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

Thanks guys for all the replies to my previous post.

Veering off topic from my original question (hence the subject name change):

I would love to hear from the Men who Own Them (most appropriately, owners of 1948-1950 Packards) what it is about their cars they love. Obviously, given how much time, money, energy and passion goes into a hobby, I am carefully considering my options before jumping into my next classic vehicle project.



I've owned vintage cars before (currently a MoPar man, I own two Dodges and one Valiant). But recently, I've considered defecting from Chrysler products, and embracing a new auto marque as my hobby. Through my observations of style, function and engineering, I've determined I would like to own both a Packard and a Hudson. But right now, I will only consider one.

For Packard, I'm zeroing in on the 1948 Custom Eights. I have always loved the design lines, having been enamored with the Custom 8 convertible that appeared in Back to Future over 20+ years ago. The stories I have heard about the 356 cid eight and it's smoothness/quietness are too numerous to mention, and I would like one to call my own.

What are the pro's/con's of owning a Packard? Do any of you happen to own a Hudson of the same time period as well? What are the differences and what do you like about the Packard?

For a potential Packard buy, I'm interested in knowing about:

1. Club support
2. Resource availability (parts & cost)
3. Overall comparative cost (Packard v. Hudson and other brands)
4. Overall Packard experience, compared to other marques.

I've truly not yet made up my mind which car to go for, so thanks to all for the help, I appreciate the candid responses.

Happy Holidays!

Interesting question. In 1948 a new car buyer might well have narrowed his choice to a Hudson Commodore Eight or the small Packard, both being similar in size and price.

Having owned both Packards and Hudsons, I'll try to help with this.

#1-Both have excellent club support. The Hudson guys are more forgiving on modifications than the Packard people are, from my experience in both clubs.

#2-Parts availability and cost are almost equal, you can buy most of the odds and ends for Hudsons from K-Gap, and nearly everything you need for a Packard from several different vendors and individuals.

#3-Around here, the cars cost almost the same, condition for condition. When I bought my '48 coupe, I could have bought a '51 Hudson Commodore 6 sedan with a rebuilt engine, otherwise in the same condition for the exactly the same price. The body was in better condition on the Hudson, but it was a 4 door. If it had been a coupe it would have been a much harder decision to make, as I love Stepdown Hudson coupes.

#4-Having owned at one time or another, a 1949 Chrysler New Yorker Coupe, a 1955 Windsor HT, a 1955 Windsor 4 door, a 1956 Dodge Coronet 4 door, a 1950 Dodge Wayfarer sedan, 1950 Plymouth 3 window coupe, a 1962 Dodge Dart with a big block, a 1952 Desoto sedan, a pair of 1949 Hudson Commodore 6 sedans, a 1950 Commodore 6 Brougham, a 1951 Pacemaker coupe, a 1953 Hornet coupe, (put a Desoto HEMI in that one..) a 1953 Hornet sedan, a 1952 Hornet sedan, another 1952 Hornet sedan, my first 1948 Packard coupe, a pair of 1953 Clippers, a 1956 Patrician, another 1956 Patrician parts car, my Packard Speedster, and now my 1948 Packard coupe, I can safely say that the best cars I have owned were the Packards first and the Hudsons second.

I always tell people that I got started out on Hudsons until I grew up and got involved in Packards. When I compare my '48 Packard to the '49 Hudson I had, if I had it to do all over again I would have bought more Packards than Hudsons. That being said, I would not be opposed to owning another Hudson, and if I come across a '48-'53 coupe for a reasonable price, I would jump on it. BUT, a Packard is a heck of a lot easier to work on, since you can remove the body from the frame if need be. Can't do that to a '48 and up Hudson.

Turbopackman just touched on the main reason I chose Packard over Hudson (although they are both at the the top of my list). Being a unibody, rust on the Hudson can lead to some complicated repairs. My advice would be to find a Hudson that is in "better" shape body-wise than a comparable Packard.

I don't know much about Hudson's but I can confirm that the support in the Packard community and the folks who are a part of this forum provide have alot of expertise than can be a real asset to folks with these cars. There are alot of examples of people in the middle of a job with grease still on their hands who quickly come to this forum to ask a question. I know because I've been one of them and the advice comes quick. So I would simply say, good luck in your decision. If you decided to go with a Packard (and I hope you do), I think it would be great to see a few pictures of it. It was almost a year ago, that I bought my 54 Clipper Deluxe and I recall my wife was not a happy camper that day (she looked at me like I was crazy) but now this car has become like a member of the family to all of us. I know its not a good idea to get attached to an investment (so they say) but these cars have a way of doing that to you. Again - wish you the best in your decision.

My Hudson experiences are limited. I have owned a 48 sedan and a 50 Commodore 8 Brougham(convertible). I currently own two 49 Packard Super 8 Convertibles.

The Hudson felt and drove less refined than the Packards. Hudson power was fine, I used to race with one. like the design of the Packard convertible better than the Hudson. The Hudson,to me, looks like it was a two door with the top cut off. That is the way it was made. But, the windshield header is just too big.

Just my two cents worth. Even though I sound like I don't like Hudsons, I do and If I hadn't narrowed my collecting down to one brand, I would own them again.

Whatever your final choice, have fun and stay tuned to packardinfo.com.

My experience with Hudsons is pretty limited, though I do admire many of their products. I had occasion to drive a 29 Super Six convertible a few times years ago (drove like a fire engine!), and owned with 3 high school classmates a 54 Hornet Special (coupe) which we built up for the drags. Even stock it had plenty of power, very luxurious front seat, certainly far superior to the junior Packards of the era. We turned about 86 in the low 16s in the 1/4 mile. Very hard cars to restore properly once rust and rot has set in.

The large unsightly header bar on the convertibles was of course for structural purposes, being of unibody construction.

I have found that most of the time, the cars are equal in price or close. Now, there will always be an exception to the rule, but most of the time this will be the case.
Take for instance these two cars:

1948 Packard

1950 Hudson

Both pretty much the same price, and pretty much in the same condition. The choice between the two boils down to which features you like better, body style, interior, engine, trans, etc. The best advice that can be given is to test drive examples from each brand, and decide which one you like better. The only person that can make the decision on which one to buy is you, and all advice should be taken as opinions and not fact in most cases. Personally, I'd buy one example of each, you cannot go wrong then.

That sure is a pretty Packard you supplied to the link to Eric & the posts that were provided related to the ease of removing the body shell (s) on each marque was of interest too.