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Just struck me that when Packard was approaching the end of Packards, what happened at the remaining dealers? Were there significant fire sales? Did customers feast on the remains? Were there unsold cars for years, as happened to Plymouth after (I think) 1954?

How did it all go down?

I'm well aware of the official version: what I am looking for is personal recollection, your opinion, your personal experience (or your parent's responses).

http://www.amazon.com/Packard-History-Automobile-Quarterly-Magnificent/dp/0971146810

Start around page 610 and read on. Basically the dealers were mostly tied with Stude product by then, and "wait for the 57s" became the mantra.

I guess you won't find any of that in the $242 book. When that book came out I didn't buy it. Years later it was on sale for $50 or something like that.

I cannot remember a single Packard anybody. They never came around gasoline alley. Given it was hard enough to make a living working for the majors, working for Packard or Studebaker must have been pretty bad after the 29 stock market crashed and wiped out the sky high pricing margins.

Maybe Charlie Last worked for Packard dealers. He's the only one who comes to mind.