1955 Packard Patrician - Luxury Car from a Bygone Era | AutoMoments

[@gretchenmueller6143]

My grandfather retired in 1955. His retirement present to himself was a Packard Patrician, I remember the last ride in the car was in 1969 shortly before his passing. I remember walking down to his garage in the backyard. Begging him to take me for a ride with my grandmother. He always wanted a Packard and he lost everything in the Great Depression and took him many years to save the money to buy it. Thank you for posting this to step back in time and remember the great times I had in his car.

[@SinfulScents]

Wow what nice memories and I’m glad he made his dream come true❤ he sounds like a nice man 😊

[@jerryhauser2789]

I grew up in the era of the Packard I remember seeing them on the roads and getting a sneak peak at the new models. The 50s were an unbelievable time for cars, all cars. Thank you for sharing this story of the Packard great job creating the history the history.

[@gregorytimmons4777]

The 1950's absolutely were an awesome time for automobiles. The advent of the OHV V8 the redesign of many inline 6 engines to OHV. The auto trans. widely integrated and improved upon for mainstream consumers. The styling of cars took a huge leap that decade. Lowering overall height and center of gravity substantially. Plus it was the decade when safety began to be a significant consideration. Unibody construction and crumple zones began being utilized. The first decade where significant numbers of cars came with seatbelts installed.

[@DavidSmith-sb2ix]

This car is a beauty. The 55 and 56 were both great cars. You can't buy a standard automobile this big but you can buy pickups and SUVs bigger than this. That's crazy. If I had the money I'd drive cars like this all the time. No bucket seats, plastic bumpers and front wheel drive.

[@tinytimnashville]

Back in the days of this car, people didn't drive like they do today. It was an outing to take the car out and go for a drive. They also didn't have nearly the cars they have on the road today. I loved the styles of cars out in the 1950s-to the early 1970s. Cars had color choices, fabric choices, engine choices, etc. Today, it's grey, black or beige interiors and a handful of blasé exterior colors. I don't understand the obsession of going from 0-60 in three seconds? Where are you going, the next red light/stop sign? The speed limit on the open road is 70. I wonder what they would say if they drove one of those early Falcons/Novas/Valiant's with the tiny six? You were lucky it it got to 60 by the time you got where you were going. I'm glad I got to drive these cars when they were new and experience the solid feeling of a pleasant ride. PS I miss plaid seats and shag carpeting too.

[@AutoMoments]

You make some good points! That's why we like old cars so much! Thanks for watching!

[@nonyabusiness6240]

My 64 chrysler new yorker is like an all in one package lol. Fast, luxurious and atomic styling with aqua-green interior and dark green exterior

[@trainman28882]

@Terry Melvin most cars today look like half used bars of soap. Boring.

[@blackholeentry3489]

Tim Hickory "Back in the day" I was in my late teens and palled around with an older friend who drove one of these. I was always surprised at how much power it had for the weight and when gas cost 25 cents/gal, no one cared about gas mileage. Today, I shun new cars like the plague and have never bought a new car in my life. "Let someone else take the beating" as my ex wife's uncle used to say. I now drive an 88 Pontiac Fiero which I purchased five years ago with 21K on it. Bought it online in MN, flew back and drove it back to my central CA home. BHE

[@jeanpascaud4218]

@@blackholeentry3489 Cette voiture est magnifique. L'harmonie des couleurs in/out est spectaculaire. Merci pour la vidéo.

[@frankeggers4024]

The narrator knows little about Packards. Contrary to what he said, the 1955 and 1956 Patricians DID NOT have leaf springs! Instead, they had full length torsion bars connecting the front to the rear in such a way that lean on corners was greatly reduced even though the car road very smoothly. They had 2 additional torsion bars which were automatically electrically adjusted to keep the car level regardless of how it was loaded. The 2-speed Ultramatic did limit the performance, just as the 2-speed Powerglide limited performance for Chevrolets and the 2-speed Powerflyte limited performance for Plymouths, Dodges, DeSotos, and Chryslers. Note that the Packard Ultramatic transmission, introduced in 1949, was the first automatic transmission to have a lock-up torque converter. The Borg Warner automatic transmission, introduced on the 1951 Studebaker, was the second automatic transmission to have a lock-up torque converter. No other cars had them until Chrylser re-introduced them about 1978! And it was many years after that before most automatic transmissions had a lock-up torque converter. Packard introduced the part-throttle kick-down in 1954. General motors didn't have a part-throttle kick down until 1956 when it was introduced on the Hydramatic. In 1978 I bought a 1955 Packard Caribbean convertible. When I was having the wheels aligned, there was also a late model Rolls Royce in the alignment shop; my Packard idled much more quietly. Packard was the only independent luxury car manufacturer to survive the Great Depression. Cadillac and Lincoln survived only because they were made by much larger companies, i.e., Ford and General Motors, which also made cheaper cars.

[@styldsteel1]

while your knowledge is expansive and impressive, I don't think anyone actually cared enough read your whole response. the man's video was fun, relaxing, and enjoyable. that's what matters.

[@frankeggers4024]

+styldsteel1 My response took far less time to read that it took to watch the video which was full of errors. If people are not concerned with accuracy, our world is in serious trouble. It may well be true that not everyone would be interested in what I wrote, but to say that no one was is unlikely to be correct. No doubt at least a few people watched the video because they were interested in antique cars and would want accurate information.

[@styldsteel1]

Frank Eggers to that end, I agree. To all of it. I belong to a Trolley museum, and the president gave a speech about the entire fleet, the youngest car being around 90 years old. He went into such micro detail of where the steel came from, where the origin of the wicker, how the repro advertising came from etc etc etc....as I looked about the room, I saw phones out, I heard snoring, five of them had there coats on. Lol. He was indeed accurate!

[@5610winston]

Name another US built car of the era with a full-active suspension. As far as I can recall, the Citroen DS was the only other one in the world in 1955. The Borg-Warner "Automatic Drive" transmission in Studebakers was actually developed with a lot of input from the Studebaker engineers, and when Ford approached them to buy the Studebaker-spec transmission, Studebaker vetoed the plan. B-W had to develop a version without the Studebaker lock-up torque converter for the Ford-o-Matic and Merc-o-Matic market.

[@frankeggers4024]

The Ford and Studebaker Borg Warner transmissions didn't even have the same gear ratios so the fact that Ford lacked the torque converter lock up was not the only difference. Also, a mechanic told me that the Studebaker transmission had 3 bands but I've seen diagrams of the Ford transmission showing that it had only 2 bands. So it appears that they were completely different transmissions even though both were made by Borg Warner.

[@korky52]

Dude. There's nothing crude about a Packard. They are still the best car in the world!

[@siphotos3282]

gary fff rolls Royce is better in terms of these kinda cars

[@AMD1]

@Terry Melvin Expensive crap that needs work before 100k miles, that doesn't sound too far off from a modern German car. The Japanese have been killing it with luxury cars and long term reliability, and the Koreans aren't too far behind. Also, most cars of the 1950s were lucky to make it to 75k miles, and required regular service..

[@johndunbar7504]

@@siphotos3282 Oh really. A Brit who told the legendary story of being able to balance a shilling on the engine block of a RR visited the U.S. where someone instructed him to balance his shilling on a Super 8 and then STARTED THE CAR ! The shilling didn't budge and the Brit became an instant Packard enthusiast.

[@wholeNwon]

@@siphotos3282 RR was relative mechanical/electrical junk.

[@oldiescoll]

My father has a 56 Patrician with push button transmission and automatic load levelers in the rear. The car will ride level no matter how much junk is in the trunk. The car is all original in and out.

[@AutoMoments]

That's really cool! They are something else, these cars.

[@RGD0756]

I hope that you still have and treasure that gem.

[@frankeggers4024]

A friend of mine has a 1956 Patrician with push buttons. Unfortunately he lost interest in it a number of years ago, after considerable restoration work was done. It's been sitting in his garage since about 1998.

[@davidpowell3347]

@@frankeggers4024 Some collector/restorer might be willing to pay a lot of money for it. Although the push button shift system was troublesome,maybe the same thing as the Edsel's which came along a couple years later.

[@richardcline1337]

This was a time when cars had style, class and beauty, unlike the cookie cutter vehicles we are stuck with today. I owned a '50 model Packard when I was in High School and it is still one of my fondest memories of that time of my life. There was just something magical about the sound of that big straight 8 engine. If Packard were still making cars today I would dare say they would be the standard all car manufacturers would be striving to copy!

[@davidpowell3347]

Until about 1955 Packard was one of the best cars and the 9 main bearing Straight Eight was probably the best engine of its generation (but very heavy,about one half ton) but the automatic transmission: not so hot I understand (although Packard was losing money by that time) that sales in 1955 with the new glitzy V8 models started out well but that soon there were lots and lots of the cars with broken automatic transmissions clogging the dealer lots and as word got around sales collapsed----

[@SinfulScents]

I grew up with my parents having a 68 cutlass olds and a caprice classic 77 😊 it’s funny how when you’re little you can’t appreciate things like you would when you’re older because as a kid I didn’t like the olds, the paint was all faded and it was loud and had no AC but now I wish I kept it somehow and it would be so cool to ride in it! I remember the wing windows I think they were called, so cool! I now have an Infiniti g 35 coupe, it’s very cool but it’s all computerized and things can go wrong and it’s so hard to find out what it is verses a man made car without any complicated parts! Take me back lol

[@weirdshibainu]

ask the man who owns one---one of the best slogans ever

[@AutoMoments]

Agreed! Thanks for watching!

[@brettknoss486]

It is, until you realize that nobody owns one.

[@neildickson5394]

Time honored slogan, appropriate for a car with the pedigree of Packard. I can't remember who now, but a Japanese car company, probably Toyota tried to use a very similar slogan some time back. It was a cheap rip off and no doubt got them a tremendous amount of criticism. For them to think enough time had passed for Packard to be forgotten was a damning mistake. Your not likely to ever see Toyota's of any vintage in a classic auto museum. Packard's heritage lives on, and usually has more shine than any competition from any era. For a brief period in the late 50's when it was obvious Packard's were no longer the car they had been, the name became toxic, but time has passed, we realized what we lost and the Packard name is still golden.

[@TheHorsebox2]

Yes a great slogan. Today's feminist movement would probably whinge until it was altered to include lady owners and then the whole impact would be lost. Lol.

[@LynxStarAuto]

ronan harding Actually, Packard was one of the first manufacturers to include women operating their products in paraphernalia ,and during the 50's promoted features like AC and PS to appeal to the female operator.

[@shore51]

I want to compliment you on your wit and sense of humor

[@AutoMoments]

Thanks for the compliment!

[@asa1973100]

My father had one new in 1955 , a two door model and he always said it was the best motorcar he ever purchased!!! Alas all that is left now is photogtaphs, ive no idea what became of the car ' but I always regret not asking dad more about what he did with it !

[@fartmerchant762]

Sold during the gas crisis

[@countrypaul]

My father had Packards until I was 12. They cruised like yachts, looked elegant, and if you drove down an interstate at about 60 you could nurse 20 mpg out of them on a good day.(Your big new SUV most likely gets worse mileage.) I'd love to have this car or one like it - something nice that I wouldn't be afraid to take out and drive. (And those '55-'56 cathedral taillights are exquisite; many a used-up Packard sacrificed its tail lights to hot rodders who ludicrously put them on tricked out Fords, Chevys or Plymouths.) You've got a bit of fact-checking to do, AutoMoments, but this was a most enjoyable video anyway. Keep up the good work; it's good to see people in subsequent generations understand and appreciate these monumental vehicles.

[@jhancock1575]

Beautiful car. This is what people expected in big cars. Float down the road and don't feel the bumps.

[@patrickchubey3127]

I still don't want to feel the bumps.

[@billkarmetsky4003]

Those cars floated over bumps and potholes alright. Some did damage one couldn't really tell until it was too late.

[@RADIUMGLASS]

As someone who is officially considered "middle-aged" and who had grandparents who turned 60 in the 1950s, young people today just don't understand how advanced these cars were and the prestige they had. If your parent was a teenager or young adult in the 50s, you may have heard stories about seeing these in person and it was always some bigshot who had real dough to his name that owned it. Most buyers of these when new, didn't have to finance them, they paid cash and this car was almost $5000 new. Today, car buyers typically lease because most people today can't afford to pay cash or finance to own. For a car that is 65 years old now, it has held up better than most cars made in the past 20 years.

[@stevenquinn4641]

A Luxurious automobile The Packard fabrics and all aspects of the thoughtful design elements merge to create a strong dynamic car that was elegantly appointed as a feast to the eyes

[@jimm6386]

A neighbor of mine owned a 1934 Packard Custom Special Order - the back seat had a built in bar - yes, a bar with a lit mirrored background, drop down secretary style tableau from the rear of the front seat. It contained three Waterford crystal decanters with sterling silver chained labels denoting Whiskey, Gin and Rye on one side - the other side had eight high and low ball matching glasses. In the middle was a crystal ice bucket with sterling tongs. The center of the table area was green felt. The whole caboodle was surrounded by tiny high polished brass bars to keep things from moving around too much. Ah - drinking and driving? Well, yes. It was quite common. Least we forget this came out the year after Prohibition ended. Fashionable luxury.

[@emjayay]

Your chauffeur was doing the driving.

[@bg147]

Style was the focus back in the day versus efficiency and function today. She is a beauty and the power plant is a beast.

[@AutoMoments]

bg147 You're totally right! It really is a beautiful car. And after all these years, the engine is still impressive. Thanks for watching!

[@frankeggers4024]

+bg147 You're right. For example, the wrap around windshield became practically universal even though it was pointless. It weakened the body structure, it made getting into and out of cars more difficult, and it cost more. Fortunately it was not around for very long. It was introduced in 1953. By 1954 it became common and by 1955 it was almost universal. It began to become less common in 1960 and by 1962 or so it was abandoned. Thus, it was nothing more than a silly short-lived style fad. Of course the wrap around windshield was not the only short-lived pointless fad, but it was the most conspicuous one.

[@frankeggers4024]

+Frank Eggers You're right; the wrap around windshield was almost universal. As you said, it was one of the silliest fads ever. It weakened the body structure, made it harder to get in and out of the car, and added to cost. Even at the time many of us saw it for what it was.

[@jackrunnfeldt5648]

Film noir

[@efandmk3382]

It is a machine. Efficiency, function and safety OUGHT to be the main considerations. IDK what was seen as being "luxurious" about these U boats. I'd like to be able to do a side by side comparison of one of these bombs and a new car.

[@stephendavidbailey2743]

I was lucky enough to own, though briefly, a Packard. True luxury that comes only with craftmanship.

[@nikolausbautista8925]

The Packard you tested had a Self-Leveling, Full Torsion-Bar Suspension system (not big shocks), and they had an Automatic Transmission (The Ultramatic) in 1950, and its development roots go back to 1935! You did a good job for the most part, but please, do your homework. Also, with the V8's, Nash and Hudson (AMC), also used them (with Ultramatics) in the 1955/1956 cars, and Studebaker used the 352 and Ultramatic in the 1956 Hawks. Otherwise, show for Packard.

[@AutoMoments]

Thanks for pointing this out to us! We did a lot of research, but that's one thing we missed. Maybe should have watched this video first: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bXSUn4Krmd-hfc0

[@JuniorFan08]

We had a family friend who owned a '55. He weighed around 300 pounds and one of his favorite things to show about the car was the automatic load leveling. He would sit on the trunk, the car would sink, then rise to normal level. He would get off, the car would rise, then lower back to normal. As a kid at the time, I was greatly impressed.

[@lastup4170]

He's an idiot.

[@tomsriv]

GM wanted to compete with this system and game out with the air suspension on the ‘57 Eldorado.

[@charlesrosenquiest5466]

Nikolaus Bautista I learned to drive in a 1951 Packard with an Ultramatic transmission and was great with no problems.

[@robertansley6331]

I loved the _Easamatic Power Brake_ pedal. How they fitted all those words on a pedal is crazy. Some people get irritated at youngsters reviewing old cars built before they were a sty in their daddy’s eye but I enjoy them. Culture shaped them the way they are and much of what we know is not taught but experienced. Living through an experience gives millions of nuanced pieces of information-the sights, sounds, smells, what song was on the radio at the time, who you were with, what stupid thing you were doing, etc. I see the big back seat of that Packard and my mind instantly races back to Kathi and the drive-in movies! Yes, this kid hasn’t a clue but that’s ok, I enjoy watching how today’s culture has shaped his values. Imagine how many kids today wouldn’t recognize what a dial tone is. There’s a hilarious video of two teens trying to figure out how to use a dial telephone. Everything back then was _-O-Matic!_

[@firstclassatlanticflyer]

old? yes. kinda outdated? yes. crude? no, just no.

[@theyhatehimbecausehetoldth7576]

Andrew Austin awesome? Very.

[@johntapp9670]

No, not these. Packard's are buttery smooth.

[@jasoncarpp7742]

Dangerous? They can be if driven recklessly.

[@ronaldturner3049]

55 Packards were NOT outdated in any way.

[@weirdkindofsexsymbol]

i understand that some people who love old US-built cars REALLY love them, and some of these folks get real uppity when anyone makes a disparaging comment about them, especially their own beloved marque. that said, i own a one-eyed richard teague-designed car, also (3'rd gen rambler american). it's old, outdated, and crude by the standards of today, just like a packard, and every other old car. so...yes, just yes. ALL old US-built cars are antiquated shitheaps, they're all deathtraps by today's standards, and there are no exceptions to this. i don't drive old cars because they're better handling, more economical, faster, safer, or longer-lasting, because they're none of these things. i drive them because they're janky, old, and cool.

[@neil6212]

My parents bought a new 1956 Patrician late in 1955, which looked very similar to your test car, except the 6" wide stainless steel and black "stripe" went all the way to the tail light. It also had their version of torsion bar suspension. Full length, front and rear, and interconnected. If you put a weight in the trunk, in a few seconds, a motor would start at the center point of the system, and level the car again. Remove the weight, and sure enough, it would level the car again. There was a switch under the left side of the dash to disable this feature, as people (especially kids like myself)would have to try it, sitting on the bumper for a ride, and running the battery down. The 1956 models also had the new Ultramatic 3 speed trans with a six button pod mounted on the steering column where you might reach for the standard transmission lever. This may have been available in earlier models as an added feature. That I can't tell you for certain, as our car apparently had every available option on it. Unfortunately, I didn't turn 16 'till 1958, and I wasn't given the use of the Packard for some reason! Ours was the same shade of green as the test car, but with a cream color below the 6" strip, and on top as I recall.

[@wholeNwon]

I remember the torsion bar suspension, hydraulic self-leveling, first air conditioning ('39 I think), limited-slip differentials, hydraulic (silent) window lifts, seat controls, etc. We had a Caribbean and loved it.

[@frankeggers4024]

+wholeNwon Packard NEVER had HYDRAULIC self-leveling. For leveling, the rear suspension had a leveling torsion bar on each side and an electric motor to adjust those torsion bars to level the car. An electric switch with a delay mechanism operated the leveling electric motor. You could hear the leveling motor hum as it leveled the car. The Torsion Level suspension, with its self-leveling, was introduced in 1955.

[@wholeNwon]

+Frank Eggers Thanks very much for the correction and additional info. Looks like my memories of that car have become foggy over all the intervening years...like so much else! On the positive side, I'm lucky to still be alive! I think I remember my uncle sitting on one corner of the Caribbean and pointing out to (very young) me that the suspension was behaving differently than most other cars. Don't recall exactly how. But now I know it wasn't electric self-leveling. Wish Packard had survived.

[@frankeggers4024]

+wholeNwon Actually, it WAS electric self leveling; it just was not hydraulic. Through a planetary reduction gear, the levelizer motor turned a double bell crank which pulled rods which, in turn, adjusted the two levelizer torsion bars which were connected to the rear suspension. I too wish that Packard (and Hudson) had survived. Packard survived the Great Depression while other luxury cars, except for Cadillac and Lincoln, failed. The way Packard survived was by making less expensive cars (The Packard 120 and 110) which would sell when few people were buying luxury cars. Cadillac would have failed except that it was only one brand made by a larger company, i.e., GM. Similarly Lincoln was part of Ford Motor Company. Deusenberg, Pierce, and others failed. But after the war, it was very difficult for independents to compete with GM, Chrysler, and Ford, so Willys, Hudson, Studebaker, Kaiser, and Fraser also failed. I remember playing with Packards that were on display at an auto show. We'd sit on the front bumper causing the rear bumper to rise until the motor cranked it down, they we'd shut off the system with the switch under the left end of the dashboard. That left the rear bumper almost touching the pavement with the front bumper up in the air. On the larger Packards, the system was a bit finicky. If the rubber bushings in the front suspension systems were worn out, the system would never settle down. It would rock forward then, after a slight delay, rock backward, and keep repeating until it was shut off manually with the switch under the left end of the dashboard.

[@wholeNwon]

+Frank Eggers Sorry...wasn't hydraulic self-leveling. I have a few other recollections of the car, which may or may not be correct. I think that the glove box was actually a drawer. Could the radio station also be changed with a driver's side floor button as well as a bar over the radio dial? Was the gear indicator an odd color at night (green?)? I think the windows and seat were hydraulically-operated, right? Top, too? At least they seemed very quiet and I think my uncle said that there was a hydraulic pump that operated them. And maybe the hood scoop was made of a different material than the steel of the hood. I think it seemed smaller than the Cadillac that replaced it and the Cadillac also seemed more powerful but the Packard felt more solid. My grandparents had a senior Packard and grandmother always liked to drive it herself. She drove too fast.

[@frankeggers4024]

+wholeNwon The power windows and seat were hydraulically operated through 1953 for sure and I think through 1954. In 1955 they were electric. My 1953 had hydraulic windows; I wish that they had been electric!

[@Flies2FLL]

Excellent! I'm a big Porsche fanatic but a few years ago a guy showed up with a perfect '49 Packard two door fastback with the inline-8 engine; That thing stole the show and I would love to buy it from him but he won't part with it. That is the kind of car to drive on Sunday mornings to a cars and coffee.

[@adityasanthanam1945]

Beautiful, one of the best looking cars ever made. It was also very comfortable and smooth.

[@johnstewart8349]

My grandparents had this same car. Color , year , etc….. no air conditioning. I can remember my grandmother pulling up to the Woco Pep station and telling the attendant to fill her up with 10 gals and charge it. 10 gals probably carried this car about two days so you get the picture hour often she did this. My grandfather was a dentist so he looked at this car as a doctor car if you couldn’t purchase a Cadillac or Lincoln. It was a high cool car that drove like the big land yacht it was. I would sit on the rear bumper just to feel the torsion bar do its trick. Thanks for the memories.

[@zynet_eseled]

I cant stop looking at that crack in the left side window. "Its painful to see....but we cant look away..."

[@ghw7192]

My first car! It had been in storage and it took me a year to locate parts and repair, but god what a car!

[@CAPDude44]

Meanwhile, the factory it was built in still stands, 63 years after the last car rolled off the line, overtaken by nature.

[@gregorytimmons4777]

Actually there is a guy living in it. I believe he gives some relief to Packard owners supplying them with parts.

[@robertgrider4346]

.....20-30 years ago it was popular to rent space in the old "Packard Plant" ,East side of Detroit, I had connections of car nuts& guys scrapping out cars renting space at a very ridiculous low price, something like 10-15cents a square ft, for me & my buddies, the damp,pest infested, moldy inside treasure land sometimes was a gold mine. There was a lot of business' storage, towing, homeimprovment, body & collision shops & other such going on's 🗽🇺🇸

[@RADIUMGLASS]

The bridge-catwalk that connected the junior and senior division buildings collapsed.

[@dougchew5193]

I remember around 40 years ago I was there, like a small city. I was on the Packards, test track, I was a truck driver dropping a trailer on that track where a bunch of other trailers were parked.I was impressed with the size of the place, huge, my dad in the 80s had a Packard 1940 something his dad had several and they both loved them any car guy was impressed by them. Ha test track was brick at least what I could see of it

[@davidpowell3347]

I understand that demolition of the old plant finally got underway in the last year or so and someone who was in court claiming an ownership stake may have been evicted part of the problem with Packard is that they were trying to do some of the assembly of the cars in another much more cramped facility that caused production to be slowed and sometimes damage to the sheet metal exteriors some issue that Packard had had some kind of a gentleman's agreement that some of their work would be done in a non-Packard owned plant,when someone died or something Chrysler took over the plant and Packard had to rent it or something?

[@recnepsgnitnarb6530]

Packards of this era had torsion bar suspensions. Back in the day, when you had money you bought a Packard.

[@dlkerr100]

we own a 1956 Packard Carribbean -(among others in the Clipper Class)- Its main short coming is the Brake system. It has push button shift. A little slow off the line, once the second 4 barrel carburator kicks in you are out front of everyone else. It takes some time to slow from 120MPH in a 6000 lb car. It had seat belts installed early on in its life. It had power levelers,torsion bars and gives an odd kind of floating ride. Ours has a manuel switch to adjust the level . Everything is electric radio selection, antennas, power seats and windows. No A/C -Convertibles " do not need A/C".

[@AutoMoments]

That sounds amazing. Packard Caribbeans are truly awesome cars. Thanks for watching!

[@barrykochverts4149]

I think this is actually a balanced and thoughtful assessment of the car. I was initially miffed at the characterization of crudeness, but had to admit I was just shaking my cane against facts. My first car was a 15-year old 1955 Patrician. I loved its handling and ride, but that was then, and this is now. 45 years after I owned it, and 60 years after it was built, I don't flatter myself that my Outback wouldn't run rings around it, and do so while feeling much more secure. Though the featured car is obviously not in optimal tune, its drive train in need of refreshing and its tire squealing easily fixed with radials, you can't argue the point of crudity from the tester's experience. We accepted the kind of handling these cars offered and taxed their capabilities at our peril. Many fewer people die in traffic accidents now than did in 1955, and it's not just because of airbags and seat belts. If you try to drive one of these luxocruisers with anything approaching even a conservative approach in today's idiom, you'll be off the road with the steering wheel knob cracking your sternum. They have to be carefully guided, rather than steered around turns, and their power brakes will suddenly grab and pitch you forward... To meet that knob again. Though the full length torsion bars were hi tech back then, and the standard electric load leveler a great touch, American manufacturers gave up nearly all in pursuit of horsepower to the detriment of handling. Plus, we complain bitterly about computer controls, but forget the stink and rattle of an out of tune carburetor. Cars weren't better then. They were arguably more honest, if all you wanted to do was get down the road. But they were offered for sale with an unacceptable disregard for safety. Again, just look at that stupid steering wheel knob.

[@AutoMoments]

+Barry Koch Thank you for understanding us. We loved this car! But we can't deny that the automotive world has changed a lot since then. Driving this Packard was a learning experience for us young guys. It helped peel away the layers of mythical nostalgia created by endless car books and magazines to show us what old cars are really like. It was fun, but also eye-opening. We learned there's a lot more to classic automobiles than the pretty photos you see in Hemmings. That said, we never meant to offend all the people that we did with this video. The way we see it, this Packard is like an old Philco television set. Both were cutting edge at the time, but very simple compared to modern technology. However, that doesn't mean we don't appreciate the old things. This Packard Patrician is truly a treasure, and we were lucky to experience it in person. Thanks again for understanding, and for watching!

[@barrykochverts4149]

Cool. I wager that if some of the complainers got behind the wheel of that Packard for 20 minutes they might begin to understand your point of view. As late as the 1990s, I tried using a 1960's car as a daily driver. I was fortunate that I didn't kill myself or someone else. In one case, I lost control on a dry, straight road while avoiding a groundhog and spun an oncoming driver out who had to avoid my porpoising car, and in another, had to cut someone off because my drum brakes locked and the bias ply tires hydroplaned on a downslope in the rain. You simply can't safely keep up in them... not because they don't go fast enough, but because they don't go around turns and stop. Jay Leno (who is exactly my age) puts disc brakes on any car in his collection that he expects to drive in modern traffic. "Car guys" understand the difference between loving old iron and trusting in its capability.

[@AutoMoments]

You're exactly right!

[@bpp325]

I clearly remember this car. I remember it was 1955, the last I saw and admired this barge. I didn't know much about the mechanicals but I knew it was elegant and those who owned one were among the elite. Them were the days. 😉

[@fraso2000]

I work at BMW, but this is really a great report about a stylish car from another era. Difficult to think for me that this was a normal car at the time: So big, so heavy, the consumption, etc.

[@DanDDirges]

What a beauty! This snooty youngster just doesn't recognize a true work of art.

[@exxusdrugstore300]

He acknowledged how beautiful it is, what's the issue?

[@AtomicReverend]

Just Here For The KZbin, maybe the fact he compares 1950s state of the art with cars 30 years newer. He should have said "in an era with low fuel prices, where form and function were blended together, where safety wasn't viewed as important as it is today the Packard had reserved styling when compared to the rock and roll Cadillac's but was on par with any high end car of the era". That is what the problem is. You can't be a true car lover/gear head when you can't see the relevance of a car in its day.

[@thecrazeecow1682]

I was born in the 2000s and I LOVE THIS CAR because it's just so classy. The big cars of the '50s and '60s with the big tail fins were just so flamboyant and delivered a completely different message than today's plastic boredom-on-wheels

[@crankyyankee7290]

Where did they get this whining twit ? I have a cool car but this clown isn't getting near it !

[@ZnenTitan]

Thecrazeecow boredom is right!

[@jf8461]

Man, you can't beat these types of cars for the Drive-in movie theater!

[@andrashorvath6300]

Less known fact for Americans that the Packard lived on until 1981 at no other country, but the Soviet Union. They copied the design (some sources state, that they bought it) of the 1955 Patrician and built it as the near-top-of-the-line state limousine, called GAZ-13 Chaika. Altough it looked like a lengthened Packard, it was technically a mix of different American designs. It had a Cadillac-like X-frame and a Chrysler-clone pushbutton automatic transmission and engine. The bony rode on coil springs in front and leafs in back instead of the Packard`s torsion bars. GAZ built about 3000 examples between 1959 and 1981.

[@AutoMoments]

We've seen some photos of those cars and wondered about what the back story is. It seems hard to find information. Thanks for sharing!

[@rogercamp6071]

I remember seeing one of the Packard styled Soviet limousines that was supposed to have been Stalin's personal car and remember thinking at the time that it looked like a Packard, this was in a rolling display along with the Bonnie and Clyde '34 Ford death car.

[@robert3302]

I read that Stalin admired Packards, and bought them before Russia developed its own auto industry. Dutifully, the Russian car designers made their cars as much like Packards as possible.

[@gregorytimmons4777]

Robert Coates I think that's really how the auto industry developed in Russia. Mostly back engineering American cars

[@jamesgreene7568]

András Horváth was ex me . Me M mm ...

[@ROCKETRICKYH]

My parents owned a 1953 Clipper from 1955 to 1970. My dad described the handling and steering as vastly better than other cars of the 1950s - "a Chevy steered like a brick outhouse". I Remember the Clipper as being very quiet.

[@geoffreyanthony4276]

A number of reasons to like these cars. You can get in without banging your head; the ride was soft and comfortable for passengers even if handling was sedate. Plenty of leg room. Powerful engines make for long life. "There's no substitute for piston area..... "

[@AutoMoments]

All good reasons! Thanks for watching!

[@LandNfan]

My dad had two Packard Clippers, a ‘52 and a ‘54. He was a traveling salesman who logged a lot of windshield time between sales calls. He loved the Packards for the cloud-soft ride and the cavernous trunk that easily held all his sample cases.

[@AutoMoments]

Sounds like a great way to travel the country! Thanks for watching!

[@davidpowell3347]

The Clippers and DeLuxe Clippers were probably a better buy for the money and I think most of the problems didn't start until after '53 or '54. Also some of those cars had an excellent 3 speed gearshift transmission and an overdrive unit which I believe was advertised as being heavier duty than the overdrive units in most lesser cars. Overdrive allowed the use of a shorter (higher number) final drive ratio for better get away and passing with still being able to cruise quietly and efficiently on the highway.

[@QueerOkie]

To decry this automobile and others from this era is to miss the intent and the context in which they were built.

[@AutoMoments]

We haven't forgot about context. We're just trying to make a point of how much cars have changed (for better AND for worse). We love this car, but it's not without its faults. Thanks for watching!

[@johndunbar7504]

Well it that was what you were trying to say you `blew it'. You make denigrating remarks about its roadability and acceleration. Believe me, if you seriously compare the classic cars of the past with the hideous junk they make today, you will end up with a serious case of indigestion.

[@efandmk3382]

The intent with which they were made was called "planned obsolescence" Your automobile would look really outdated and be falling apart within three years....the time it took to pay off one of these time bombs. LOL.

[@tomsriv]

my '56 said in the manual it had a 90 day 3000 mile warranty!!! How things have changed! Also, compared to the cars of its day it was not particularly handsome. Compare it to a '55 Chrysler 300 or a Cadillac and you can see why they didn't sell well enough.

[@ronaldturner3049]

@@efandmk3382 They would not be "falling apart", they just would look "old fashioned" and "older".

[@roberthenleynola]

Thanks for the great video. I have loved Packards most of my life ... my grandmother owned one in the 40's. Really enjoyed your presentation.

[@dicarlo57]

Charles Starkweather hit 110 M.P.H . in a "56 Packard while attempting to elude police in Douglass Wyoming shortly before his capture.

[@AutoMoments]

That's crazy! We'll have to look that story up. Haha. Thanks for watching!

[@jayrussell1825]

@dicarlo57 I'd forgotten all about ol' Charlie. "Ask the man who stole one"

[@ZnenTitan]

Now that's funny! (Reminds one of when Clyde Barrow wrote to Ford motors complimenting them on their fast V8 cars)

[@aarongranda7825]

In Badlands Martin sheen drove a 59 Cadillac.

[@aarongranda7825]

Was Caryl Ann fugate belted in?

[@Markbeb3]

My GrandFather had two of these Packard.They were a blast.He ever had StudeBaker Packard.They were fun to drive even back in 75.

[@automatedelectronics6062]

Though not a fan of 2-speed automatics, all luxury cars, outside of Cadillac, in 1955 and 1956, used functunally, 2-speed automatic transmissions. Yes, the Lincolns had 3-speed automatics, but in normal driving, it functioned as a 2-speed, starting in 2nd and shifting to 3rd, unless the selector lever was placed in "Low" or the accelerator was pushed to the floor from a starting stop. Studebaker continued using this feature on their automatic equipped cars well into the 60's, even in the supercharged Avanti's. In racing, even today, a 2-speed Powerglide is the gearbox of choice. What Packard had that most other car manufacturers didn't(outside of Studebaker and other makes that used Borg-Warner or Detroit Gear automatics) was a direct-drive lock-up torque converter. This was useful in putting the power to the ground for maximum fuel economy and allowed the addition of an add-on overdrive unit that was effective. Totally designed in-house, Packard's "Ultramatic" was ahead of it's time. Problems occurred from a teething process and improper useage of the "Ultramatic". A major mistake that people did was to run the transmission in the "High" position(like the non-shifting Buick DynaFlow), which tended to overheat the fluid and burning up the transmission. The transmission failures were NOT due to the engines overpowering the transmissions. Even Nash recognized the Packard quality. In 1955, Nash wanted to put a V-8 in it's Ambassador, so they chose to put the Packard 352 V-8 AND with the Ultramatic transmission. Packard also used this same transmission behind their 374 V-8, even with 2 4-barrel carbs. No matter what transmission you have, the get-up and go is influenced by raw engine power and gear ratio in the drive axle.

[@AutoMoments]

Wow, thanks for the extra info! We knew about the lockup torque converter, but we decided to not mention it to save time. Also, some of the research we read suggested that the V8 was responsible for some of the transmission troubles that didn't happen with the older I8 engine. Anyways, thanks again for teaching us something we didn't know!

[@automatedelectronics6062]

AutoMoments You are very welcome! I appreciate and enjoyed your video. That Packard sounds kinda raspy to me . Powerful those Packard V-8's were and the optional 374 was, I think, the largest V-8 used in American cars in 1956, although it was NOT the most powerful. Both the 352(5.8L) and 374(6.1L) were always one-upped by the Chrysler 300 series with smaller displacement "Hemi" V-8's. There were actually 2 different versions of the "Ultramatic". The 1st series was non-shifting and based on a torque converter for take-off, which was similar to the Buick DynaFlow, except the Buick trans had a variable pitch stator in it's torque converter. Before the Ultramatic was introduced, Packard, like Lincoln and other world class luxury cars used the Hydramatic. The raspy noise I was referring to was the exhaust. It probably needs some repair work done to it. Packards were known for their silence and not the sound of those Rolls-Royce Merlin V-12's that they built in WWII. The old in-line engined Packard cars that I used to work on were so quite and smooth that you couldn't tell that they were running when they were idling. Great show! Keep it up!

[@packard5682]

Granted, the Ultramatic was a 2 speed transmission, but what is not mentioned is that it also had a lock-up torque converter. Above 40 mph or so, an internal clutch disc inside the converter would engage, locking the torque converter into direct drive elimenating any slippage. It almost feels & performs like a 3rd shift. This was decades ahead of Chrysler with their lock-up torque converter Torqueflite. I rebuilt the Ultramatic in my 56 Patrician and when I opened up the torque converter, it looked like a hand grenade went off on the inside. Stator fins missing and a lot of aluminum pieces in the pan. All caused by a very small wavy washer breaking up inside the torque converter! There was a mid year fix in which they used a shim washer in its place and the eliminated the problem. Also, they do drive & ride quite well for cars of their period with their 4 wheel torsion bar suspension ( 2 years ahead of Chrysler, which only had it on the front) and self leveling system. If they had used ball joints instead of the old king pins on the front suspension, that would have made an additional improvement. I had a 56 Cadillac and it drove like and absolute pig compared to the Packard.

[@automatedelectronics6062]

packard5682 Ah, you must not have read my whole reply concerning the lock-up torque converter and the other automatic transmissions which used it at the time. Chrysler's introduction of their lock-up torque for the 1978 model year was disastrous and most were changed to non-lock-up in warranty. GM used lock-up torque converters in their buses with hydraulic drive back into the 40's. GM also introduced lock-up torque converters in their Allison automatics maybe in the 60's? GM also had direct drive in their Roto-Hydramatics 1961-3. As far as kingpin suspensions go Mercedes used them even on their S-class cars into the 70's. The 300SEL's even had air suspension, with no springs and the 600 series was hydraulic with no springs either. Torsion bar suspension was good, but is a dinosaur today.

[@algrayson8965]

@@automatedelectronics6062- Coil springs are torsion bars wound into a helix.

[@robertsheiner3214]

Another awesome video by Joe Lugo. Thank you for sharing your passion while educating us.

[@AutoMoments]

R o b e r t S h e I n e r Thank you! It's always good to hear from viewers like you. We're glad you enjoy the videos!

[@MrTheMiguelox]

You mentioned that the power felt like got lost in the transmission. Maybe you used the transmission it it's high gear start only, and it seams on 3:50 if you selected the left side of 'D' the car starts in high gear and never changes, like a Buick dynaflow which makes it sluggish off the line, and it can be exacerbated if the car is equipped with the supper tall economy 2.87 axle ratio. To make full use of the transmission 2 gears you must select the right side of 'D' which starts in low gear and automaticly changes to high, making for much faster take-off.

[@richardprice5978]

thats how i felt watching it came to look at the torsion level ride suspension i like the idea enuf to copy it for my 60s dodge

[@AutoMoments]

That's definitely possible. The linkages were a little loose, so it was difficult to tell which gear the car was in, plus we'd never driven a Packard with Ultramatic before. If only we'd have more time; we could have driven that car for days...

[@richardprice5978]

im not sure how the hole system works together ( need to see all of the parts an explanation of the parts ) but i like how torsion bar suspension feels and like to keep my car all mopar ish with a 3 link watts link set up for auto X and daily driving. that car may have bad shock absorbers my car is way smooth feeling it is about the same as a 2006 dodge charger just a little more roll in hard cornering but i bet i can fix that with stiffer shocks / roll bar my old car dose not have a roll bar the new one has it

[@MrTheMiguelox]

The transmission has nothing to do with the suspension...

[@richardprice5978]

i was asking about how level ride works i get how on my car how the bars keep the car up and level but not on this one. my transmission choice is ok and for now works for me

[@1598hi]

I actually start restoring Packards at my new job starting tuesday! Funny you mention the parts availability... yes, its difficult. We make our own parts and we have guys remanufacturing fuel pumps and water pumps. This experience (providing I learn quickly) will be great for me as an AMC guy because parts are rare for those as well.

[@johngiardina8259]

Maby I missed it but did you mention the most revelutionary torsion bar suspension ever invented.. no springs front and rear..

[@Porsche996driver]

Well done. Great to recall this bygone era.

[@michaelr4063]

Great job man. Love the honest approach.

[@AutoMoments]

Thank you! We're glad you enjoyed it!

[@ghw7192]

My first car... it had been sitting for years and, although most things rubber had to be replaced,, it 0ran fine. I had a lot of fun with the load levelers and my high school friends loved it!

[@stopmegan]

do a show on the Studebaker Avanti ,the real 1963 car of the future that led the way

[@AutoMoments]

We have to find one, first! But that would be awesome.

[@henrikstenstrom79]

Crude? That would be the last word i should use to describe a packard! ,Smooth and beautifully built Of course it doesnt handle and stop like a small modern car.

[@SilentCheechGaming1991]

I like big, dangerous and gas guzzling, thank you.

[@AutoMoments]

We do too! Just not all the time. Thanks for watching!

[@Chris_Troxler]

Yes!!! Big, heavy, gas guzzling... any time and all the time.

[@hugh-johnfleming289]

There is nothing like it for road trips but, BUT, but in the snow, ice and Winter crap I like all the modern stuff. My Winter car, a Fusion, can also get as rusty as hell and I don't care.

[@Chris_Troxler]

@@hugh-johnfleming289 I don't disagree, personal experince and "skill" may be a determining factor. For example, living in the the southern US my entire life, where snow fall can be a major event, I have traveled on many country roads in my 70's and 80's land yachts with ease while smaller, lighter, more sophisticated vehicles seem to struggle. One of the many things I dislike about newer cars is just that, they're too modern. With all the computers, sensors, anti-this, power-assist that, it seems like all the critical thinking skills once needed for the daily commute are being removed from the driving experince. My daily driver, when I'm home, a 1975 Lincoln Continental Town Coupe. Perhaps a touch more modern than this Packard (and lot more complicated than I thought it would be... wow), but still a simple brick on wheels. And it is GLORIOUS. But, it could just be me...

[@ANDREWSAMY562]

+1

[@davidswift7776]

Absolutely great look at the 55 Packard... great insight and easy to listen to narration 👍 thank you for this KZbin post!

[@AutoMoments]

Thanks for watching! And thanks for the kind words.

[@theacw02]

Excellent presentation. You did not mention the torsion bar self leveling suspension. It was ions ahead of the rest. The ride was very smooth and quiet almost a complete floating sensation. Also the ultramatic transmission had a lock-up torque converter 30 years before the rest of the industry. Packard was always a car like no other,

[@AutoMoments]

There was just so much interesting stuff we couldn't mention it all 7 minutes. But you are right, in a lot of ways, Packard was very ahead of their time!

[@5610winston]

Torsion Level ride was the industry's first full active suspension. Studebaker also developed their own "Automatic Drive", which was built to their design and spec by Borg-Warner; it also included a locking torque converter through 1954, after which they used a less expensive "Flight-O-Matic" (used in '57-'58 Packards, too). And I may have missed it, but there was no mention of Packard's fine Twin Traction differential, which their engineers developed and licensed to GM, who called it "Positraction".

[@AutoMoments]

Thanks for all the info! Some of that we'd never heard before. I guess if we make a second Packard video, we'll have to include all that.

[@graemedurie9094]

a ben Yes, at about 5.30, the narrator refers to leaf springs - something that the Patrician simply did not have. What it did did have was suspension by torsion bar all round, interconnected and controlled by an electric motor to ensure that the car remained level at all times, no matter the luggage or passengers being carried. It also allowed the smooth ride that enabled the car to take grade crossings safely.

[@AutoMoments]

Yes, we made a pretty big mistake there. Sorry about that! Thankfully, we have viewers like you to keep us on track!

[@bluesharp59]

Its nice to see the history of great cars you post to your channel. The other day I asked my young son in law what is a Cord and he told me you plug It in and comes in up to 100 FT links . Its sad that lots of young people of today have no knowledge of the great classics. Yes LOL, I am afraid to ask him what a KAISER is because he would probably say its a Dinner Roll !

[@sweatnautomotive]

Btw... you can put a gm 700R4 in these. You’ll get all the nice power out of the engine and better fuel mileage. Takes a bit of work to get it all hooked up, but well worth the time and money to drive it every weekend.

[@jakekaywell5972]

At that point, is it even a Packard? Most customizations are fine and dandy but changing the engine is a step too far.

[@retroolschool]

Your classic car reviews are the most well thought out ive ever seen on youtube! Keep it up!

[@AutoMoments]

Thank you! We're so glad you like them! Be sure to share them with your friends.

[@stanleyparker9442]

Dangerous? Rather ride the family around in that packard then a brand new econobox

[@AutoMoments]

+Stanley parker That Packard steering wheel looks like it could do some serious head trauma in a collision. Maybe if we could retrofit some airbags and antilock brakes! Haha. Thanks for watching!

[@5610winston]

+AutoMoments Packard actually experimented with radar-activated automatic emergency braking.

[@AKHyder01]

There's a reason the bus doesn't have airbags, or even seatbelts: size equals safety. If I were to be in a crash, I would rather be surrounded by 3 tons of steel -- great quality steel, made in the days when they still had lots of war surplus ship and tank armor to melt for scrap -- than in a modern econobox.

[@DrewLSsix]

Professor Doom. you are mistaken, cars of this era were famous for collapsing in the passenger area and crushing the people within. and energy being what it is it does not matter how strong the metal surrounding you is when your own momentum throws you against an unyielding steering column or dash. as for why school busses have no belts, there are many reasons amd they are all very good and not one of them applies to an old 50s car. that being said, I love these things and am happy to take my life in my hands to drive one.

[@randymorobitto5453]

DrewLSsix - Ahhhh, but if the impact is with a newer car (pretty much a certainty), with crumple zones, the impact will still be absorbed. "Yes, I have crumple zones. They're called YOUR car!" :-) Put in the seat belts, and, oh, okay, we'll do a collapsible steering column...

[@kennethmorrison7689]

For years walking to school as a kid -- I passed the twin shown here parked in the driveway 105 St. Loved just looking at it. Preferred it to my boring classes...

[@davidpar2]

Packard also offered a push-button automatic transmission around this time

[@AutoMoments]

Correct! It wasn't available until 1956, making it a rare collectible feature today. Thanks for watching!

[@rogermetzger7335]

The ad at the end was both relevant and informative. Let's hope other people who make videos can follow this example.

[@philipp9481]

Nice, timeless car, i love it!

[@AutoMoments]

Thanks for watching!

[@ThreenaddiesRexMegistus]

That’s a beautiful thing! Nephew nearly bought a 55 Clipper in South Africa a few years back but events got in the way. I still think about that car.

[@nonelost1]

As concerning the question about what would Pakards look like if the company survived to this day, I don't know, but Roy Gullickson's "1998 Pakard" prototype seems to me a pretty good guess. In any case, it's a fairly safe bet that the "tombstone grill" motif would have survived. What I do know is that I heard years ago that late 1950's Pakards would have resembled the 1958-1960 Lincolns, and that Ford bought the design plans for the "next generation" Pakards when Pakard went out of business.

[@AutoMoments]

Interesting! Thanks for sharing!

[@automatedelectronics6062]

In 1955, the Packards were similar in style to the Lincolns. Their next-generation Predictor continued the Lincoln path with the front end similar to the Edsel or Pontiac. Ford might definitely have copied the Packard.

[@scootergeorge7089]

Studebaker-Packard attempted to enter into a partnership with Ford. This idea was to share the inner body stamping of the Packard and Lincoln. Otherwise the cars would not look all that similar. No more than a period Buick looked like an Oldsmobile 98. Ford decided against the move. In the late fifties aircraft company Curtis Wright entered into the SP picture and added a bit of much needed cash while speeding the demise of Packard. Packard new engine plant was shifted to defense work. J-47 jet engines I believe. They bailed out very quickly. The last two years, 1957 and 1958 Packards were little more than rebadged and fancied up Studebakers. Packard-Backers people called them. And few bought. In 1959 Studebaker-Packard stopped making Packards and concentrated on the new compact Lark. The Hawk line was only kept because the dealers insisted upon it. Car buffs still hoped that some day Studebaker-Packard would bring back the luxury Packard but when the company was finally renamed Studebaker Corporation, the handwriting was on the wall.

[@automatedelectronics6062]

Scooter George They were called Packard-Bakers, not Backers. Curtis-Wright was invited in 1956 into a management deal with Studebaker-Packard and bailed in 1959. C-W itself was in trouble and became a part and component manufacturer. The Lark was a modification of the standard 1953-8 Studebaker bodyshell and introduced in Fall 1958. Selling very well in it's 1st 2 years, it's only competition was the Rambler. Studebaker made the mistake of basing all subsequent models on the same Lark chassis. The furthest departure was the fiberglass bodied Avanti. The odd Studebaker looks and the inability to meet demand for the Avanti was what finally killed Studebaker. Their final model year cars were the most mainstream-looking they'd had in over a decade, but it was too late. As far as Avanti goes, it was never out of production for more than a few months from 1964 to the end of the 80's, but it ceased being a Studebaker product in 1965.

[@scootergeorge7089]

Harley Davidson " Packard-Bakers, not Backers." I know. That was a typo. The Avanti, based on a lark chassis, which was pretty much a 1953 affair was never going to sell well enough to save. And arriving late, it faced stiff competition from the new '63 Corvette Stingray, a real sports car. Studebaker as an auto maker. Studebaker stopped Avanti and truck, and GT Hawk production when they closed the South Bend plant.

[@zynet_eseled]

I know this is going to sound off, but...when I first saw a pacer, in forza horizon 3, I fell in love with the little thing. It became my #9 favorite car of all time. #10 bring the Gremlin. And yes, go ahead and laugh and shame me all you want. I just like the boot size and the almost truck/hatchback style design. Its intriguing. But my #1 dream car is a modified Cheveolet Bel Air 1955 model, with some lightly raised suspension and rally tires. And also, a very rustic and rust influenced paint design. Something I remember from NFS payback

[@TheKacper2001]

Please, test more cars from 1950s...

[@AutoMoments]

We'll have to find some, first! We do have a 1962 Rambler video coming soon!

[@TheKacper2001]

AutoMoments I would like to see Chevrolet Bel Air from 1955-1960

[@AutoMoments]

That would be cool, too!

[@jamesmister348]

I bought one just like this in 1966, it was the same color as this one, I paid 50 dollars for it, and drove it until the transmission went out on it,

[@frankeggers4024]

Some owners of antique Packards have replaced the Ultramatic with a Chrysler Torquerflite. An adapter is made to do that. With the 3-speed Torquerflite in accelerates much faster than with the 2-speed Ultramatic.

[@jasoncarpp7742]

This was style. Cars of this era had panache. That's not to say that safety was unimportant. Unless you're suicidal, or homicidal, safety should be imperative. That being said, style, personality, luxury, performance and panache are also important.

[@charlieirvin5423]

+Jason Carpp I don't like Them Cars it Looks like a car for serial killers or rapist

[@jasoncarpp7742]

Really?

[@confessionsonthehairfloor6391]

this channel is my fav. we need more videos!!!! thank you for all you do

[@blacquesjacques7239]

The Gremlin was popular for its styling .

[@AutoMoments]

Yes it was, but it appealed to a very different demographic than the typical Packard buyer. Haha. We like both cars!

[@iDONTdoFacebook]

Blacques Jacques I’ll take a Gremlin X, thank you.

[@MAGNUM05]

This car is a beauty! I love the styling of these old Packards. The engine and horn sound great!

[@AutoMoments]

+MAGNUM05 Thanks for watching! We're glad you enjoyed it!

[@frankeggers4024]

+MAGNUM05 I had a 1955 Packard Caribbean Convertible which I bought about 1980. When I had it in a wheel alignment shop I noticed that it idled much more quietly than a late model Rolls Royce which was also in the shop. And, contrary to what the narrator said, its cornering was fairly flat. The full-length torsion suspension system had good roll stiffness. The power steering even had good feel to it. However, like most cars build before about 1970, there was considerable play in the steering. The V8 engine sounded wonderful when it was wound up in low gear; it had that typical V8 scream. Unfortunately, the 2-speed Ultramatic was not the best thing for performance. It had a lock-up torque converter, a feature that Packard introduced on the 1949 Ultramafic. Packard was the first to have a lock-up torque converter and the first to have a part-throttle kick-down. Below about 38 mph if you pushed the accelerator down part way the torque converter would unlock to get more power. Push it all the way down and it would shift to low. Studebaker got a lock-up torque converter in 1951; it's transmission was made for it by Borg Warner. No other cars had a lock-up torque converter until about 1978.

[@senorsart]

congratulations on one of the best....in so many ways....classic car videos ever created.

[@AutoMoments]

+Pat Sart Thank you!

[@davepike6170]

How I'd love to have that Patrician to drive around today! They were huge and comfortable, and two speeds are fine, driven properly!

[@patrickchubey3127]

My buddy had a 2 speed chevy way back when and he'd cruise that car at 100 miles an hour no problem.

[@kaiserbill5711]

Packard was saddled with really bad management plus they took a bath on their aircraft engine plant thanks to Secretary of Defense and former GM President Charlie Wilson. They were also hit with having to make their own car bodies after the forced sale of Briggs Body Co. to Chrysler due to inheritance taxes after the death of the senior Mr. Briggs. Having driven a 1956 Patrician on numerous occasions with radial tires and a the stock torsion bar suspension I found the handling to be excellent especially when compared to the 1956 Lincolns and Cadillacs - the Cadillac was a death trap right off the showroom floor with its four coil springs that seem to have been designed by a mattress company. The death of Packard came as a great relief to GM whose Cadillac had always played second fiddle to the Senior Packards. The arrogance of monopoly capitalism infected the big three especially GM which is what has brought us to where we are today.

[@AutoMoments]

Wow, we didn't know the story about Briggs Body; that's really interesting. As for us, we would almost always prefer a Packard to a Cadillac!

[@winstonelston5743]

kaiserbill5711 Packard produced several versions (under license, and with running changes to improve horsepower and efficiency) of the 27-liter Rolls Royce Merlin V-12 engine which powered many military aircraft, as well as an array of marine engines, some versions of which which powered Patrol Torpedo boats (three fifteen-hundred horsepower jobs per PT, swilling aviation gas at profligate rates). Packard was one of the few manufacturers that could meet the tolerances specified for the Merlins.

[@emjayay]

@@AutoMoments Try your local public library for books on Packard, or maybe used or new on Amazon. At least one detailed history exists.

[@emilpantic5847]

I have one in my workshop. Curently undergoing a full restoration!

[@Pisti846]

Glad that they don't build big cars? So we should all drive trucks and so called SUVs? Dangerous? Big cars are dangerous? No, it is the nut the behind the wheel who is dangerous.

[@5610winston]

A big car you want? Look at the beached whales Rolls-Royce is offering these days.

[@DrewLSsix]

IstvanN1961. no, they were big....and also unsafe. the small cars of the time were also unsafe.

[@101Volts]

So smashing your face on a steel dashboard at 55 MPH without a seat belt is fair game? It's not just you driving, I haven't been in a head-on but I came close. I realize that might not be your whole point though.

[@blacquesjacques7239]

Those lead sleds were death traps

[@crankyyankee7290]

I have been in a head on,I was in the backseat of a '59 Ford,the other car was a large GM of the era,the only injuries were a few minor bruises,the speed was sufficient that the cars spun away from each other,the Ford was repaired and ran for years until the metal moths finished eating it,for todays cars it would be off to the recyclers to become sardine cans (what little metal there is.

[@TomYpsilanti]

Very nice assessment of the Packards of the fifties. It's always fun to see these machines out on the open road. Good job.

[@AutoMoments]

Thanks for watching! It was an honor to get to drive this beast.

[@ElCid48]

So, you are pontificating and calling those cars "crude" because they are not computers on wheels? They were useful in their day. In 30 years from now other more "enlightened geeks" will make fun of you and call today's cars a piece of junk. People survived without iPhones, GPS, on-board computers and all that makes you so proud of being of your generation. But guess who invented all those gadgets? Not geeks like you, that's for sure. They were already "old farts". Just remember that. If you want to create a good car show you'd better keep your bias at home. Talk about the characteristics of the car, not about what you think compared to your ideal of a modern car. We don't care about your comparisons because we already know that story.

[@frankeggers4024]

+ElCid48 In the future, probably today's cars will be called dangerous because of all the unnecessary distractive gadgets they have which have nothing to do with driving.

[@ElCid48]

Frank Eggers Exactly! And most of those gadgets can't be adjusted in motion. You have to stop the car in order to do all kinds of sets and resets. It's ABSURD!

[@5610winston]

Yes, and amen! Cell-phone in one hand, iPad in the other, how is the driver supposed to navigate the forty-seven layers of touch-screen menus to get to the stereo equalizer while merging into eighty-mile-per-hour traffic?

[@chumpkins9070]

Ok boomer

[@frankeggers4024]

@@5610winston My Tesla Model 3, which I bought about three weeks ago, has a touch screen. One must even use the touch screen to open the glove box! I think they got a bit carried away with the gadgetry.

[@alwcurlz]

I always find it so fascinating how people will talk about how cars like these were "heavy" and forget about all the trucks, mini-vans, cross-overs that weigh more!

[@adoreslaurel]

What a sad end to a company with such a proud record of quaity vehicles, and let's not forget that when England needed a US company to produce Merlin engines, the one company they felt had the right management to ensure quality, it chose Packard..

[@5610winston]

Actually, I read somewhere that while Packard was the first choice, war production personnel first approached Ford (as in Henry himself) and a deal was all but done when somebody mentioned how grateful President Roosevelt would be. Ford hated Roosevelt as much as he hated labor unions and certain religious minorities, and had his bouncers escort the Rolls Royce and war production people off the property.

[@claztube]

this is a well edited and produced piece thanks

[@walrus1234]

How about 50's Desoto

[@AutoMoments]

We actually have been talking to the owner of a 1957 DeSoto Adventurer, but we still have to film it. We've been very busy, but stay tuned!

[@jerryolson3746]

Love this generation of cars . Thank you

[@Ldrago9262]

I wish they still made them like that I don't care onsite safety I mean what are the chances of you crashing if you crash o well I die I won't know it

[@sarjim4381]

+Chris Foltz Except when you don't die and wake up paralyzed. You probably won't be saying "o well" then.

[@ElCid48]

+Sar Jim And do you think that if you crash good inside a modern car nothing happens to you??? Really??? "o well".

[@algrayson8965]

My Dad was rearended in a '71 Cadillac. Gave him a whiplash that caused him pain from then on. I was recently rearended so hard that my seat back broke. I have pain in my lower back and pelvic muscle from the lumbar support. If not for the head restraint, which hit my head so hard that I blacked out, most likely my neck would have broken. I would never want an antique car for daily use. Antique deathtraps are for driving around a park on Sunday afternoon.

[@jakekaywell5972]

@@ElCid48 A crash inside a modern car is more likely to result in me being uninjured instead of one of these lead sleds anyway, so that point is moot.

[@lordapophis5723]

This car makes me want to like this video 100 times!

[@AutoMoments]

Thank you! We love this car too. Thanks for watching!

[@michaelrichmond9243]

And no Check Engine Light.

[@jennifer86010]

This video shows a car that needs lots of work !! It needs a muffler, attention to the steering and suspension and a major tune-up. My family had a '55 Packard Patrician, the top of the line Packard, and it was a dream !! Push button drive (gear box) and it was a luxury tank, with horsepower galore and workmanship that put Rolls Royce to shame. It had futuristic features like auto tune radio, auto dim headlights, auto load leveling, and trunk that could sleep 6 in a snow storm !!! Luxury land yacht !! The American Rolls Royce !!!!

[@hustiene2801]

Beautiful car reviewed by a snowflake results as expected

[@ckryses3962]

Oh man your video was like as if i am crying being got stuck in 2020 while missing 50's and your video came and patting on my back, thus comforting me with words to calm me down!! I have a mad love for 30s, 40s, 50s and so!! I am a 92 born,my generation boys fooling around lambos but i am drooling around these beauties!! Yeah man you got words which i felt same!! World is now about 0 to 60 ..i feel pity for today's generation, they are missing so much or i will say everything by calling these beauties ""ugly, fat, grandpa and so"". I loved your channel...!!!SUBBED!!!!

[@AutoMoments]

Thanks for subscribing! Be sure to check out our other videos!

[@rarevhsuploads4995]

Extremely well presented classic car short. Witty, informative & accurate.

[@AutoMoments]

Thanks for watching!

[@johndunbar7504]

Wrong. As a typical modern `brat' obsessed with unimportant things like performance `off the mark', he fails to understand what the millions of Packard fans do; they made some of the finest and most beautiful cars in automotive history

[@jakekaywell5972]

@@johndunbar7504 He made a criticism so he MUST be a dirty heathen commie, right? Please be reasonable here.

[@johndunbar7504]

Exactly sp !

[@johndunbar7504]

@@jakekaywell5972 What the `f' are you talking about ?

[@fubarmodelyard1392]

Style and beauty long forgotten. Tragic end to a prestigious legacy. So right. Dangerous was a poor choice though. Thanks for the ride along

[@AutoMoments]

+Benny Gilardi Thanks for watching! And when we said dangerous, we were comparing it to modern cars. Obviously new cars are a lot safer.

[@ElCid48]

+AutoMoments People are dangerous, not cars. Look at the Russian videos about them driving their "safe cars" and see what happens to cars made with plastics and light material when they crash.

[@pur4567]

bullshit they drove great he doesnt know what he talking about I owned one

[@frankeggers4024]

+pur4567 .bruce v You're right! The full-length torsion bars resulted in very good roll stiffness so they actually cornered quite well. Actually, the Clipper cornered better than the Patrician because they both used the same diameter torsion bars but the torsion bars on the clipper were shorter (the car was shorter) which made them stiffer. He may have confused the Packard with the Buick. The Buick had poor roll stiffness and suspension by jello; it had considerable lean on corners and did not handle well.

[@richardprice5978]

so how was free way driving on bad roads ?

[@pur4567]

good

[@richardprice5978]

thanks was is better than new cars 2000 up from the big 3 ?

[@mrj-charles6383]

I owned to of the last. 1956 2 Door both of them. One was a basic all black and the other a tri color green with mohair interior. Loved all the chrome these had.

[@AutoMoments]

They are truly gorgeous cars. Thanks for watching!

[@kurtiseschofield]

RANT WARNING: I would prefer discussions about the great cars of my youth not be run be peach fuzz faced kids who just learned to drive. The sarcastic little digs about old cars are annoying. Yes, in some ways modern cars are safer and better - disk brakes vs drums, electronic ignition vs fiddly distributors, fuel injunction vs always out of synch carburetors, safety crumple zones vs no thought of what happens in a collision. But smaller is not always bigger. I'm 6'1", not overly tall, and I can't fit in anything but a pickup truck. All of the modern sedans are smaller than my old '69 Dart (and that was defined as a compact car!). Why can't we have big cars to choose from. Let those who want small cars have them to buy if they want them. But also make some big cars for those of us who want them!

[@exxusdrugstore300]

Modern cars are safer and better "in some ways"? I think you mean in every way. And he doesn't hate the car, he's just realistic about what it's like to drive and he praises the car immediately afterwards. Get off your high horse KES.

[@emjayay]

The 1956 Packard (while awesome) was basically a very heavy facelift of their existing car, including the wrap around windshield, because Packard didn't have the money for anything more. Cadillacs had a new body in 1954. There's a reason for those wide ribbed chrome panels on the side - part of the disguise. By that point the body was noticeably taller overall and higher at the belt line (window sill) than other cars, making it obviously old fashioned. Notice the old rounded trunk lid at 5:44 between the new rear fenders.

[@johndunbar7504]

A very strange narrative which only hints at what was great about Packard. Their cars weren't the products of `stubborn persistence' in ways of the past; they were a continuation of what had always made Packard great, most notably their incredible beauty. His speculative question about what a modern Packard would be like had the brand survived hints at that. I'm glad that Packard didn't live on because they may have suffered the same fate as Cadillac who in the 1920;s through 1950s made some of the most beautiful cars in history only to end up where they are today, making hideous shit pails that look like Toyota `wanabees'. I actually feel embarrassment when I encounter one of these hideous pieces of junk.

[@gregorytimmons4777]

Yes and Cadillac's future is once again in doubt.

[@jakekaywell5972]

Packard was a stodgy, traditionalist company though. "Stubborn persistence" perfectly describes these cars.

[@johndunbar7504]

@@jakekaywell5972 Hardly the case. Packard developed a V-12 passenger car in 1914 when most luxury cars could only manage 8 cylinders. The last Packards had the most advanced and sophisticated torsion bar suspension system in the industry. They only persisted where it was warranted. Their fabulous straight 8 engine was so perfectly smooth and reliable, that it was used for over 28 years. He who tries to minimize Packards in any way, is an ignoramus.

[@jakekaywell5972]

@@johndunbar7504 I'm not talking down Packards at all here, given how I already have myself a Studebaker as a first car and would like to get one of America's finest luxury car before too long. That said, I should be realistic with them. They were very much considered old hat by the time WWII ended. Inept management (looking at you, James Nance) really spelled the end for them, Studebaker merger or not. I agree that the time-honored straight-eight was an excellent engine, probably one of the best in the industry. That said, when the American marketplace demanded a V8 by the 1950s, Packard was forced to rush one together in the form of the 352 cu. Packard V8. Improper casting was the norm, leading to cracked heads. Again, I don't dislike Packards at all. I just can't pretend that they're perfect, like anything else. I will say that they are largely pretty darn close to perfect though.

[@johndunbar7504]

@@jakekaywell5972 That's better but nobody then or now ever considered them `old hat'. RR even kept its straight six until the same time that both they and Packard developed a V-8. By that time, Packard was seriously short of revenue to adequately test all new developments and did rush things in to production. But that was hardly their fault. Their weakness was that they lacked a range of product prices to bring in sufficient revenues (which is why they merged with Studebaker), All knowlegable classic car enthusuiasts consider Packards to be un-excelled in quality of design and manufacture throughout their entire history.

[@scootergeorge9576]

Nice car. No comment about the advanced self leveling, torsion bar suspension though. The exhaust seems loud for a luxury car. what kind of mufflers does it have?