My dad loved them. A couple of the first cars I ever remember were dad's Packards.
From today's New York Times:
From today's New York Times:
Old enough to remember Packard Motor Cars?
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toploader55
Well-known member
Sure Do.
My Dad had a 1936 4 door (Suicide Doors). I'll call him later as I cannot remember the Model
My Dad had a 1936 4 door (Suicide Doors). I'll call him later as I cannot remember the Model
Yeah, I remember a couple of "Four Hundreds" and the last one was dad's '56 Carribean. The only convertible I ever remember him having. He loved it.
polkanut
Well-known member
My Mom's Uncle Fred drove Packard's also. Six months before he died in Nov. 1954 be bought his last one. When his wife, Aunt Helen, asked him why he traded in their other Packard which was only about a year old at the time, his answer was "because the ashtray was ful". He smoked both La Palina cigars, and Lucky Strike cigarettes. He was a banker, farmer, and an auctioneer. He and Aunt Helen had no children of their own, my Mom and uncle were their surrogate kids.
I drove a 1941 Packard 180 sedan with Le Baron coachwork 2 weeks ago. A friend built a large garage behind a house he bought and had a house / garage warming party.
Me in the '41 Packard.
(Gee, can you tell the little avitar (photo) is me??)
Me in the '41 Packard.
(Gee, can you tell the little avitar (photo) is me??)
Now lined up in front of the new garage on display.... from L to R: a 1963 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud lll, the 1941 Packard, a 1959 Pontiac Bonneville, a 1955 Packard (sorry, not sure the model) and a 1957 De Soto Adventurer.
Well, I'm old enough...
But I don't recall seeing any when I was a kid in the 50's.
Most of the Packards I've seen since then have been the classics at various car shows.
Interesting tidbit about Packard: During WWII the government convinced Packard to sell the dies for its pre-war models to the Soviet Union. This gave rise to a series of Soviet built limos that bore a striking resemblance to pre-war Packards. Just why this helped the war effort is a mystery to me... since the cars only went to the top Soviet leaders... but probably was political.
Anyway, this wound up hurting Packard after the war, because unlike most other American car mfgs, without its old dies, Packard couldn't just revive the pre-war models to meet the high demand for cars after the war. It had to go to entirely new models, which took it some years to get into production. And in my humble opinion the post-war Packards have none of the cachet of the stately pre-war models. They're nice, but just don't look like luxury rides.
But I don't recall seeing any when I was a kid in the 50's.
Most of the Packards I've seen since then have been the classics at various car shows.
Interesting tidbit about Packard: During WWII the government convinced Packard to sell the dies for its pre-war models to the Soviet Union. This gave rise to a series of Soviet built limos that bore a striking resemblance to pre-war Packards. Just why this helped the war effort is a mystery to me... since the cars only went to the top Soviet leaders... but probably was political.
Anyway, this wound up hurting Packard after the war, because unlike most other American car mfgs, without its old dies, Packard couldn't just revive the pre-war models to meet the high demand for cars after the war. It had to go to entirely new models, which took it some years to get into production. And in my humble opinion the post-war Packards have none of the cachet of the stately pre-war models. They're nice, but just don't look like luxury rides.
Great collection, Kevin! They all look beautifully restored. I envy your five car garage setup. I could also fit five cars under a roof, but there's just a single entrance to the garage/shop and it's a bit of a chore to switch them around...
veroroger
Member
My Dad owned a 1948 Custom 8 touring sedan in a pea soup green color. God, was that an ugly color!!! Dad traded his 1941 Cadillac convertible for a 1948 Mercury convertible (we didn't have a Cadillac dealer within 50 miles) and only had it for two months. He liked to drive fast and, one day, went out of control and ended up in Lake Superior. Scared him senseless and he swore never to have a convertible again.
We had a Packard dealer less than 30 miles from us so he tried Packard. He traded off that car shortly after I was born in 1951 for an Olds 98 (not the best of deals, to be sure!) and our family doctor's nurse bought it. Mrs. Solberg drove that car till the late 60's before putting it up in the barn. The Olds? The longest it was out of the service garage was 6 weeks and a money pit!
I remember going to the doctor's office and seeing "our" Packard outside and Mrs. Solberg telling my Dad what a great car it was. No, he was not a happy camper!
We had a Packard dealer less than 30 miles from us so he tried Packard. He traded off that car shortly after I was born in 1951 for an Olds 98 (not the best of deals, to be sure!) and our family doctor's nurse bought it. Mrs. Solberg drove that car till the late 60's before putting it up in the barn. The Olds? The longest it was out of the service garage was 6 weeks and a money pit!
I remember going to the doctor's office and seeing "our" Packard outside and Mrs. Solberg telling my Dad what a great car it was. No, he was not a happy camper!
twintubdexter
Well-known member
the start of a life of crime...
When I was about 7 the girl that lived across the street Margot and I would sneak into her parent's garage and steal 50 cents for candy out of the glove box in her dad's black 1953 Packard Clipper. I remember the box pulled open like a drawer...even though Margot did all the hands-on dirty work. A nosey neighbor saw us sneaking into the garage and we got "told on" like we were doing something nasty. Silly woman, even at that young age I knew what I know now...girls have cooties.
When I was about 7 the girl that lived across the street Margot and I would sneak into her parent's garage and steal 50 cents for candy out of the glove box in her dad's black 1953 Packard Clipper. I remember the box pulled open like a drawer...even though Margot did all the hands-on dirty work. A nosey neighbor saw us sneaking into the garage and we got "told on" like we were doing something nasty. Silly woman, even at that young age I knew what I know now...girls have cooties.
Watch Out
A infamous, overdressed and illusive realtor in my home town was an old wisp of a woman named Ida Egan Bunt. She drove a huge 55 Packard she could barely see out of. Her family coerced her into buying a newer car. She got a 1965 Buick Wildcat 4 door hard top. She had four wreaks the first month she owned it. Her grandaughter was a friend a mine. She said "granny's so used to pushing the gas pedal to floor and waiting for something to happen, this car keeps jumping out from underneath her."
A infamous, overdressed and illusive realtor in my home town was an old wisp of a woman named Ida Egan Bunt. She drove a huge 55 Packard she could barely see out of. Her family coerced her into buying a newer car. She got a 1965 Buick Wildcat 4 door hard top. She had four wreaks the first month she owned it. Her grandaughter was a friend a mine. She said "granny's so used to pushing the gas pedal to floor and waiting for something to happen, this car keeps jumping out from underneath her."
My 2nd grade teacher drove a salmon and white Packard Clipper with a metal ship's wheel emblem and raised metal lettering that spelled Clipper on the front fenders.
Even rarer, though not nearly as stylish, was the car that belonged to the neat family with all of the electric appliances including Carrier window units, the Economat and Bendix dryer. They drove a Hudson; not the big long style but the little Hudson Jet. It was boxy as all get out, the antithesis of the huge Hudsons and a soft light blue-green. It must have been a 53 or 54.
Even rarer, though not nearly as stylish, was the car that belonged to the neat family with all of the electric appliances including Carrier window units, the Economat and Bendix dryer. They drove a Hudson; not the big long style but the little Hudson Jet. It was boxy as all get out, the antithesis of the huge Hudsons and a soft light blue-green. It must have been a 53 or 54.
Actually Rich (Sudsmaster), these cars are not mine. The garage and the car collection belongs to a friend of mine, and the garage will actually hold 9 cars. There is a lift in the single stall at the far end of the garage where 2 cars can be parked in there, one above the other.
I WISH this was all mine!
I WISH this was all mine!
whirlcool
Well-known member
A friend of ours has a 1948 Packard 4 door sedan in his car port awaiting restoration. It's that pea green color mentioned earlier. This friend hasn't started restoration of it even though he's had it for at least five years.
Kev:
Wow, what a nice collection you have! I think a 1961 Olds wagon would fit nicely in with what you have.
Kev:
Wow, what a nice collection you have! I think a 1961 Olds wagon would fit nicely in with what you have.
Wow nice cars,, is that a 70 blue LTD Broughm up front in the last picture. Always one of my faves , that and the Marquis.
When it comes to vintage cars I like the pedestrian middle class cars moreso than the exotics, especially if they are originally outfitted, nothing nutty added.
When it comes to vintage cars I like the pedestrian middle class cars moreso than the exotics, especially if they are originally outfitted, nothing nutty added.
nurdlinger
Well-known member
More than you ever wanted to know
about what happened at Packard may be found in this book. I was fascinated because a lot of it took place during my lifetime, five or ten miles from where I was living. Some names I remember, some even were men for whom I was a caddie now and then.
about what happened at Packard may be found in this book. I was fascinated because a lot of it took place during my lifetime, five or ten miles from where I was living. Some names I remember, some even were men for whom I was a caddie now and then.
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Ask the Man Who Wons One . . .
I bought a 1948 Packard Custom (just 36,000 miles!) in 1964 from a Mennonite minister in Bakersfield, California for $400.00. It weighted two tons, and rode like a dream. It was just as the one in the photo. I was told that the exterior color was Midnight Blue, but it looked black to me; the interior was tan mohair fabric and the plushest carpet I have ever seen in an automobile. The radio, heater and even the clock worked, but not the electromagnetic clutch. The dash lights were a fluorescent green with a purple back light. I sold it in 1971 for $1000.00 after it suffered a fender bender. I still love those cars!
I bought a 1948 Packard Custom (just 36,000 miles!) in 1964 from a Mennonite minister in Bakersfield, California for $400.00. It weighted two tons, and rode like a dream. It was just as the one in the photo. I was told that the exterior color was Midnight Blue, but it looked black to me; the interior was tan mohair fabric and the plushest carpet I have ever seen in an automobile. The radio, heater and even the clock worked, but not the electromagnetic clutch. The dash lights were a fluorescent green with a purple back light. I sold it in 1971 for $1000.00 after it suffered a fender bender. I still love those cars!
spookiness
Well-known member
Kevin,
I want that DeSoto! That was my dreamcar after I first discovered them when I was about 12.
I want that DeSoto! That was my dreamcar after I first discovered them when I was about 12.
whirlaway
New member
Packard Limos
When I was a kid my dad was an undertaker,at the funeral home they had two 1940 limos with the spares mounted out on the front fenders with covers.They kept them till 64 and sold them for 100 dollars.They were blk with maroon mohair seats.I remember they itched the back of your legs in the summer.Big powerful cars we would take them to Richmond on Sundays.They stopped using them in the 50s except for backup cars never spent a night outside.Of course in the mid fifties people wanted airconditioned funeral cars.I had a 55 Patrician 400,a beautiful car with Packards first V8.A really nice ride very firm,it had torsion bars that ran the length of the car and they were hooked to a gear box that would flex them and make the car rise and lower to the amount of weight you put in it.If you look at the Later russian limos in the sixties and seventies they were identical to the 56 packards,Bobby
When I was a kid my dad was an undertaker,at the funeral home they had two 1940 limos with the spares mounted out on the front fenders with covers.They kept them till 64 and sold them for 100 dollars.They were blk with maroon mohair seats.I remember they itched the back of your legs in the summer.Big powerful cars we would take them to Richmond on Sundays.They stopped using them in the 50s except for backup cars never spent a night outside.Of course in the mid fifties people wanted airconditioned funeral cars.I had a 55 Patrician 400,a beautiful car with Packards first V8.A really nice ride very firm,it had torsion bars that ran the length of the car and they were hooked to a gear box that would flex them and make the car rise and lower to the amount of weight you put in it.If you look at the Later russian limos in the sixties and seventies they were identical to the 56 packards,Bobby
