because they were "last Packards", some in hopes of monetary gain if held long enough, some for sentimental reasons, not wanting to give up the last example they might ever own of a make they came to like. Folks hate to let go of the last of any good product they might own.

I recall seeing '55-'56 Packards advertised for sale in the 'Swap n' Sell' in the back of Motor Trend in the '60 when they were barely ten years old.

I understand the reservation some Packard folks have had toward the South Bend cars, though I think it's just trying to ignore the realities toward no real good end. We can't change history, no matter how much we'd like to. I like to think of myself of a Packard person with a realistic view of total Packard history, however disappointing the end of it might be.

Of the Studebaker folks, they seem to embrace the South Bend Packards more readily, in general, holding a realistic view of their cars and the company, even with all it's disappointments. This is one of the things I like about the Studebaker folks, in contrast to the "we're number one and our cars are perfect" attitude held by so many Big Three enthusiast I meet.

Steve