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Hi Gang,

I stumbled across this today. Any thoughts?

youtube.com/watch?v=8-V7GqoOIRk

Interesting car, but I hate to see the Packard grille on it.

Every one of these ghastly poseur thingies is very obviously ripping off the Packard radiator grille. And if any of these people buying them were so steeped in "art" then they ought to be evolved and informed enough to know one thing: they are simply buying bad taste with a rip-off Packard grille that is not forthcoming enough to admit it! Ripping off a Packard front end and then making it seem as if this is some great "art" that somebody today has dreamed up is a very sad, sad commentary. And it just goes to show that large amounts of money and large amounts of sophistication do not necessarily go hand in hand. Awful.

It's said, " Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" so... I suppose Packard owners should feel complimented.
However, in reality it's been true since 1899 " Only Packard could build a PACKARD."
Packard 385

Hey!

It sure beats cutting up senior Packards to make street rods.

I applaud the venture.

Tim--I agree, but it won't stop American rodders from cutting up Packards to make street rods. The world is just making too many people who think like that (rodding) and not enough who think like us (preservationists).
Look at your basic cable networks--I can think of three series that extol the virtues of bastardizing perfectly good cars.
They have climbed every mountain they could with Ford, Chevy and Plymouth bodies, and are looking for new heights to climb.

I have always considered these neo-classics to be in pretty poor taste, with garish styling that is a cartoonish imitation of the great cars of the past. Now, having said that, I find the Bufori covered in the film clip to be a decent-enough looking car that apparently meets a market niche. I agree that it need not have usurped the Packard grille profile, if it had its own distinct "face" it would not offend so much. I would take one of these Buforis over ten Zimmers or the like.

That is, if I were going to take one at all. Which I'm not. I would rather spend the money on a real Packard, suitably restored and maintained . . . But apparently there is a place for the neo-classic car, and as those cars go, this one seems better than most.

Quote:

Or depths to sink to.

There is currently on e-Bay the remains of what once was a 1938 Super Eight coupe that turns my stomach every time I see it. The only thing "unusual" about it is that it uses a big block Ford instead of a SBC. It needs to be put out of it's misery.

interesting comments here. I see the obvious stolen styling cues and do agree imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I have been a victim of it(paint schemes copied). I got over it. Remember we are viewing a culture who has made an economy out of coping everything from automobiles to fine artwork in assembly line coping studios. The lack of creativity is a sad comment on their culture and the fact that Packard styling was recreated should make many here proud. To the street rod v preservation discussion, I am a little confused. Dont want to change the thread and this discussion may have been explored in depth many times here before but- are we all strict preservationists here? Olds oil pumps,trans 700r swaps,elec wipers?