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In the early 1970's after seeing an ad for Packard Electric, then a division of General Motors, I wrote a letter to Packard Electric, asking them if they had any relation to the Packard Motorcar Company. They were kind enough to respond with a letter stating that their company was founded by the same Packard family who founded the Packard Motor Car Company. They also included with their letter a photostatic copy of a 107 page typewritten document entitled "The Saga of Packard-Some Notes on the First Half Century of America's Oldest Continuous Maker of Automobiles Under a Single Management- 1899-1949 -'Ask the Man Who Owns One'". The document I have appears to be a photostatic copy of a typewritten in-house document produced by the Packard Motor Car Company, probably in relationship to Packard's golden anniversary, and lists no author. The Kimes' book appears to list this document in the bibliography and lists as its author one Fred W. Adams. A little internet research shows that one Fred W. Adams born on July 11, 1910 who died on November 15, 1990 is reported to have been named Director of Advertising and Public Relation for the Packard Motor Car Company in 1942 and was named Director of Advertising of the American Motors Company in 1953. Does anybody know if this document was broadly published and/or distributed by Packard in 1949? Does anybody know if this document was ever published and/or distributed giving credit to Fred W. Adams as the author? If anybody knows anything about how this document was produced and by whom, I would appreciate it. Also, my copy does not have pages 73 and 74 dealing with the topics "Russians Love Packards" and "Royal Packard Owners" so if anyone could provide me with a copy of those two pages, I would appreciate it. If copyright law permits, I would like to scan this document and make it more widely available to Packard lovers.
kens53clip

That's amazing! I hope that it works out we all can read it online one day. Makes you wonder what's on 73 and 74.

Yes, it is kind of frustrating missing those two pages. That is why I am asking if anyone has them.
kens53clip

If memory serves, Mr. Adams' wife was having an affair with PMCC President Max Gilman in 1941-42. She was riding with Gilman when he had that automobile accident in January 1942 that ended his career at Packard. Gilman and Mrs. Adams later married.

I seem to recall that Mr. Gilman resigned from Packard as a result of the incident. Things like that were not done by respectable people in management back then, at least insofar as Packard was concerned. I did not remember that it involved a Mrs. Adams. Boy, that would be tough! If so, Mr. Adams apparently remarried, as my information shows he was survived by a spouse.
kens53clip

G'day tpced,
First post, but long time member, so a belated to PackardInfo.

Apparently the Saga of Packard was published as a book. What you might have there is a copy of the manuscript, which could have historical value.

It might be tough to get a copy though... I found two libraries in the U.S. that have it, The Ohio Historical Society and Columbia University Library in NY:


http://www.worldcat.org/title/saga-of-packard-some-notes-on-the-first-half-century-of-americas-oldest-continuous-maker-of-automobiles-under-a-single-management-1899-1949/oclc/39147012&referer=brief_results

This quest for the missing pages may turn into a Saga of its own!

Ken, you will like it (see attached extracts of this book):




"Ask the Man Who Owns One": An Illustrated History of Packard Advertising by Arthur W. Einstein

Hardcover: 282 pages
Publisher: McFarland (September 10, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0786447737
ISBN-13: 978-0786447732
Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7 x 0.8 inches

[source: Amazon.com]

--> read more

Quote:

According to Murphy's law it was clear to me that the page "Russians Love Packards" is missing.

Attach file:

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According to the Ohio Historical Society's Library web page your two missing pages will only cost you $5.50 and up to a thirty day wait.

As for scanning it for PInfo, I believe normal copyright restrictions expire after 75 years. In this case, Saga appears to be an unpublished work so you shouldn't have any problems reproducing it for public viewing.

I hope to see it here soon!

Thanks, Guy and Gusha,
Very helpful information. The way I figure it, if Packard is entitled to the copyright, I can probably post it.
The argument for Packard ownership is that it was put out by Packard without the name of the author and the author was working for Packard when he wrote it, so it may well be Packard's work product. If Fred Adams is entitled to the copyright, I probably should get permission from his family, if possible. There is a bit of the Russian section that I have, Guscha. Perhaps I can send it to you for use in your Doctoral thesis you are doing on Russian Packards. I am sure you will give credit where credit is due. Fair use doctrine exception to copyright law, understand.
kens53clip