Packard Forum Index » General

I enjoy the Packard Info website, I don't drive the Packards often, but I read the website daily, hoping to learn if one day there is actually time to really enjoy the cars.

I like the tag line used by Peter Packard, "I like people, Packards and old motorbikes". To me, people are the most interesting.

For now our cars mostly just sit, yet they are good conversation starters, we're mom and pop at a tiny motel, few weekends pass where there isn't an opportunity to share and talk Packards which to me is as much fun as actually driving them.

I'm in the older crowd, 70 plus, but never been in the money crowd, beyond visiting on a few show and tell nights with a local club some years back (mostly newer cars) I've never been active with a local club as most events take place at times when work is still necessary.

Thanks for the great website, it lets me meet a bunch of great folks, maybe one day time will allow us to meet face to face.

Jim

There's a lot of brand clubs here: mustang, corvette, pt cruiser (!), ford, mini clubs etc.Than we have the lowriders ratrods but no packards. There's not really a good place where a packard owner fits in.

As far as I know there are 3 other packard owners in a 100 mile radius, and we own 13 packards between the 4 of us!

General speaking, I view PAC as the East Coast/Midwest Packard Club, and PI as the West Coast/Australian Packard Club. Because I live in the Midwest, I joined PAC. 3 of the last 4 years, their national meet in the summer has been within a one day drive of where I live. I think the only way they could merge would be to agree to have 2 National Meets per year, one in the East, and on in the West. That would not be a bad thing.

I suspect that another generation or two will have to pass before the two clubs would even speak to each other about merging. They had a great opportunity to atleast join in an event in 1999 for the Centennial and all the other independent Packard clubs with the exception of PI joined PAC in Warren, OH but PI chose to have their own centennial meet 40 miles away in Cleveland and thus the opportunity slipped away. And I'm not sure the advantages of combining would necessarily outweigh the disadvantages. Having two does add a plus in terms of diversity, both geographic and in terms of their events, style and thrust of their quarterly publications, etc. Many of us belong to both.

This issue, club membership, was brought home to me when I moved to a stateside house in "Exotic" Tomball, Texas. I had my Packard delivered to my garage from storage thinking all the while that when I raised my garage door the first Saturday after delivery of my long stored Packard kids of drivable age would show an interest. I was prepared to talk Packard. Sure enough, they showed an interest--NONE!!!"

The people who did show an interest could just manage walking up the driveway to tell me how their father or grandfather owned a Packard before doddering back on their morning walks.

What we need is more members on this website like GearRat out of San Antonio. He is apparently a young guy with a love of Packards. If we do not involve, nuture, and communicate with those who are not, like me North of 70, we and our wonderful Packards will go the way of the DoDo.
birds.

As the fortune teller once said, "Our future is not as long as it use to be!!!" So, reach out, each older member of this site and of each car club to a younger person. When my car is drivable I intend to take it to some near by grammar schools for show and tell if the schools will permit. You can bet I will also have some handouts for the children.

Just my thoughts on the subject

The biggest national club that could be formed would be combining Packard, Studebaker, Kaiser, Fraizer, Hudson, Nash
etc into one large club with National meets West, Middle, East. It would take a lot of cooperation, but could preserve a lot of unique cars. I am sure I missed a couple, but these are the ones that came to mind quickly.

I didn't know what a Packard was 3 yrs ago! I stumbled across some pictures, fell in love and the rest is history! I assume I belong to the younger part of the crowd here (mid 30's), and I'm sure I never seen a Packard growing up. Most guys my age like muscle cars, hot rods or rat rats. Why? Cause that's what they are familiar with. They've never seen or heard about a Packard, Studebaker, Nash or Hudson. The closest they've been to 1 of those cars was to a hudson by watching the "Cars" animation movie. It takes a lot more brand promotion to get more young people interested in a Packard (or other old brands).

I joined Packards International and was in it for only one year, I tried to order some parts from them and no one would answer or return my REPEATED calls or emails, I think they should name it Packards Uninterested International.... This club will probably die on the vine. PAC had a great website but now its toned down some. PackardInfo.com is the best forum on Packards in our galaxy

Here in Michigan the roads are so run down and dilapidated you can't drive a Packard.

I was on a road today with 50 pound blocks of concrete laying around giant potholes big enough to swallow a tank.
People drive on the wrong side of the road because the potholes are so big.

The state government are crooks and think everybody should pay thousands annually to car insurance companies that pay billions in fraud to crooked doctors and lawyers. Of course they claim to be conservative because their main interest is denying birth control to welfare beneficiaries and high school girls.

The manufacturing facilities have flooded parking lots, burned out plants, and general disrepair. Even the toilets overflow onto the floors. The electric service is falling apart and system shutdowns are not uncommon.

Meanwhile management keeps getting ridiculous amounts of money for non-performance based compensation.

And of course the economists say things are better than ever.

Big Kev hit the nail right on the head.