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

Photo mod of backlight (now Clipper), window trim and color.

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Not bad but I always thought that the 1951-1952 junior backlights looked good. I wonder how they might have looked on a senior model instead of the three-piece wrap-around.

Here's an approximation. No mod to color but B-pillar vertical chrome trim still included.

I like the idea of 200 backlight on '51/52 300/400 because its rounded form matches that windshield nicely. The new Clipper backlight for '53 has an edgy look that matches the squared off '53 windshield, and the wide chrome piece would have lent distinctive brightwork as would the B-pillar trim.

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Hmmm. It needs a little something and not sure what it might be but overall a very interesting look.

Paul is showing what would have been an easy modification to create another model from existing parts to broaden the product line. This would have been ideal to have a padded formal top applied.

Kaiser created the upscale Dragon that same year, charged a significant premium price and sold 1277 of those cars. As nice as the Derham formal sedan was, it was terribly pricy and limited to only 25.

Steve

Great example Steve. From a marketing perspective Nance hit the ground running in mid-1952. Problem was, from a product perspective he crawled.

Throughout 1952 the Buick 70 sedan was outselling Cavalier 6-to-1 while Cadillac 62 sedan was 10:1 over Patrician. Both ratios stunk. Packard reduced them to 5 and 6 respectively, in 1953 but that was partly because they oversold into 1954, of which year the numbers tanked to 10 and 13. They needed to do something much more dramatic with the upper models and it had to be for 1953 because they needed the rich luxury profits to pay for 1954 and beyond.

Replacing 300/400 3-piece backlight with '53 Clipper's more modern 1-piece wrapped glass would have been straightforward if roof shape at rear had been common; the dies were (presumably) being modified anyway at the forward section to accept the new windshield. Adding chrome trim to the wide B-pillar would have given that cluttered wall of painted metal some needed definition. Developing an OHV version of the 327 would have been helpful, Nash did it to Rambler's Six a few years later with no drama, is barely a footnote in the historical records.

There were other options available to Packard for 1953 that would have really moved the needle.

Here's a bevy of Cavalier 127 sedans with variations on backlight and B-pillar trim. Also threw in a Clipper "127" for those who prefer that style.

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Good exercises and I like most of those except for the "option" with the extra vertical b-pillar trim which makes them look too boxy.

Ah, good to know. Fresh eyes always help.

One thing I realized through all this is that the height of '51-53 127 sedan's 3-piece backlight appears to be taller than both Clipper and '54 127 sedan's one piece that replaced it. Am certain about the latter but its harder to tell with the former. Only way to know for sure is to measure the height of glass on each car. Need to bring a small tape measure to this summer's meet if I go.