My biggest beef with Packard is that these days many owners -- esp., it seems, in our local club -- Potomac Packards (VA/MD) -- are snobs who look down their noses if you own the "wrong" one. I mean a Junior model like the prewar 110s (unless it's a drop-top or a hearse or something else quite rare), or the first Packard I worked on, a 1949 "bathtub" sedan. "Not a True Classic", they'll say, or "These cheap cars eventually brought Packard down, you know." Screw 'em.
@50zcarsman Very interesting observation! I belonged to a car club that gave short shrift to my model...they only prized cars of their first generation. That's too bad..the club should be a medium for exchanging information and comraderie among owners. Of course, those junior models kept Packard afloat...without them they would most probably have not survived the Depression. Thanks! :) Jack
I owned a '56 Patrician like this one summer a couple of years ago; it was one of the last 70 "real Packards" made. It really was big, and had an orig. interior, and only *some* rust. However, the engine was stuck and wouldn't budge despite 11 cans of BoltBuster I let sit in the works, and (worst) the Ultramatic tranny wiring had been hacked up by a previous owner and NOBODY nearby knew anything about it, or was willing to try. I donated it to America's Packard Museum in OH, for them to do over.
@50zcarsman You point up some very interesting problems with the restoration of fairly rare, orphan cars. A stuck engine that can't reasonably be unstuck. Electricals that only a few people understand or even know about...a difficult venture! I applaud your decision to donate the car! Thanks! :) Jack
Another great video. This car really lives up to its name. Nice to see a car with a real ashtray as opposed to the ones that didn`t come with my Saturn or Honda.This looks like the kind of car you just want to get in and drive to California.
@loufalce Hey, Lou! Thanks for the nice words! I love these Packards...luxury without much though to expense.
You have to wonder how much money they made on each car despite the high prices! It's said that Ford lost money on every Continental Mark II they produced in 1956, selling at an astronomical $10K at the time! Thanks!
@raconter1 ..Ford lost about 1000.00 on every Mark ll, but the car was more of an image builder for Ford. The MKll was probably one of the most beautiful American cars ever produced. In the chrome and fins era, the MKlls clean styling was years ahead of its time. If I weren`t a car guy ad someone told me it was a `69 or `70, I`d believe it. As far as SP is concerned, Packard lost about 500.00 on every car sold, but the merger didn`t help. There was to be an all new `57 Packard, but.....
@loufalce Hey, Lou! Thanks for the numbers on that...I lacked a reference, but I knew they lost money on the Mk IIs. Not surprised on the loss on the Packard...supposedly Nance never really investigated Studebaker's finances before the merger...and was surprised to find they were almost broke..and then they proceeded to drain Packard of its money. A sad end for a proud company. Thanks! :) Jack
@JBC814 Hey, John! I just doublechecked Car Spotter's Bible..the 55 Patrician has side trim that only partially went the length of the car, while the 56 had full length trim as you see here. In addition this was an auction car which probably involved authentication of its year of manufacture. Thanks! :) Jack
I've always had a soft spot for Packards. Yank cars of the 1930s & 40s were the best in the world, but after 1950 they were awful. 'All show and nothing under the bonnet'. In the 50s and 60s British cars were the best, in the 70s Jap cars came into their own. Do you see many old cars in America? I can't imagine them being used much. In England we like to use our old cars as much as possible.
@JowettJavelin1 Packard certainly was "king of the hill" in the 20's and 30's..by 1942 they had moved to their "inverted bathtub" phase. It was not well accepted by old time Packard owners..so it was somewhat adrift. I disagree about lack of engineering progress..their new OHV V8 was a real brute in 1955, and they had a very sophisticated automatic transmission "Ultramatic" starting in 1950, as well as a self leveling suspension system. There are MANY old cars, as confirmed by my vids :)Jack
What a beautiful VIDEO. A couple of questions. Why was the Ignition switch on the left side. And, why the power antenna switch was on the right. I had a 1956 Patrician that was the TWIN to this. My VIN # was 5682-3998. Same power equipment, but mine had the push-button drive. There were dreams to drive and electrical NIGHTMARES to maintain. In reference to your comment, on the front door panels, the OUTLINE of the PACKARD CREST was all there was. Tks for reading this note, Tom
@315tomr Hey, Tom! Thanks for the compliment! These are pretty rare now..glad you have one! I've heard about the problems with the electronic pushbuttons...fortunately our 58 Rambler and 63 and 64 Mopars had mechanical linkages and no problems. Ford was famous for putting the ignition key/starter switch on the left hand side...I think it was thought of as a safety precaution for only the driver could activate it..but as such was criticized because it was out of reach in an emergency, (cont)
@raconter1 so they changed it to the right of the steering column..and of course eventually on to the column itself. As to why the power antenna switch was on the right..perhaps they thought a passenger might want to adjust that...don't know. Sorry to see the big Packards go...they were and indeed are a legend! Thanks! :) Jack
@jma25able1 I remember the Russian limo that looks suspiciously like the out -going Packard...However, it was said the car really wasn't made from bits and pieces salvaged from Packard. I'm sure the style of the Packard influenced the car, though. Thanks! :)Jack
Wow, is there any word other than 'Stunning' to describe this car!
It's just absolutely beautiful, Jack, perfect in every way! I've mentioned before that Packard is one of my personal favourites of all time, this car helps make my point :)
And you're right, Jack, it is a satisfying 'clunk' when you shut the door :D ... You can always tell the build quality of a car by the noises it makes, they really didn't come much better built than this!
@drewerz01 Hey, Mike! Packard when they were independent, never gave up the dream of being the best luxury car there was! This car certainly was a worthy competitor in the luxury class here. I didn't realize how advanced Ultramatic was until I've done some recent reading about it....the first to have a lock-up arrangement for top gear. As Packard's advertisements said...."ask the man who owns one!" Thanks! :) Jack
@JesseAndMike Hey, Guys! Indeed...those were the days of the big hood ornaments, mounted in a non-breakaway fashion! It's original, and size was directly proportional to the expense of the car! Only later did the NTSB decide they posed a significant risk for any pedestrian who was unlucky enough to take an unscheduled trip up the hood to the windshield! Thanks! :) Jack
@IluvSixtiesPontiacs Hey, Dave! Yeah, this setup was typical of Powerglide and Dynaflow early in their careers. It came in handy for rocking out of a snow drift. But I think it posed safety concerns for those who overshot Low! I agree about the end for Packard...although there are those that collect the Studepackards, I think it is a bad end for such a stately car. It would be like ending full sized Chryslers, and calling the resultant Neon a Chrysler! Thanks! :) Jack
Another good post, Jack. I love seeing the orphan cars like Packard, Hudson, Nash, Kaiser, Studebaker, etc. Too bad this company had to go out the way it did. Sad ending to a once great automaker. You should see the old Packard plant in Detroit, it is still there today but in very poor condition. Kids set fires in it all the time.
@brians09challenger Hey, Brian! Sad to hear the condition of the old plant! Detroit is certainly having tremendous challenges...the jobs situation is bad, the real estate market crumbling...I guess it's symbolic of what happens when an area doesn't diversify its industry...when that industry has hard times, it drags down the whole area. These orphan cars are very interesting...very hard to compete with the giants of their day...but they did, for a time! Thanks! :) Jack
@55lincoln Hey, Warren! I was just looking at Packard's futuristic Predicta, which had many of these styling elements....too bad they couldn't have continued with this car! Thanks! :) Jack
Man, I miss Packard, even though I was just a little boy. My very first experience was with a family friend who ran a Cadillac/ Buick dealership in Tampa. They had a '55 or '56 Packard and I would play with the power windows (key didn't have to be turned on for safety sake). It seemed so plush. Must have been good cars; he could've driven a Cadillac.
@yellowdrinker Yeah, that has to tell you something when the owner of a GM luxury franchise had the car of the opposition as his personal car! I think it makes great sense, myself. How would Cadillac know what it's competition was doing unless some of their executives knew the opposition, up close and personal! I used to play with cars in the junkyard next to the Kaiser-Frazer dealership! Thanks! :) Jack
@Seattlecarnut As with many things, it all boils down to money. It's a tough business...you've got to have the right product for the right market..and you need money to produce it. It takes an awful lot of money to design and produce automobiles! Thanks! :) Jack
@raconter1 While I've never been impressed with the way the front end looks on most of the Packards of the 50s, this for example, overall, they're probably great cars.
Sad how Packard went from a car of high society, then sadly died under the wings of Studebaker.. I really like the '58 Packard Hawks though.. Pretty cars.
@Sarcasticscum Hey, Nathan! A sad ending to a proud company! Supposedly Packard did not really understand the serious economic straits that Studebaker was in before it approved the merger. A fatal mistake! Thanks! :) Jack
My biggest beef with Packard is that these days many owners -- esp., it seems, in our local club -- Potomac Packards (VA/MD) -- are snobs who look down their noses if you own the "wrong" one. I mean a Junior model like the prewar 110s (unless it's a drop-top or a hearse or something else quite rare), or the first Packard I worked on, a 1949 "bathtub" sedan. "Not a True Classic", they'll say, or "These cheap cars eventually brought Packard down, you know." Screw 'em.
50zcarsman 2 weeks ago in playlist pelis/cachitos.
@50zcarsman Very interesting observation! I belonged to a car club that gave short shrift to my model...they only prized cars of their first generation. That's too bad..the club should be a medium for exchanging information and comraderie among owners. Of course, those junior models kept Packard afloat...without them they would most probably have not survived the Depression. Thanks! :) Jack
raconter1 2 weeks ago
I owned a '56 Patrician like this one summer a couple of years ago; it was one of the last 70 "real Packards" made. It really was big, and had an orig. interior, and only *some* rust. However, the engine was stuck and wouldn't budge despite 11 cans of BoltBuster I let sit in the works, and (worst) the Ultramatic tranny wiring had been hacked up by a previous owner and NOBODY nearby knew anything about it, or was willing to try. I donated it to America's Packard Museum in OH, for them to do over.
50zcarsman 2 weeks ago in playlist pelis/cachitos.
@50zcarsman You point up some very interesting problems with the restoration of fairly rare, orphan cars. A stuck engine that can't reasonably be unstuck. Electricals that only a few people understand or even know about...a difficult venture! I applaud your decision to donate the car! Thanks! :) Jack
raconter1 2 weeks ago
Another great video. This car really lives up to its name. Nice to see a car with a real ashtray as opposed to the ones that didn`t come with my Saturn or Honda.This looks like the kind of car you just want to get in and drive to California.
loufalce 4 months ago
@loufalce Hey, Lou! Thanks for the nice words! I love these Packards...luxury without much though to expense.
You have to wonder how much money they made on each car despite the high prices! It's said that Ford lost money on every Continental Mark II they produced in 1956, selling at an astronomical $10K at the time! Thanks!
:) Jack
raconter1 4 months ago
@raconter1 ..Ford lost about 1000.00 on every Mark ll, but the car was more of an image builder for Ford. The MKll was probably one of the most beautiful American cars ever produced. In the chrome and fins era, the MKlls clean styling was years ahead of its time. If I weren`t a car guy ad someone told me it was a `69 or `70, I`d believe it. As far as SP is concerned, Packard lost about 500.00 on every car sold, but the merger didn`t help. There was to be an all new `57 Packard, but.....
loufalce 4 months ago
@loufalce Hey, Lou! Thanks for the numbers on that...I lacked a reference, but I knew they lost money on the Mk IIs. Not surprised on the loss on the Packard...supposedly Nance never really investigated Studebaker's finances before the merger...and was surprised to find they were almost broke..and then they proceeded to drain Packard of its money. A sad end for a proud company. Thanks! :) Jack
raconter1 4 months ago
I think you're looking at a '55 Packard, those tail lights are the difference.
JBC814 5 months ago
@JBC814 Hey, John! I just doublechecked Car Spotter's Bible..the 55 Patrician has side trim that only partially went the length of the car, while the 56 had full length trim as you see here. In addition this was an auction car which probably involved authentication of its year of manufacture. Thanks! :) Jack
raconter1 5 months ago
I've always had a soft spot for Packards. Yank cars of the 1930s & 40s were the best in the world, but after 1950 they were awful. 'All show and nothing under the bonnet'. In the 50s and 60s British cars were the best, in the 70s Jap cars came into their own. Do you see many old cars in America? I can't imagine them being used much. In England we like to use our old cars as much as possible.
JowettJavelin1 6 months ago
@JowettJavelin1 Packard certainly was "king of the hill" in the 20's and 30's..by 1942 they had moved to their "inverted bathtub" phase. It was not well accepted by old time Packard owners..so it was somewhat adrift. I disagree about lack of engineering progress..their new OHV V8 was a real brute in 1955, and they had a very sophisticated automatic transmission "Ultramatic" starting in 1950, as well as a self leveling suspension system. There are MANY old cars, as confirmed by my vids :)Jack
raconter1 6 months ago
What a beautiful VIDEO. A couple of questions. Why was the Ignition switch on the left side. And, why the power antenna switch was on the right. I had a 1956 Patrician that was the TWIN to this. My VIN # was 5682-3998. Same power equipment, but mine had the push-button drive. There were dreams to drive and electrical NIGHTMARES to maintain. In reference to your comment, on the front door panels, the OUTLINE of the PACKARD CREST was all there was. Tks for reading this note, Tom
315tomr 7 months ago
@315tomr Hey, Tom! Thanks for the compliment! These are pretty rare now..glad you have one! I've heard about the problems with the electronic pushbuttons...fortunately our 58 Rambler and 63 and 64 Mopars had mechanical linkages and no problems. Ford was famous for putting the ignition key/starter switch on the left hand side...I think it was thought of as a safety precaution for only the driver could activate it..but as such was criticized because it was out of reach in an emergency, (cont)
raconter1 7 months ago
@raconter1 so they changed it to the right of the steering column..and of course eventually on to the column itself. As to why the power antenna switch was on the right..perhaps they thought a passenger might want to adjust that...don't know. Sorry to see the big Packards go...they were and indeed are a legend! Thanks! :) Jack
raconter1 7 months ago
Gaz Chaika.
jma25able1 9 months ago
@jma25able1 Thanks! :) Jack
raconter1 9 months ago
@raconter1 Look up Gaz 13 Chaika
jma25able1 9 months ago
@jma25able1 I remember the Russian limo that looks suspiciously like the out -going Packard...However, it was said the car really wasn't made from bits and pieces salvaged from Packard. I'm sure the style of the Packard influenced the car, though. Thanks! :)Jack
raconter1 9 months ago
That chrome is in amazing condition!
tomsriv 1 year ago
@tomsriv I agree! One can only imagine the cost of restoration of all this chrome! Thanks! :) Jack
raconter1 1 year ago
Wow, is there any word other than 'Stunning' to describe this car!
It's just absolutely beautiful, Jack, perfect in every way! I've mentioned before that Packard is one of my personal favourites of all time, this car helps make my point :)
And you're right, Jack, it is a satisfying 'clunk' when you shut the door :D ... You can always tell the build quality of a car by the noises it makes, they really didn't come much better built than this!
drewerz01 1 year ago
@drewerz01 Hey, Mike! Packard when they were independent, never gave up the dream of being the best luxury car there was! This car certainly was a worthy competitor in the luxury class here. I didn't realize how advanced Ultramatic was until I've done some recent reading about it....the first to have a lock-up arrangement for top gear. As Packard's advertisements said...."ask the man who owns one!" Thanks! :) Jack
raconter1 1 year ago
Is that hood ornament original to the car? That thing was huge! Awesome car!! :D
JesseAndMike 1 year ago
@JesseAndMike Hey, Guys! Indeed...those were the days of the big hood ornaments, mounted in a non-breakaway fashion! It's original, and size was directly proportional to the expense of the car! Only later did the NTSB decide they posed a significant risk for any pedestrian who was unlucky enough to take an unscheduled trip up the hood to the windshield! Thanks! :) Jack
raconter1 1 year ago
@IluvSixtiesPontiacs Hey, Dave! Yeah, this setup was typical of Powerglide and Dynaflow early in their careers. It came in handy for rocking out of a snow drift. But I think it posed safety concerns for those who overshot Low! I agree about the end for Packard...although there are those that collect the Studepackards, I think it is a bad end for such a stately car. It would be like ending full sized Chryslers, and calling the resultant Neon a Chrysler! Thanks! :) Jack
raconter1 1 year ago
Another good post, Jack. I love seeing the orphan cars like Packard, Hudson, Nash, Kaiser, Studebaker, etc. Too bad this company had to go out the way it did. Sad ending to a once great automaker. You should see the old Packard plant in Detroit, it is still there today but in very poor condition. Kids set fires in it all the time.
brians09challenger 1 year ago
@brians09challenger Hey, Brian! Sad to hear the condition of the old plant! Detroit is certainly having tremendous challenges...the jobs situation is bad, the real estate market crumbling...I guess it's symbolic of what happens when an area doesn't diversify its industry...when that industry has hard times, it drags down the whole area. These orphan cars are very interesting...very hard to compete with the giants of their day...but they did, for a time! Thanks! :) Jack
raconter1 1 year ago
Jack, I just love these Packards. They're so symetrical. The last hurrah for Packard before Studebaker. Just love 'em.
55lincoln 1 year ago
@55lincoln Hey, Warren! I was just looking at Packard's futuristic Predicta, which had many of these styling elements....too bad they couldn't have continued with this car! Thanks! :) Jack
raconter1 1 year ago
Man, I miss Packard, even though I was just a little boy. My very first experience was with a family friend who ran a Cadillac/ Buick dealership in Tampa. They had a '55 or '56 Packard and I would play with the power windows (key didn't have to be turned on for safety sake). It seemed so plush. Must have been good cars; he could've driven a Cadillac.
yellowdrinker 1 year ago
@yellowdrinker Yeah, that has to tell you something when the owner of a GM luxury franchise had the car of the opposition as his personal car! I think it makes great sense, myself. How would Cadillac know what it's competition was doing unless some of their executives knew the opposition, up close and personal! I used to play with cars in the junkyard next to the Kaiser-Frazer dealership! Thanks! :) Jack
raconter1 1 year ago
My Dad worked fro the Packard dealership in the 50s. These were great cars ages ahead of their time. Thanks for posting.
ncautoman57 1 year ago
@ncautoman57 My pleasure to post! Great that your dad had the experience of these cars first hand! Just a shame they had to pass! Thanks! :) Jack
raconter1 1 year ago
She's solid and gorgeous:-)
1DRock37167 1 year ago
@1DRock37167 Hey, Daryl! She sure is...all Packard! Thanks! :) Jack
raconter1 1 year ago
saweet!
wardawg07 1 year ago
@wardawg07 Hey, Warren! I sure think so too! Thanks! :) Jack
raconter1 1 year ago
It's too bad neither company are no longer around.
Seattlecarnut 1 year ago
@Seattlecarnut As with many things, it all boils down to money. It's a tough business...you've got to have the right product for the right market..and you need money to produce it. It takes an awful lot of money to design and produce automobiles! Thanks! :) Jack
raconter1 1 year ago
@raconter1 While I've never been impressed with the way the front end looks on most of the Packards of the 50s, this for example, overall, they're probably great cars.
Seattlecarnut 1 year ago
Sad how Packard went from a car of high society, then sadly died under the wings of Studebaker.. I really like the '58 Packard Hawks though.. Pretty cars.
Sarcasticscum 1 year ago
@Sarcasticscum Hey, Nathan! A sad ending to a proud company! Supposedly Packard did not really understand the serious economic straits that Studebaker was in before it approved the merger. A fatal mistake! Thanks! :) Jack
raconter1 1 year ago