Re: 1937 Ad
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Home away from home
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Thanks for the above. After the stock market crash in Packard's most profitable year ever, the government introduced the protective Hawley-Smoot Tariff in June, 1930. To counter, Canada's new conservative regime increased tariffs to 30% on imported cars costing up to $2,100, and a whopping 40% on luxe cars above that. Having a base price of $2,375, this hurt Packard.
The Canadian government offered some relief to US automakers willing to open branch assembly plants in Canada. Because Packard and Pierce-Arrow both had traditionally good markets in Canada, they crossed the Detroit River to open plants in Windsor, Ontario. Before the end of 1931, Packard assembled 500 cars in a pair of remodeled buildings on Church and Chatham Streets, L.L. Roberts, from Packard's Detroit operation, becoming GM. In 1932, expanding production necessitated a move to larger quarters, the Fisher Body Building on St. Luke Road. Production there reached a high in 1937, 2,556 cars. After 1935, the plant turned out only One Twenties and sixes. War clouds slowed output 'til a final 1,425 cars for 1939. In 1936, Canadian tariffs returned to a healthier 17 1/2%, so with nearly break even volume, Packard opted to export than build, and closed the plant. Tho' Packard was listed 1931-39 with the Canadian Manufacturers Association, the Company's focus was still their Ontario Bay Street distributorship because Packard "only put the wheels on in Windsor." The '30s weren't Packard's first Canadian operation. In 1900, a decade after the brothers launched Packard Electric Company, Warren, Ohio, they opened Packard Electric Co. Ltd. in St. Catharines, Ontario. The automobiles produced in Packard Electric Co. Ltd.'s "Motor Car Department" weren't Packards, but Oldsmobiles. The Olds Motor Works, Lansing, Michigan, contracted Packard to build its 1905-07 models under license. The name plates read Oldsmobile, but the vehicle plates "Made by Packard." -- from Packard, the Complete Story, printings 1985, 1987
Posted on: 2023/3/17 19:04
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