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Jeff, it is very nice to hear from you and I'm right there with you. To develop or even acquire a taste is a process that starts from one's earliest years or even before. How many abstractions are necessary to come from white honeymilk to black coffee!



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Oh, I'm always out here without saying much. I enjoy these forum topics greatly. The more communication, the healthier the hobby!

Terrific photo Guscha!...thanks for posting. History, or what little is being taught, appears to hold the interest of a very small percentage of today's generation. It seems that they are too focused on the technology of tomorrow and how fast they can get their hands on it...its' not entirely their fault though, it's what they're exposed to...they're simply programmed that way. How many kids do you see actually going outside and playing nowadays?...actually being creative with what they find to entertain themselves with? It's easier and more convenient for the parents to provide them with hand held baby sitters than it is for the parents to actually take the time to sit down with them and help them make something with those hands instead of pushing buttons...If there's any hope of educating future generations on the importance of passing knowledge down, then it will be up to those owners who have the ability to reach their children or grandchildren first and teach them second...generating the interest is the key...

Gator, imaging the car on the right-hand side would be orchard green ...

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We, at least I, had more free space. That means unsupervised free time and much more free zones. Our gang of little rascals ruled:

1) a railroad switchyard including railroad crane and tunnel and even parts of the railroad station

2) a river including railroad bridge and the flood plains

3) war ruins

4) two greenfield development sites under construction

5) several company grounds with elderly war cripples as gatekeepers and tired perimeter fences, sometimes wooden fences, sometimes without fences

6) open farm tractors and accessible farm machinery, the tractors were equipped with non-removable ignition keys or easy to bridgeable main switches or we had stolen the main switch or the original switch was under the seat cushion or the spare switch was in the first aid box or we were sitting behind the wheel and dreamed to drive

7) the roofs of the town (we had almost air sovereignty)

8) the lower basements

9) ...

..

.


Today the children are surrounded by alarm systems and all-day care and actions for liability and early intervention and brand-name clothes. Our old stories come from a lost world.

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Ahhh yes Guscha...but a black and white Packard, automobile or Coffee Shop, recalls the memories of all of those who grew up in a more simple time...a time that tugs at the heart strings.


The music accompanying the photo Guscha...very appropriate...thanks for sharing.

I think it will be hard to keep not just Packard but all vintage cars going as time goes by. You have to get them interested when they are young and get them to respect the originality of the cars. I'm 30 and I do have a lot of respect for the original vintage cars but I don't have the money to keep one up which is a big problem for the future if there is no replacement parts (which is hard enough to come by now) kids will have to customize/hotrod them. That's why when I buy an old car I tend to buy a wreck or one needing a lot of work so I don't feel bad about puting newer parts in them or customizing the body. I would hate to see a beautiful original get hacked up but most kids will not have the memories of riding in one or driving one so they probably will scrap them or hack one up into the latest trend. I personally love customs so I found a packard that needed work and customized it but more in the old style it still has a lot of original parts but it has been lowered and the roof has been chopped. I drive my car a lot and I've been teaching a lot of people about what a Packard is.

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Hmmmmm...let me say this, and I certainly mean no disrespect as I fully support your effort to keep another Packard on the road and the fact that you are promoting the name to those who are interested in learning about it is what we need...I hardly ever take sides or form an opinion and on one hand, I can understand your position but on the other I find it hard. Depending on how the lowering was accomplished, it can most likely be restored back to the way the car was originally supposed to sit. Chopping the top, unless the car was rolled and the roof smashed in, to me is a butcher job...don't get me wrong, I'm not a purist in the respect that there will always be "original Packard" parts that can not be found and as time goes on, availability will only worsen and neccesitate the need for an alternative. The Cubans are a prime example of achieving the impossible when it comes down to keeping vintage automobiles on the road but how often will a top need to be replaced? chopping a top is a little to radical for my taste and perhaps that's just my age showing, I'm twice as old and stuck in old school mode. George Barris was building radical customs back in the 50's and early 60's but at that period in time, the makes and models of cars that he chose to customize were plentiful and today, an original Barris custom is worth enough for me to retire on but that was then. So in that respect, I simply can't see performing radical modifications to what few survivors are left. As far as comparing the higher cost of maintaining original versus building custom, I think that depends on what you start out with and how well it's been preserved versus the cost of minor or extensive customizing. Just my worth...

Just for the record, my car has Chevy Blazer wheels on it from the late 70's early 80's period...they were on it when I purchased the car and from what I understand, the original wheels were somehow lost or misplaced during the time that the car changed owners. I don't like the wheels but the younger crowd does. Everything else about the car is original and I've already purchased a set of original Packard wheel covers to go on it just as soon as I can find some correct wheels...or *whisper* early 50's Buick...

Regardless...roll on straight 8's and aces...don't let the grass die under her tires...

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Mike (mlgrimes), be it spiritual or tangible, if it were made for eternity we have nothing to worry about. When the time has come the torch will be passed to someone younger.

Let me clarify this by another musical example. Her name is Patricia, 12 years old.

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Ennio Morricone - Once Upon A Time in the West

Guscha has provided a great summary to a large number of very interesting opinions and insights.

I hope you'll all share these collective thoughts with the leaders and members of the various Packard Clubs who may not as yet have found this great website.

Thanks to Kev for his vision, energy, diligence, thick skin and commitment for creating this outstanding platform. As mentioned by someone, this website is one of the greatest tools we have going to extend the life of our Packards.I hope his family appreciates him as much as we do!

Guscha, your boyhood memories stirs some of my own:
Hopping slow-moving freight trains in Cleveland following the lead of my step-fathers cousin, diving off the back of empty ore boats moored at Cleveland docks. I was too chicken too dive - I jumped feet first. Swimming in Lake Erie although that beach was posted as contaminated. Riding sleds thru a stack of burning Christmas trees and giving the grandmother of two of the kids a near heart attack.
A much freer time when kids entertained themselves all day and only came home at supper time.