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

Howard, FWIW, all of the 56 Caribbeans had the letter, the majority an "A", and I've seen perhaps a hundred paper records of other 56s and they all did as well and I suspect it was used uniformly across the entire product line, but that's just speculation on my part. Why the distinction was important to Packard I haven't a clue.

Howard -

Unless he's quoting directly from a bona fide factory internal document, I believe the author of that article is a bit off the mark with that interpretation. Your take on things is probably closer to what actually went on.

Though I've yet to obtain copy of any production order from SNM, a friend who was more interested (than I) in the provenance of my Carib H/T had obtained photocopy from the private collector who was in possession of production records on 5687-97-99 models. What I received for my car was actually a copy of two different records - in both title and time.

The first record was titled "CAR PRODUCTION ORDER" and the VN shows NO suffix, with "SALES" as the shipping destination. The second record was titled "IN TRANSIT RECEIPT IN LIEU OF BILL OF LADING", but the VN now includes the suffix A, with the delivering dealer shown as shipping destination; there's also additional instructions advising "NOTE - WAS SALES" on that one.

Meanwhile, the copy of the production order (from SNM) that Randy Berger posted, here, for his special 56 Pat shows a dealer shipping destination, but the VN shows NO suffix.

This suggests that the VN suffix was applied only AFTER there was a change from the original order, but I'll go as far to include change in equipment as well as destination. Logically, it would follow that additional VN suffix (B, C, etc.) were applied for any subsequent change(s). I suspect that this was done because there could be multiple copies of multiple editions of any given build order floating around various desks in the plant(s) - for at-a-glance recognition of priority (as well as an audit trail).

Based on my limited experience with other manufacturers in more recent decades, I know the goal is to keep the assembly line filled to 100% capacity, but that NO vehicle would be built without an actual order (not from end-user, but a dealer). However, as distribution was not quite as refined back then, I have to wonder if Packard might have placed "house orders" to pad the line to 100% capacity.

Looking again more carefully at some 56 Carib documents, I agree with BH, the suffix shows on the "in transit" document but not on the "production order". Thus we can conclude that the "in transit" documents were used for the Caribbean analysis referred to earlier.

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I sure wish this was available for the 55's.

OD, the production ticket shows 53 Cinci, but the transit shows 59 Phila, with a note about replacing another car. Maybe what BH was suggesting about keeping the line busy, and earmarking so many units to a zone?

BH, are there 2 different zones on your documents?

The Zone box is blank on the production order for my car, but shows "54 DET" on the transit slip. This car was delivered, new, by a Michigan dealer (though well outside of Detroit), but the shipping destination also includes an additional note: "C/O PARKER GARAGE...DETROIT, MICH". Not quite sure what that was about.

I also have similar documents for a convertible that I had once considered purchasing, but was way out of my budget. The production order shows "55 KC", but the transit slip shows "60 PITTS"(burgh). However, while the delivering dealer shown on the transit slip was located in W. Penna., there's a notation of "C/O McCARTHY DOCKS AT CLEVELAND. I know for a fact that the dealer drove to Cleveland to pick up this car.

Documentation for another Carib convertible (mistakenly reported as one that I was looking for) shows "64 DALLAS" on the production order, with "HOLD AT FACTORY FOR STORAGE" as the shipping detination. However, the transit slip shows "51 BOSTON", with the Boston Retail Branch as the shipping destination.

BTW, each of the transit slips for these Caribs have the "WAS SALES" note, which further bolsters my conjecture that the line was padded with orders - especially for the Caribs, since they had "planned" to build 500 cars.

I won't pretend to understand all this and the various forms or papers. If they were making it flow by "padding" the line because they were trying to meet a certain number, can't help but wonder if it was to keep employees busy with the line running at capacity, or just for show to make things look better as they were trying to line up financing for the 57s. Maybe even a version of cooking the books?

The car cited above (post #13) was indeed sold by Packard-Philadelphia to the family from whom I bought it.

HH,

Not sure about cooking the books, but I ASSUME, that production is based on projections that would be used to set pricing. Maybe the production is then slated to the zones based on some formula, or dealer sales from prior years? Then during the year production could be adjusted based on which models were selling. BH mentions the 500 Caribbeans planned to be produced, and then more were built based on want.

Just my 2cents.

Maybe not cooking but just seems like an interesting way of accounting for cars. Can't help but think of Ward's book and recounts of how Nance was desperately trying to get financing.

In the days before bar codes and computers maybe that was the norm to keep track of things but wonder what other companies did keeping track of their production changes or builds or if Packard had always done it that way.

Brian, the ticket for my old '56 400 I used to own also stipulated that it be delivered to the Parker Garage, wwith the address was something like 1420 Parker ave.
In the case of my former car, that was within blocks of where the owner, James Naylor lived, in the Indian Village neighborhood, and it was at his home when Joel Ray bought it in 1976.
My ticket also said "for sales" and was specified for another zone--Minneapolis MN.