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(1) 2 »

PMCC annual model car styling contest - does anyone have any information about this?
#1
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Dan
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I was reading the latest post from Hemmings Motor News in their daily blog.

In the comments section of the post regarding the GM Fisher Body model car competitions, I ran across the following quote from a Mr. Leon Dixon...

..."What I would like to know... and something I wonder about... Packard Motor Car Company also had an annual car styling model contest. I have no idea of how many years this ran, but I know awards were distributed to winners via a ceremony at Cranbrook Academy north of Detroit at least one year. I have at least one or two press photos. Anybody know about this one and how many car models survived from this venue?"

As a Packard fan and model car fan, I would like to know the same things!

I intend to do more in-depth searching on this site when I have time (and am not at work), but I thought I'd put this out here tonight.

I'd love to see any existing models, and learn any stories behind them!

Any info out there about this? Thanks!

Posted on: 2018/2/13 21:32
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Re: PMCC annual model car styling contest - does anyone have any information about this?
#2
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Ozstatman
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Link to the Hemmings article.

Leon Dixon aka Leeedy posts in these Forums and, if he comes across anything to do with the Packard annual car styling model contest, I hope he posts it here.

Posted on: 2018/2/13 21:41
Mal
/o[]o\
====

Bowral, Southern Highlands of NSW, Australia
"Out of chaos comes order" - Nietzsche.

1938 Eight Touring Sedan - SOLD

1941 One-Twenty Club Coupe - SOLD

1948 Super Eight Limo, chassis RHD - SOLD

1950 Eight Touring Sedan - SOLD

What's this?
Put your Packard in the Packard Vehicle Registry!
Here's how!
Any questions - PM or email me at ozstatman@gmail.com
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Re: PMCC annual model car styling contest - does anyone have any information about this?
#3
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Dan
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You know, I wondered if he might post here. and have read many of your posts here, Leeedy!

Mal, thanks for the link. It didn't occur to me.

Posted on: 2018/2/13 22:20
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Re: PMCC annual model car styling contest - does anyone have any information about this?
#4
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RogerDetroit
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Yes, Packard and Cranbrook had a close relationship about auto design. Back in 2005 I was doing some research work in preparation for the 2006 PAC Meet held in Detroit. I was the Meet Director and wanted to write some history articles for the meet booklet.

This led me to the Cranbrook archives and two (not annual) design competitions sponsored by Packard. The first (that I know of) was in 1933/34 when Packard was looking for a new mascot depicting an EAGLE and the numeral 20 or XX. The purpose was to have a special mascot for someone who owned Packard cars continuously for twenty years of more. I have the name of the winner, photos of the twenty-two entrants, but there is no information as to which was selected as number one. The winner earned $50, equivalent to $495 today.

The second competition was held in 1950 where Packard had a competition in three categories, Exterior design (model) - $1,000 prize, hood ornament - $600 prize and trunk lid medallion - $400 prize. The value in today's dollars would be 10 times those amounts. I have photos and names of all the winners. I also interviewed several of the winners and some went on to have outstanding careers in industrial design.

Someday, when I can find the time, I would like to write articles on both design competitions. I think it would make interesting reading - especially since Packard wanted an eagle instead of a cormorant on that special mascot.

--Roger--

Posted on: 2018/2/13 22:51
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1941 Model 160 Convertible Sedan
[url=https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/registry
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Re: PMCC annual model car styling contest - does anyone have any information about this?
#5
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Ozstatman
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"I have photos and names of all the winners. I also interviewed several of the winners...."

Roger,

Besides photos of the winners, any photos of the models?

Posted on: 2018/2/13 23:50
Mal
/o[]o\
====

Bowral, Southern Highlands of NSW, Australia
"Out of chaos comes order" - Nietzsche.

1938 Eight Touring Sedan - SOLD

1941 One-Twenty Club Coupe - SOLD

1948 Super Eight Limo, chassis RHD - SOLD

1950 Eight Touring Sedan - SOLD

What's this?
Put your Packard in the Packard Vehicle Registry!
Here's how!
Any questions - PM or email me at ozstatman@gmail.com
 Top  Print   
 


Re: PMCC annual model car styling contest - does anyone have any information about this?
#6
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RogerDetroit
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Quote:

Ozstatman wrote:
"I have photos and names of all the winners. I also interviewed several of the winners...."

Roger,

Besides photos of the winners, any photos of the models?


Yes, I do have photos of the models, hood ornaments, but poor views of the trunk emblems.

I was thinking of posting them here, but when I purchased copies from Cranbrook I had to sign a statement about how I would use them. I feel obligated to find and review that statement prior to publishing them here.

I can tell you the models are in large scale (1/10?) and are un-Packard like.

Posted on: 2018/2/14 8:49
-

1941 Model 160 Convertible Sedan
[url=https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/registry
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Re: PMCC annual model car styling contest - does anyone have any information about this?
#7
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Ozstatman
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Understood, thanks.

Posted on: 2018/2/14 14:08
Mal
/o[]o\
====

Bowral, Southern Highlands of NSW, Australia
"Out of chaos comes order" - Nietzsche.

1938 Eight Touring Sedan - SOLD

1941 One-Twenty Club Coupe - SOLD

1948 Super Eight Limo, chassis RHD - SOLD

1950 Eight Touring Sedan - SOLD

What's this?
Put your Packard in the Packard Vehicle Registry!
Here's how!
Any questions - PM or email me at ozstatman@gmail.com
 Top  Print   
 


Re: PMCC annual model car styling contest - does anyone have any information about this?
#8
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Leeedy
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Quote:

RogerDetroit wrote:
Yes, Packard and Cranbrook had a close relationship about auto design. Back in 2005 I was doing some research work in preparation for the 2006 PAC Meet held in Detroit. I was the Meet Director and wanted to write some history articles for the meet booklet.

This led me to the Cranbrook archives and two (not annual) design competitions sponsored by Packard. The first (that I know of) was in 1933/34 when Packard was looking for a new mascot depicting an EAGLE and the numeral 20 or XX. The purpose was to have a special mascot for someone who owned Packard cars continuously for twenty years of more. I have the name of the winner, photos of the twenty-two entrants, but there is no information as to which was selected as number one. The winner earned $50, equivalent to $495 today.

The second competition was held in 1950 where Packard had a competition in three categories, Exterior design (model) - $1,000 prize, hood ornament - $600 prize and trunk lid medallion - $400 prize. The value in today's dollars would be 10 times those amounts. I have photos and names of all the winners. I also interviewed several of the winners and some went on to have outstanding careers in industrial design.

Someday, when I can find the time, I would like to write articles on both design competitions. I think it would make interesting reading - especially since Packard wanted an eagle instead of a cormorant on that special mascot.

--Roger--


Well. Hello Roger. I believe I missed that PAC meet. But my next question is... what happened to all of those interviews and where was this wonderful stuff published for the meet?

One of my photos is dated December 18, 1950. First place winner was listed as Niels Diffrient, age 22 of Detroit, Michigan. One winner was all the way from San Francisco, another from Wisconsin. But one was from Bloomfield Hills... right in the backyard of Cranbrook.

The reason I concluded there must have been some kind of annual contest is that a model-building friend back in the 1960s told me of a Packard model contest he entered in 1954. But I've never seen or heard anything more about this. However all of my model car buddies in Detroit back then were pretty precise in their info so I figure if he said 1954... hey...

As for special mascot for heritage owners of a Packard, Cadillac revived that idea with special grille badges in the 1990s. I still have my badges and my cars. Some of my grille badges never got installed, but I have them in the original boxes. Early ones were gold tone... later ones were combinations of black, gunmetal and pearl white. Instead of years or anything else, Cadillac would indicate in Roman numerals how many Cadillacs the badge awardee had owned.

Posted on: 2018/2/14 17:21
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Re: PMCC annual model car styling contest - does anyone have any information about this?
#9
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RogerDetroit
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Hello Leeedy:

I still have all my notes, but I never wrote the articles I got busy and never did write the articles on either the 1933/4 mascot or the 1950 competition. Recently I've become even more busy working at the PPG.

Niels Diffrient did win the model competition and took second place for his hood ornament. He later went onto become a world-class industrial designer. Take a look at his numerous awards here:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niels_Diffrient He was a true gentleman and he was really happy to hear that I was looking into his entry in the Packard competition. We both attended the same high school, Cass Tech and the same university, Wayne State. We helped each other out in chasing down some of his old classmates at Cranbrook. And I had the opportunity to interview some of them.

As bad luck would have it, I was helping Cranbrook put on a car show in 2013 to highlight a week-long conference about mid-century modern design and Niels was scheduled to attend. I was looking forward to meeting him. Unfortunately, he passed away the week before the conference opened.

In the top photo Niels is to the left in the dark suit and in the bottom photo he is to the right. Prizes were given out during a Christmas party on December 13, 1950. The winning model is also shown.

If you don't mind, then I would like to save more for the articles I want to write.

Attach file:



jpg  (130.29 KB)
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jpg  (44.79 KB)
436_5a84e1f8dabed.jpg 900X741 px

jpg  (254.42 KB)
436_5a84e20b934aa.jpg 900X1594 px

Posted on: 2018/2/14 20:27
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1941 Model 160 Convertible Sedan
[url=https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/registry
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Re: PMCC annual model car styling contest - does anyone have any information about this?
#10
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Dan
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Thank you, RogerDetroit and Leeedy for your responses!

Posted on: 2018/2/14 22:12
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