@@thehopelesscarguy A similar disagreement arose about 55 years later when a customer requested that Enzo Ferrari make engineering changes in his next year's models. Ferrari refused and told tractor manufacturer Ferruccio Lamborghini to go build his own car if he thought he could.
The fact that you said you'd stop making these videos broke my heart!! Now that you're back into another offering makes me thank the Gods! Thank you Sir!
Those pre-WW2 Packards were absolutely gorgeous. The Packard and Studebaker stories have a sad ending which just goes to show how predicting the future market of the buying public is such a crapshoot. Another excellent video, HCG. 👍👍👍
It didn't help that Packard moved to South Bend(hence the Packabakers) and that Studebaker fudged the books to convince Packard that they should join forces.
I can only imagine the types of vehicles that might have been developed if only Packard had merged with Hudson instead. I’d bet they’d have been engineering masterpieces.
My Dad was a packard man, owning many models including a 1939--120, a 41, a 48, and a 53 clipper. I was just 2 years old, when he bought the 53 clipper used in 56. My favorite was the 1939, I felt it would be a perfect mobster car, ha, ha--it sat so high with running boards. The story of the 1939 was very unique. Dad bought it from a banker who worked at a bank called Farmers and Merchants in long beach(this is one solid bank--where I still keep my money). This guy was higher up in the bank--the position I don't remember. Dad bought it in 1959--with 10,000 miles on it, for $500, yup $500, and it was 20 years old, always garaged with orginal paint.. The banker drove it to work very rarely because he lived less than 2 blocks from the bank. It was a daily driver for dad, and he had the interior redune(moths had put holes in the interior), put a turn signal kit on it from "western auto" if anyone remembers those stores (this was in orange county california) and put new tires on it. He drove that car for years, doing very little, I remember he put new brakes on it at one time, and replaced a broken valve spring(Those engines were so easy to work on). I would walk a couple of blocks and greet him when he came home from work, hop on the running boards, and enjoyed the ride back home for 2 or 3 minutes with the wind blowing in my face. That car ran and ran--it was unbelievably reliable. There was a place where he got gas, where a man approached him to sell it many times. Dad said he drove some old piece of junk, and felt he did not have $50 to his name. One night the guy approached dad, again to sell it, and dad said $500. The man said, I'll be by to pick it up tomorrow night. Dad came home and told Mom and me, to which I cried all night--I loved that car. But this was in the 60's after packard had long gone out of business and dad was worrying about parts. Such great memories with this car. If they were in business today, I'm sure I would own packards. Because these cars sold themselves, by owning them. As it is said, "ask the man who owns one". Great credit for the video by "The hopless Car guy"", Thank You.👍👍
Great job on this video... My father was dedicated to the Ford Motor Company. He worked at the Twin Cities Assembly Plant for 42 years. He always loved Packards. He used to drive family members around who were rich and just wanted to take the Packard out for a drive whenever they would call on him to chauffeur them around. Thank you. 😊
Thank you for this brief history of Packard. The unusual mention of Packard's use of Series rather than model years is appreciated. When I bought my turquoise 23rd Series Standard Eight Touring Sedan, it had already been titled as a 1949 by the US states of Connecticut and Rhode Island and the Canadian province of Ontario even though the serial number indicates it was manufactured in 1950 and it has Ultramatic (which some say was introduced in 1950). When it came into California, I decided not to fight with the DMV about the model year. My second road trip was from Irvine, California to Springfield, Missouri by way of Wichita, Kansas. I kept careful records of gasoline purchases and mileage and got a bit over 22 mpg overall with the 288 CID inline 8 and Ultramatic. When I set out on that trip, there was a slight tremor in the engine (no standing a nickel on edge). When I got back, it was a bit worse. A thorough examination revealed that the head gasket had a slight leak between the two front cylinders. After the head was milled and the gasket replaced, it was smoooooth! Still semi-retired, it seems content to go out on occasional local trips. *_Packard: Ask The Man Who Owns One_*
Packards were absolutely beautiful cars. I saw a 1930 Packard. It was 7th Series dual windshied Custom 8 Phaeton last year at a museum in Lancaster PA last year and even made a little video up about it. This car sparkled like a diamond! Loved your video. Thank you for posting!
Good video of my favorite car. Just think it all started with a bad Winton experience and creating some of the greatest cars ever made and sadly ended with badged Studebakers.
I collect Packard's, they are great cars. The demise of the company was do to gross stupidity of the CEO's after the war. They had a good cash pile and a very loyal customer base. Nance thought he could use the Briggs plant to build cars instead of the excellent Packard plant, he was not an engineer but a politically connected fool. I'm still angry about it lol. Nice job and technically very accurate.
I don't blame Nance. He did everything possible to pull Packard back from the abyss. Separating the Clippers was something that should have happened earlier. Those 200's should never have carried the Packard name. The 48-50 models were the worst, especially those Taxies UGH! Christopher was responsible for those trying to make Packard a "volume" brand. Imagine if Rolls Royce had come out of WWII thinking like that?
Once drove my '56 Patrician of my brakeless rollback & enjoyed the finast worthless, pushbutton automatic, self leveling, smooth driving car for days while the truck got fixed up....
I really wish the 4 Independents would have brought that merger through. Nash, [ as the lower end] Studebaker [ as the Sporty brand], Hudson, And Packard [ as the Luxury brand]. I believe it could have really worked. I remember all 4 brands as a kid. 🚗😢
Packard was indeed the American ROlls ROyce, but only until the late 30s. After that, everything went to the dogs, especially the awful design and grille. You did not show any of the GLORIOUS 30s INTERIORS which made Packard what it was.
I’m a diehard Packard fan … right up to the Packardbakers of ‘57 & ‘58. (Those I can’t embrace.) I really think the first Caribbean rivals the Continental Mark II as the classiest car ever produced. I wish Packard had steered clear of the Briggs deal. I also wish Packard had done a better job of spinning off Clipper as an Oldsmobile competitor. I also really wish the full plan for American Motors had worked. That would have been an awesome company. But, alas, it wasn’t meant to be. I recently had the chance to look inside a ‘57 Mercury. What an awesome space-age design. Packard was fielding nothing close to the flash and style of the 57 Merc. They simply couldn’t compete in even the medium price range. 😢 Back to the 1948 Packard that everyone pans as the start of the downturn of the brand … I think that’s all just negative news. The “bathtub” Packard is sleek, aerodynamic, and modern. I think it’s beautiful and much more modern than the Caddies of the period. What a fun video!!!
@@toddbonin6926 postwar Cadillacs had performance and styling Packard couldn’t come close, they were dowdy and dated, other than the early Caribbean models
SO the seeds of their demise really were planted in the depression. Building the merlins gave them a lease on life and they darn near did it. Perhaps had they come up with the Clipper idea 5+ years earlier under a different marque and become a 2-division (Cadillac and Chevrolet) version of GM. Getting an OHV V8 out in the late 40s rather than 1955 might've helped too. But they went for the auto transmission. If they could've outsourced that (even a pre-selector setup) and avoided the ticking time bomb of the Briggs deal who knows?
"Go make your own car if you can do better!"
"Sure, I will"
I chuckled a lot at that thought, really inspiring for sure
I hear you.
@@thehopelesscarguy A similar disagreement arose about 55 years later when a customer requested that Enzo Ferrari make engineering changes in his next year's models. Ferrari refused and told tractor manufacturer Ferruccio Lamborghini to go build his own car if he thought he could.
@@billolsen4360 Still some debate on how that one turned out.
Thank you for a very complete video of a once premiere auto manufacturer.
Glad you enjoyed it.
The fact that you said you'd stop making these videos broke my heart!! Now that you're back into another offering makes me thank the Gods! Thank you Sir!
Thank you. I'm glad things turned out so I could continue.
Those pre-WW2 Packards were absolutely gorgeous. The Packard and Studebaker stories have a sad ending which just goes to show how predicting the future market of the buying public is such a crapshoot. Another excellent video, HCG. 👍👍👍
Agreed. Beautiful cars, tragic ending. And thanks again.
It didn't help that Packard moved to South Bend(hence the Packabakers) and that Studebaker fudged the books to convince Packard that they should join forces.
I can only imagine the types of vehicles that might have been developed if only Packard had merged with Hudson instead. I’d bet they’d have been engineering masterpieces.
My Dad was a packard man, owning many models including a 1939--120, a 41, a 48, and a 53 clipper. I was just 2 years old, when he bought the 53 clipper used in 56. My favorite was the 1939, I felt it would be a perfect mobster car, ha, ha--it sat so high with running boards. The story of the 1939 was very unique. Dad bought it from a banker who worked at a bank called Farmers and Merchants in long beach(this is one solid bank--where I still keep my money). This guy was higher up in the bank--the position I don't remember. Dad bought it in 1959--with 10,000 miles on it, for $500, yup $500, and it was 20 years old, always garaged with orginal paint.. The banker drove it to work very rarely because he lived less than 2 blocks from the bank. It was a daily driver for dad, and he had the interior redune(moths had put holes in the interior), put a turn signal kit on it from "western auto" if anyone remembers those stores (this was in orange county california) and put new tires on it. He drove that car for years, doing very little, I remember he put new brakes on it at one time, and replaced a broken valve spring(Those engines were so easy to work on). I would walk a couple of blocks and greet him when he came home from work, hop on the running boards, and enjoyed the ride back home for 2 or 3 minutes with the wind blowing in my face. That car ran and ran--it was unbelievably reliable. There was a place where he got gas, where a man approached him to sell it many times. Dad said he drove some old piece of junk, and felt he did not have $50 to his name. One night the guy approached dad, again to sell it, and dad said $500. The man said, I'll be by to pick it up tomorrow night. Dad came home and told Mom and me, to which I cried all night--I loved that car. But this was in the 60's after packard had long gone out of business and dad was worrying about parts. Such great memories with this car. If they were in business today, I'm sure I would own packards. Because these cars sold themselves, by owning them. As it is said, "ask the man who owns one". Great credit for the video by "The hopless Car guy"", Thank You.👍👍
Thanks for sharing, I always enjoy these sorts of stories.
A fantastic job! Very well researched. Thanks for sharing this.
Thanks for watching.
HCG does another great one, thank you!
Thank you.
Great job on this video... My father was dedicated to the Ford Motor Company. He worked at the Twin Cities Assembly Plant for 42 years. He always loved Packards. He used to drive family members around who were rich and just wanted to take the Packard out for a drive whenever they would call on him to chauffeur them around. Thank you. 😊
Thank you for this brief history of Packard. The unusual mention of Packard's use of Series rather than model years is appreciated. When I bought my turquoise 23rd Series Standard Eight Touring Sedan, it had already been titled as a 1949 by the US states of Connecticut and Rhode Island and the Canadian province of Ontario even though the serial number indicates it was manufactured in 1950 and it has Ultramatic (which some say was introduced in 1950). When it came into California, I decided not to fight with the DMV about the model year.
My second road trip was from Irvine, California to Springfield, Missouri by way of Wichita, Kansas. I kept careful records of gasoline purchases and mileage and got a bit over 22 mpg overall with the 288 CID inline 8 and Ultramatic.
When I set out on that trip, there was a slight tremor in the engine (no standing a nickel on edge). When I got back, it was a bit worse. A thorough examination revealed that the head gasket had a slight leak between the two front cylinders. After the head was milled and the gasket replaced, it was smoooooth!
Still semi-retired, it seems content to go out on occasional local trips.
*_Packard: Ask The Man Who Owns One_*
Packards were absolutely beautiful cars. I saw a 1930 Packard. It was 7th Series dual windshied Custom 8 Phaeton last year at a museum in Lancaster PA last year and even made a little video up about it. This car sparkled like a diamond! Loved your video. Thank you for posting!
Nicely done, it's a beauty.
Always a big Packard fan . Especially the Darrin and Dietrich bodies .
Those pre war Darrins were gorgeous cars.
@@richardrice8076 that’s the truth .
Good video of my favorite car. Just think it all started with a bad Winton experience and creating some of the greatest cars ever made and sadly ended with badged Studebakers.
I always enjoy your videos So glad you continue to make these very well researched videos
Thanks, I really enjoyed this one.
well done
Thanks.
These cars were my road-going heroes as a boy
I collect Packard's, they are great cars. The demise of the company was do to gross stupidity of the CEO's after the war. They had a good cash pile and a very loyal customer base. Nance thought he could use the Briggs plant to build cars instead of the excellent Packard plant, he was not an engineer but a politically connected fool. I'm still angry about it lol. Nice job and technically very accurate.
Thanks. My first car was a Packard, and perhaps some day I will have another.
I don't blame Nance. He did everything possible to pull Packard back from the abyss. Separating the Clippers was something that should have happened earlier. Those 200's should never have carried the Packard name. The 48-50 models were the worst, especially those Taxies UGH! Christopher was responsible for those trying to make Packard a "volume" brand. Imagine if Rolls Royce had come out of WWII thinking like that?
Another great video. Thanks!
Thank you.
That unmistakable Packard Grille!!.. I just got a 1/24 scale model kit of a 30 Packard Speedster Phaeton that I will build eventually.
Cool. I've been looking for a mid-30s one forever.
Once drove my '56 Patrician of my brakeless rollback & enjoyed the finast worthless, pushbutton automatic, self leveling, smooth driving car for days while the truck got fixed up....
I really wish the 4 Independents would have brought that merger through.
Nash, [ as the lower end]
Studebaker [ as the Sporty brand],
Hudson,
And Packard [ as the Luxury brand].
I believe it could have really worked.
I remember all 4 brands as a kid.
🚗😢
The big 4th would have been interesting.
Our 53 never broke down the 11 years we had it.
Packard was indeed the American ROlls ROyce, but only until the late 30s. After that, everything went to the dogs, especially the awful design and grille. You did not show any of the GLORIOUS 30s INTERIORS which made Packard what it was.
I’m a diehard Packard fan … right up to the Packardbakers of ‘57 & ‘58. (Those I can’t embrace.) I really think the first Caribbean rivals the Continental Mark II as the classiest car ever produced.
I wish Packard had steered clear of the Briggs deal. I also wish Packard had done a better job of spinning off Clipper as an Oldsmobile competitor. I also really wish the full plan for American Motors had worked. That would have been an awesome company. But, alas, it wasn’t meant to be.
I recently had the chance to look inside a ‘57 Mercury. What an awesome space-age design. Packard was fielding nothing close to the flash and style of the 57 Merc. They simply couldn’t compete in even the medium price range. 😢
Back to the 1948 Packard that everyone pans as the start of the downturn of the brand … I think that’s all just negative news. The “bathtub” Packard is sleek, aerodynamic, and modern. I think it’s beautiful and much more modern than the Caddies of the period.
What a fun video!!!
The Packardbakers may not have been up to Packard standards, but they were still nicer Studebakers, and I also like Studebakers.
After the war, Cadillac knocked the shit out of Packard and Lincoln, no comparison….
@@anthonypopola5773 in sales, yes. In beauty, I disagree.
@@toddbonin6926 postwar Cadillacs had performance and styling Packard couldn’t come close, they were dowdy and dated, other than the early Caribbean models
@@anthonypopola5773 well, to each his own. I find them hideously ugly. 😊 Have a great evening!
A packard that is a old car
Sure is.
SO the seeds of their demise really were planted in the depression. Building the merlins gave them a lease on life and they darn near did it. Perhaps had they come up with the Clipper idea 5+ years earlier under a different marque and become a 2-division (Cadillac and Chevrolet) version of GM. Getting an OHV V8 out in the late 40s rather than 1955 might've helped too. But they went for the auto transmission. If they could've outsourced that (even a pre-selector setup) and avoided the ticking time bomb of the Briggs deal who knows?
Many people believe so and there are lots of "if's".
@@thehopelesscarguy Yeah, I did string about 12-dozen "ifs" there! They did the best they could.