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

A fellow that is now passed away I did plumbing work for many years ago, was a personal valet to General MacArthur during WWII.

John F. Shireman

Referring to the custom-bodied Packard Twelve pictured in #30 and #32 of this thread, I have just run across some additional information about it in the Hugo Pfau book The Coachbuilt Packard (see the Bookshelf for more info).

Pfau states that the body is indeed from a 1917 Pierce Arrow limousine originally purchased by Mrs. John D. Gordon of Norwalk CT. which explains the CT license plate in the photo from Life Magazine, and that she commissioned the rebodying on the new Packard Twelve chassis. At the time the book was published (1973) the car was in Winthrop Rockefeller's Petit Jean Mountain museum in AK, which is where I photographed it.

Here is a picture of Ghandi of India getting into a Packard. Evidently he would ride in the packard out of town and than get out and walk by himself. The Packard was his get away car to get away from the crowds. The picture is dated 1946.

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Here is Ike campaigning in Michigan 1952 in a Packcard

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I think that this might have been posted before. It is Harry Truman in 1948 Packard when he was the President of the United States.

John F. Shireman

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I may be wrong, but I thought this picture was during the campaign. Do you have a date on the photo?

The picture in question reads as follows in the description section. PRESIDENT Truman in back, taken during a parade in a city setting. No I don't have a date on the photo.

Thats all I know maybe you have better information than I do.

John F. Shireman

I would imagine that if it was taken while we was president, then one of the flags on the car should have had the presidential seal on it.

I would imagine that if it was taken while we was president, then one of the flags on the car should have had the presidential seal on it.

I believe you are correct Kev, the version of the picture I've seen has a caption (not part of the photo) which says it was during the campaign, not after the election.

On the driver's side is the presidential seal / flag...

Truman became president in 1945 and won the reelection in 48, leaving office in 1953. So if this picture was taken during the 48 campaign he was the President.

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