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Or maybe the marque could have been left without a Patrician for one year, the Studebaker-based Clipper keeping the dealers afloat until the Ford cavalry arrived.

Problem with that scenario is there is no way that Ford would have bought that money sink in South Bend.

The 55/56 Packard body would not have looked that impossible in 57. It would have been pretty much in step with Cadillac.

So, the scenario is to buy the Packard brands and trademarks from S-P, work out some sort of 1 year lease deal for the production facilities, and then have a year to work out a new generation Packard based on Lincoln platform and powertrain.

With Nance doing the deciding on behalf of S-P, and then getting a job at Ford, there would be a blizzard of S-P shareholder lawsuits complaining about conflict of interest. Keep in mind, under the terms of the merger, the Studebaker stockholders held the majority of votes of S-P.

The more I think about it, Packard's fate was sealed the moment it merged with Studebaker.

'56 Packards carried over to '57 would have sold maybe 5,000 - 10,000 units. They were too tall and the sedans had outdated greenhouses when 4-dr hardtops were all the rage. Best thing to have done would have been to reopen Conner and Utica and run off 5,000 copies in Aug or Sept '56 then shut down for good. This might have eliminated the need for the Packardbakers. And if sales were strong, run off 5,000 more in early '56.

Had the Packardbakers been needed I agree that Ford would not have wanted to buy Studebaker so a deal would have been needed to have Studebaker supply cars for a year or two. I think the deal could have worked had Ford thrown money at S-P. This would have been a drop in the bucket for Ford. Stockholders like it when people give them money. If it meant Nance going to Ford and taking Packard with him, I don't think Studebaker shareholders would have cared. Doesn't seem like any of them held out any hope for Packard's return. I think Packard in mid-'56 could have lived on had The Deuce wanted it to, it really came down to that simple reality. I wish he would have taken them. He needed them.

'56 Packards carried over to '57 would have sold maybe 5,000 - 10,000 units. They were too tall and the sedans had outdated greenhouses when 4-dr hardtops were all the rage.

According to classiccardatabase.com

57 Cadillac series 62 sedan, their best selling model: 129" wheelbase, 215.3" long, 80" wide, 61" tall

56 Packard Patrician: 127" w/b, 218.6 long, 78" wide, 62" high.

I would say close enough for a stopgap. True, the Packard isn't a hardtop, but, in other ways, I think it looks more up to date than the Caddy.

Stockholders like it when people give them money. If it meant Nance going to Ford and taking Packard with him, I don't think Studebaker shareholders would have cared.

The stockholders would argue no end about how much they got for Packard. No matter what price Nance may have negotiated, someone would file suit saying Nance lowballed the price to get himself the job at Ford. By the time the suit had wound it's way through the courts, it would be years later and Packard would be long dead.

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One thing that hit me at the Motor Muser was how different the '57s looked compared to the mid-50s cars. They were lower and wider. Here are the dimensions of the '56 Packard vs. '57 Cadillac, Imperial and Lincoln. The Packards were mid-50s in dimension and they still had hips, which made their front section look that much taller and narrower. The industry moved to straight-through sides by '57, making them look even wider.

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Hi

This just in, found in the carriage of an dusty IBM Tele-Type machine, Dated August 28, 1956.

Studebaker-Packard and Ford Ink Agreement Beneficial to All Participants

Detroit - Aug 28 (AP) After months of at-times intense negotiations, principles of Studebaker-Packard Corporation announced the annulment of their October 1,1954 merger agreement, clearing the way for purchase of the Packard-Clipper Division assets by Ford Motor Company. S-P President James Nance, with Studebaker Acting-President Harold Churchill and Ford Motor Company President Henry Ford II at his side, revealed the terms of their agreement. Dignitaries from both corporations were in attendance.

With the corporate "divorce" of Packard-Clipper Division from what will again be Studebaker Corporation, the latter will receive $35 million in exchange for all Packard Motor Car Corporation assets in place prior to the merger, leases affected since that time, plus Studebaker's Chippewa Avenue South Bend plant as well as their remaining Department of Defense Ordinance Contracts currently in affect. Approval by the Pentagon is expected this week.

Although called a "highly unorthodox" action by business analysts, this has precedent with Studebaker two decades ago when Pierce-Arrow Corporation was bought by a Buffalo investment group from the company, then in receivership. The current deal gives Acting-President Churchill badly needed operating capital after four calendar years of significant losses. Mr. Churchill expressed optimism for the future, saying "This welcome agreement gives up breathing room to maintain operations while developing a new dimension in motoring which we believe the American people need and will heartily embrace." Mr. Churchill wouldn't reveal further details though pressed by reporters.

Mr. Ford, who seemed pleased by the agreement, issued this statement: "With our acquisition of the Packard and Clipper Division, we are now positioned to give our customers a choice of fully-competitive cars to meet their every automotive need and aspiration. Packard joins our Lincolns and Continentals to give our fine car customers more diverse choices fully covering that important segment. One need look no further than our Lincoln, Packard and Continental dealer for the finest luxury automobiles available today" With that, Mr. Ford left to attend to other pressing business, company officials answered reporter's questions thereafter.

Mr. James Nance will continue as president of the Packard-Clipper Division of Ford Motor Company. A visibly please Mr. Nance said that now with the backing of Ford, he expects the rough patch experienced by Packard to have been bridged. When the all-new Packards and Clippers currently under development come to market, the public will be astounded by their elegant styling, advanced features and superior quality. He stated the overall objective is to return Packard to leadership of the high quality luxury car field, a position it held in the pre-war years.

Approval by Studebaker-Packard stockholders of the Packard-Clipper Division sale came swiftly a week ago when continued rumors of a complete corporate shutdown leaked to the financial media, and were confirmed by highly placed sources. Although a small group of stockholders threatened to challenge the vote, that challenge is expected to have no affect.

Both President Eisenhower and Democratic Candidate Adlai Stevenson voiced approval for the agreement, each noting that continued employment numbers should experience no adverse affects in either Detroit or South Bend, something that was feared before the announcement.

There you have it, the lost Associated Press Tele-Type News Belief.

Steve

With this news, we'll now be able to respond to the often asked question of "Who made Packard?" and be able to answer confidently - Ford!

Thanks for showing that Steve, never knew Packard had gotten into so much trouble back then, almost seems like a non-event now.

Just brought my new Packard to the dealer for its first oil change, saw what must have been a $10,000 oriental rug in the showroom. That's one company that never seems to change. And yet their cars are always modern.

Speaking of the old days, whatever happened to Cadillac? They were big right after the war but by the 70s seemed to fizzle out. In fact, didn't that whole GM thing come undone not too long after? I heard Ford made twice as much as Toyota last quarter. They are so far ahead, nobody can touch them.

Speaking of Mr. Nance and Ford... those could well have been Packards and Clippers!

I/P was even shaped like Packard.

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Here's the 1960 Edsel Comet. At last minute Edsel was cancelled so grill was changed to look more Mercury-like and sold as Comet through Mercury dealerships, in 1962 officially becoming a Mercury Comet.

Sales were strong in 1960 so the car might well have saved Edsel but it appears McNamara was intent on ending Edsel, in fact lobbied hard to get rid of Mercury, Lincoln and Continental too, the latter also a successful effort. McNamara would have been a major obstacle to Packard joining Ford. It all would have come down to Henry Ford II.

Had Ford bought Packard in 1956 with intent of selling a Packard luxury car and Clipper or Packard Clipper medium-priced car, it's interesting to contemplate the possibilities as the new decade arrived. Had market forces pushed Clipper down in size to an upscale compact, perhaps Edsel Comet with nice interior could have been the result. With suitable mechanical refinements it could have been an early American response to Mercedes.

Some time ago I ran out a scenario that had Nance collaborating with Romney such that Packard would make a Clipper-based 1957 Ambassador and AMC a Rambler Ambassador-based 1958 Packard Six with full Predictor styling to give it more zip. That proposal is shown next to concurrent Mercedes. Would have been a high spec compact for the person with money and desire for nice things but preferring a more maneuverable package. Kind of hints at One Twenty just as the Falcon was supposed to be spiritual successor to Model A.

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Ford had even developed bucket seats and a floor console for the Comet. Have also seen Comet pics with a floor-mounted stick shift. The only Euro things missing were an OHC engine and perhaps an early attempt at independent rear suspension. Torsion-level would have been impressive in its own right.

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