Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

Hi Jim/KB1MCV

"Is the design a product of Packards efforts to hold off the nibbles that Cadillac's 60 Special were taking from what had been Packard's market?"

The LeBaron Sport Brougham is frequently compared to the Cadillac 60 Special. While the body architecture and overall theme is similar, the differences are many. But, first some context which will illuminate the situation:

Cadillac was the fortunate recipient of serendipitous events that brought a 23 year old Bill Mitchell to GM Art and Color just at the time (1936-'37) the idea of a smaller, owner-driven youthful LaSalle was to be designed. As the design developed, the coupe-type trunk was integrated into the lower body mass, the greenhouse treated separately on top in the convertible manner, the modern 3-box sedan came into focus. It had existed before in various custom coach-built examples, this would be the first mass-production version. There are those points where the public is looking for something new, in this case beyond the stale 2 ?-box touring sedan, something exciting with dash and verve; the 60 Special provided it in spades.

As it evolved, management recognized the true potential of this design was to become a Cadillac added to the already owner-driven-targeted Series 60. To say it was a major success is to make understatement: 40% of all 1938 and 1939 Cadillacs sold were 60 Specials, at a $300-$400 premium over the standard Series 60 and 61 sedans respectively.

Even better, it provided the configuration inspiration for the next GM market bombshell: the 1940 Torpedo C-Bodies. Every GM nameplate received those to be the top-line series, the public was smitten. These were the cars that sent Packard into the panic to hastily create the '41 Clipper. The new 1940 Series 62 Torpedo C-Bodies sold over 45% of all Cadillacs, followed by 35% by the Fleetwood 60 Special. For 1941, the Fleetwood 60 Special shared the influential new styling that set the theme for generations of successor Cadillacs, as well as its most elegantly styled version of the original series.

Consider that of all new Cadillacs the public encountered in those years the majority were 60 Specials and its directly inspired successor Series 62, small wonder Packard was panicked, it had nothing so new comparable to offer. The 1938-'41 60 Special body and frame were special and unique to that model, with a total of 17,918. While this may sound like paltry numbers over four model years, the 60 Specials were priced $2,100-$2,300. Packard had only the long-wheelbase 5-7 passenger sedans in that range, which appealed to a different clientele.

So, where and how did the 1941 LeBaron Sport Brougham fit this picture. It was only the remaining custom coach-builders that made any effort to continually provide Packard with elegantly-styled and proportioned sedans in the same genre. That would include the three 1940 Darrin sport sedans and a sole 1941 example. Rollson, reorganized continuance of Rollston, built two 1940 SunAire Sedans with sunroofs as well as the splendid one-off 180 sport sedan still extant. Rollson continued the town car conversion of the standard bodies into formal styles on through the 1942 180 models. Bohman & Schwartz built the well-know Touring Limousine plus a handful of Darrin-style convertible victorias.

Suddenly for 1941, LeBaron, who had been conspicuously absent since 1937 from the Packard custom coachbuilders reentered with the Sport Brougham (1452) and the Touring Limousine (1420) and Touring Sedan (1421). The individual designer of the Sport Brougham has never been identified but what is known is that Briggs in-house designers in conjunction with Chrysler Styling worked closely on all matter of body design and engineering. Photos of a clay model of a proposed 1941 Chrysler/DeSoto/Dodge sedan were developed with the thin, chrome, convertible-style window frames and integrated coupe-style trunk. As LeBaron was only a small design department within Briggs by then, in all likelihood, such a design was also prepared for Packard. Or may have been diverted when Chrysler Engineering rejected the one developed as "too costly, not enough interchangeable with other volume models" as they were wont to do. Chrysler Body Engineering had the small styling department under their control and one might say thumbs, least any truly stylish designs slip by into production...

This may not be exactly how the Sport Brougham came to be designed but thankfully it was and included in the 1941 model line. At $3,545, it listed at about $1,200 more than the '41 60 Special, and of course was custom hand-built, not a production body. The highest body number known is 99, its safe to assume that 100 may have been built. Its unlikely any more than 100 as coachbuilders typically worked in quantities of 10, 25, 50, 75 or 100 sets of parts for series semi-custom models such as the Sport Brougham would represent.

Thanks for reading my latest diatribe, your comments and insights welcomed.

Steve

You should have your own 'This Old Car' show on TV, Steve! I'd sure tune in... Chris

Excellent and well-written! The 1940 Cadillac 60 Special is especially attractive even over the 1939 and 1941 versions. In fact, 1940 seemed a good year as a whole for stylish design on many makes and models! While the styling similarities between the 60 Special and the Sports Brougham are obvious, if I had to choose one it would be the Packard without question.

The 1940 60 Special is a far cry from my huge and gadget-filled 1965 Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Special but my 1965 Imperial LeBaron is more in keeping with the earlier cars as far as quality and style

Steve, PackardInfo is incredibly fortunate to have had you for so long on its "playroll" offering your knowledge and insights. You are the best automotive historian I have ever had the pleasure of learning from. That we are also personal friends makes it that much more special. Keep offering your thoughts as well as your well-wishes to folks new to the site. Thank you on behalf of the entire club, you are a true gentleman.

The '41 LeBaron seems to have been a desperately needed brochure stuffer at a time when EGB was feeling the luxury market literally quake beneath its feet. Cadillac was running the table and even Lincoln had its Continental. The Darrin Victoria was fine but not enough. A sedan was needed. Must have been quite the scene in the planning department, Clipper program moving ahead at breakneck speed, set to arrive as a mid-1941 response to Cadillac. That Packard felt the need to attack the first 6 months of the model year with the LeBaron speaks volumes about the tough situation it had found itself in. The car could have probably been continued as a 1942 model but alas, it served its primary purpose. Now it was Clipper's turn including in One Eighty form.

If you go back and look at the historical recordings of Packard employees, it was not the high priced LeBaron but the Clipper that was a response to Cadillac.

In the words of one Packard Exec "They were scared to death of Cadillac".

agreed. The LeBaron was a halo car to assert their position in the luxury market. The Clipper was going to pay the bills and determine the stock price.

My first project car after retiring was a 39 Cadillac 60 Special. It had been about 40 years since I had anything other than a daily driver. I enjoyed getting back into working on cars and the Cadillac rewarded me for my efforts, time and expense. The most challenging job was doing a valve job. It was a bit tricky to do, but not beyond my skills. In my opinion, very well engineered, and the styling and design were most attractive.

There were a number of those LeBarons around the New York area. Two separate cars were used in the Godfather movie.

Ted Kavenagh bought a pair on Long Island for something like a grand. When he was driving one of them home he got caught in a rainstorm and pulled off the highway under a bridge. The power windows were beyond him and he sold both of them, forever holding a grudge against 1941 Packards in any form.

The production cars can be converted to electric motors by installing manual regulators with motors. The one LeBaron I worked had regulators with nothing in common with production cars and I didn't see an easy path in that direction. Without a better pump that system is pretty rotten. The pistons were big enough to generate lots of force, but the pumps didn't hold up worth a darn.

Hi
Thanks for all your kind endorsements and insights. Each in turn:

Chris: TV? I have a face for radio... Anyway, Just imagine my response when the producers tell me I have to do another show about the'57 Chevy...! It wouldn't be fit for broadcast...

Don: Cadillac had never carried design hallmarks forward through each new series to identify its cars prior to 1941. Three completely different 'face' themes were presented from 1938 through 1941. The '38 considered the most chaste and business-like, '39-'40 aggressively streamlined moderne, the latter the boldest; '41, elegantly imposing, smartly tailored, what Packard had presented. Finally a face for the ages or at least on which to capitalize upon. There is preference for each. The original 60 Special concept was a nimble owner-driven luxury sedan, later iteration evolved under Misterl and Mitchell to something that fit the tenor of their times, far from the original concept.

Paul; Thanks for your kind words, I'm happy to share what knowledge and insights I can bring to the discussion, especially for models of particular interest such as the LeBaron Sport Brougham. In our increasingly coarsening culture, words of welcoming and civility are sorely needed. Purchase of a collector car to please one's interest should be met with welcoming, encouragement and most of all civility. I'm thankful to have this island of such where the free exchange of information can take place among gentlemen without meanness or rancor.

As you've enlarged and Tim Cole and bkazmer have noted, the Sport Brougham arrival bolstered a luxury sedan selection somewhat lacking, though contributed very little to the bottom line. It was key to continually reinforcing the luxury car reputation on which they still depended to promote as a reason to select their popular-priced lines in preference to others.

Whither the Clipper: Utter, running-around-with-their-hair-on-fire panic (but only in the most dignified way) probably best describes the mahogany row situation throughout 1940 when the Clipper was in development. After significant investments in the new all-steel bodies, it had produced only lackluster sales for 1938 and 1939. They could explain away 1938 being caused by the severe recession but while their major competitors bounced back, their 1939 Six and 120 sales were even worse. Clearly something had to be done and fast. 1940 was shaping up to be a much better year but war preparation spending and general nervousness of restricted availability were the primary motivation.

Please stand by for a closer assessment relative to Packards of the motivating driver: The all-new 1940 GM 3-box Torpedo C-Bodies.

Steve

Added 11-9-2019

We're back:

More than any other GM models that engendering "They were scared to death of Cadillac" were the new 3-box Torpedo C-Bodies spread throughout their nameplates. For the first and only time, every one except Chevrolet fielded an upper or top-line series with this smart new style. And they were popular! Whether by happenstance or design, here's how each instances matched or bracketed important Packard touring sedans in every series for 1940:

Packard 110: $996
Pontiac Torpedo Eight Series 29: $1,072
Buick Super Series 50: $1,109
Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser 90 Series: $1,131
Packard 120: $1,166
Packard 120 Deluxe: $1,245
Buick Roadmaster Series 70: $1,359
LaSalle Series 52 Special: $1,440
Packard 160 1803: $1,632

Cadillac Series 62: $1,745
Packard 160 1804: $1,895
Cadillac 60 Special: $2,090
Cadillac 60 Special Imperial: $2,230
Packard 180 1806 club sedan: $2,243

While our first choice now would be the Packards, these are what the public had to choose from. GM had more widespread dealership coverage and GMAC financing available. Many were dual franchises, typically Pontiac-Buick or Oldsmobile-Cadillac-LaSalle. For a major portion of the public, their local dealers were trusted community members. The general outlook was to seek the perceived best value in the latest modern development.

Debates about which car was the best value notwithstanding, there are inflection points when the public is primed for something new. The 1940 GM Torpedo C-Bodies were that something new compared to the old 2 ?-box touring sedan. It took it's inspiration and configuration from the high-image luxury Cadillac 60 Special and that was enough to make them a major success. It was also what put Packard management into panic to crash program the development that became the 1941 Clipper. And it's a good thing it did!

Your comments and perspectives welcomed.

Steve

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The 1941 Sport Brougham by LeBaron is again offered for sale:
lexington.craigslist.org/cto/d/midway-1941-packard-180-brougham/7554442635.html

Certainly, an ambitious and expensive restoration project but one of the most worthwhile. Preserve the most elegantly proportioned late pre-war era closed Packards and final LeBaron coachbuilt bodies a laudable objective in itself.

Steve