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

Packard would have had a lot more money do things if they did not purchase Studebaker......

Yeah Studebaker definitely drained them......

Seems like Packard went into 1951 unprepared. Though I read where there was consideration of continuing a face lifted version on the 1950 style....

Good Morning...For me the 1947 Body could have been kept until 1951. The interiors could have been made more lush with the money saved. I do also think that removing the Packard vertical grill was a mistake. It said Packard like nothing else did. Ernie in Arizona

since the 47 body came out in 41, it was getting a bit long in the tooth in public perception. I agree that it is a very well-proportioned car whose styling has held up well. But Packard was in the same boat as almost everyone else, selling lightly face-lifted 1942 models in 46-7. I often hear that the auto industry prewar styling was used through 1948, but while that was true at GM, Ford, and Chrysler, the Independents had new designs out by '48, typically using streamlined styling that eliminated separate fender lines (Hudson, Nash, KF, Stude). So the "bathtub" restyle was a way to be up to date without a total retooling. These cars sold well in 48-9, but were looking dated in 50. So I think Packard needed the "high pockets" body in 1950.

They were trying to keep the grille reference with the ox-yolk opening, but I agree that the look got a lot less distinctive. It's a difficult job to fit a vertical grille into a generally wider look. Perhaps Alfa-Romeo has done that better than most over the years, and something could have been done along those lines with Packard.

Packard had big cash demands to develop a V8, automatic transmission, and compete with an accelerating styling tempo.

The independents were getting hard pressed to compete with the "big three" in a nut shell. Their cost per unit would have been higher than the "big three's" cost per unit.
The vertical grill is hard to incorporate into the newer body designs coming along in the 1950's. They tried a version with the Request, but not sure that idea would have flown in sales. The Predictor was a little better take at it.

John

Really liked Randy's story about the '52, thanks for sharing!

The '53 Packard advertising is some of my all-time favorite for any car maker. The message is right, the words are right and the cars look great. Packard had found its voice. What it needed to do was make cars that looked more like these. Longer, lower, trimmer. It was all about proportions and detailed design. The hardtop is clearly sitting on the 127 wb, for example. And note that Patrician initially had Cavalier's cleaner side trim. Hardtopping was what was needed on this car, not more gobs of chrome.

I think the company would have done just fine had they behaved like Packard rather than the Big 3. They got great with pricing and margins instead of volume, and they always had production facilities that were efficient for a luxury maker. But as bkazmer said, they needed to do a V8, automatic and stay ahead with styling. Nance had the money to do either a V8 or a new car for '55, and the other maybe in '57. IMHO he made the wrong choice and the Utica V8 sank the company. They could have lived with an easily converted OHV Eight running down the old line until '57. Nash used the Utica V8 in '55 and what happened to sales? Nada thing. But Buick set sales records through '52 with its OHV Eight and were its customers really clamoring for a V8? Not that they didn't appreciate it but did everything hinge on Buick launching it in 1953?

Attach file:

---

  (224.95 KB)

1953 styling and cars were needed in the 1951 intro. Instead the customers only got 4 dr sedans in the 300 and 400 series cars...

Agreed. Here's a pair of 2-doors on 127 wb, the added 5 inches taken up in panel between hood and windshield. If 127 sedan's chassis and underbody had been used the firewall would have been properly located to attach the hood hinges. Given the extra body shop work to weld in Senior rear fenders, 5 inch extension to front fenders, bumper work around rear mount and a bunch of changes in the 5 inches aft of firewall, these would have been priced around $5,000 and appropriately been called Caribbeans.

Also showing a Formal Sedan on 127 wb that could have either been done by Derham or in Conner to keep costs down. This would have been the fourth car in the 127 series, same as 122 Clipper (sedan, club sedan, hardtop, convertible). Together these could have constituted the "Eight Advanced Contour-Styled PACKARDS" stated in the ad above. This strategy is different from what I floated in another recent thread, just goes to show there were many ways to take Packard's game to the next level for 1953.

Might as well show the 122 hardtop and coupe too, they go with the 122 sedan and club sedan shown earlier. Hardtop roofs would have been shared between 122 and 127 cars. Convertible tops are a half foot shorter to allow use of standard decklid. Rear legroom would have suffered but appearance improved, especially with top up.

Attach file:

---

  (78.08 KB)


  (76.19 KB)


  (76.98 KB)


  (30.16 KB)


  (29.39 KB)