Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

MrPB -

My paperwork shows that garage at 1430 Parker (Street), which Google Maps shows just on the other side of Van Dyke - a couple of blocks NW of Jefferson. Judging from the street view provided, it looks like the building might still be there.

Wasn't the original owner of your former car a factory exec?

When I worked for Chrysler, back in the 1980s, vehicles purchased or leased by Zone employees and even the company cars had to be run though a dealer for final prep and delivery. That might account for the routing of your former car, but doesn't explain mine, which then went on to the delivering dealer on the other side of the state.

Howard -

Long before I worked in the industry, I believe it was not uncommon for manufacturers (and not just Packard) to build vehicles that went to their own lots to keep the line at 100% capacity. In fact, I've read documented accounts, from back in the 60s, where Studebaker pulled more than a few Avantis from their So. Bend lot for refitting with additional equipment if it could fill a new order - helping to reduce their inventory, instead of building another car. Yet, maybe that was becasue they were struggling.

Meanwhile, the rest of the indutry went on to have Zone sales reps shake dealers down for additional vehicle orders, rather than tie up the company's own finances with unsold units. Since then, it's been the dealers left holding the bag with unsold units.

Brian--yes, my former car was owned by Packard's last comptroller, Richard Naylor. That garage building is still there, and I think in good shape. It is across the street from the Parkstone apartments, a large, multistory 1920s apartment building that has faired better than most in Detroit. My car would have been prepped by the factory branch at 574 East Jefferson Ave.
The Indian Village neighborhood is not far from Packard's East Grand Boulevard location and is one of the neighborhoods that has survived better than most. It conisists of very large homes built in the teens and 20s, custom 3-5,000 sq. ft. homes built by socially prominent Detroiter's of the day.

Alvan Macauley lived in the Indian Village section from the late 'teens until the late 1920s; his address was 1801 Iroquois Ave. The photo in the AQ Packard book on pages 128-129 showing him in his library was taken at this home -- which is still standing.

In the late 20s he moved to Grosse Pointe. I have a set of 8 x 10 Glossies of that house.

Anyone have production figures for 1954? Even the Kimes book punts on this one. If the total number produced were known, the serial numbers of the latest cars manufactured could be deduced, no?

No mystery to my knowledge about those production figures, they are available in several places including the Nat Dawes book which I happen to have handy.

Clipper Special touring sedan 970
Clipper Special club sedan 912
Clipper DeLuxe touring sedan 7610
Clipper DeLuxe club sedan 1470
Clipper Super touring sedan 6270
Clipper Super Club Sedan 887
Clipper Super 2-dr hardtop (Panama) + business coupe 3618
Clipper Sportster 1336
Henney Clipper 120
Packard Pacific 1189
Packard convertible 864
Packard Caribbean 400
Packard Cavalier 2580
Packard Cavalier chassis only 1
Packard Patrician 2760
Packard Executive sedan 65
Packard Corporate limo 35
Henney Packard 5413 chassis 205

total 30,965

Thanks for posting the figures. Interesting that Kimes didn't come up with any they thought reliable enough for '54 and '55 to publish them.

I notice that my Clipper Deluxe sedan was the most common model produced in '54.

Is there a way to relate the production numbers to serial numbers that could indicate what some of the last models produced would have had had for numbers?

Sure, I'm guessing you don't understand the vehicle numbering system Packard started using in 1932. Just add the base number (2000 for 1954) to the number produced and you should have the number of the last one produced. Thus the last 1954 Patrician should have been 5452-4760 (2000 + 2760). The base number was not alway 2000, it varied depending on year and plant (Detroit or Ontario, Canada), other base numbers used were 10, 100, or 1000.

No, I'm not familiar with the Packard numbering system, not having reached the level of expert yet. Thanks for answering what was my original question, which maybe you misunderstood when you gave just the totals produced.

So, If anyone finds one of the highest numbers for each model on their car's id plate, they'll have quite an interesting piece of information. Doing this same kind of calculation for other models and years will tell a lot about the latest examples in existence. The information could be compared with the "survivors" list serial numbers for an interesting little look at what are the highest numbered (and lowest numbered) currently known surviving cars of the various years and models.

However, the last '54 ultimately produced, which would be the last Packard to emerge from the East Grand plant, would be impossible to determine from serial numbers, since the numbers cover all models, and all were produced on the same line.

Not quite as momentous as the last "real" Packard produced, but the last out of the "real" Packard plant would be a piece of interesting history as well.