Coolest Concept Cars: Packard Releases Its Last Hurrah - The 1956 Packard Predictor!

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Rare Classic Cars & Automotive History

Rare Classic Cars & Automotive History

Күн бұрын

Learn more about this awesome concept from Packard!

Пікірлер: 271
@jeff7.629
@jeff7.629 3 ай бұрын
The Studabaker/Packard merger has been described as two drunks trying to help each other cross the street.
@kenon6968
@kenon6968 3 ай бұрын
Packard was in much better shape than Studebaker, which was easily the weakest of the four Independents... They never actually did any proper due diligence if they had they would have stayed far away from it
@mpetersen6
@mpetersen6 3 ай бұрын
​@@kenon6968 Eds channel has a great video on the whole thing
@dave1956
@dave1956 3 ай бұрын
I never thought about it that way. I like it.
@49commander
@49commander 3 ай бұрын
@@kenon6968 plus due to the stock arrangement the new board was almost entirely Studebaker members. I think they just wanted Packards still ample cash reserves that were more than adequate to bring the all new 1957 to production. Same thing happened at Chrysler when Daimler took them over and stole their cash and gave them the Crappy Mercedes based 300. With less room, more weight and expensive rear wheel or all wheel drive! Had it not been for one Daimler member taking a liking to Chryslers Mercedes based 300 concept they wouldn't even had that car! Plus Daimler refused to fund the 3rd generation LH cars leaving Chrysler with a bunch of nothing! Sad how corporate egos have ruined so many companies. Using egos to make decisions instead of market and other metrics to make logical decisions!
@JonathanMoosey
@JonathanMoosey 3 ай бұрын
The 1950s version of the Sears/Kmart merger
@krazmokramer
@krazmokramer 3 ай бұрын
I owned an early 63 Corvette Roadster. My first thought at seeing the front end of this Packard was that this was where the C2 Corvette got its styling. This includes the hood (C2 rounded over that squared center bulge.) The T-tops were on the C3 and later cars from various makes. The rear roofline and window were like my uncle's late 50s Lincoln. And those center gauges are similar to the 65 Bonneville and the 70 240Z. Lots of innovation here, as well as lots of copied styling. THANKS for this video!
@alwardryan
@alwardryan 3 ай бұрын
I thought the same thing about the C2 being directly inspired by this thing!
@49commander
@49commander 3 ай бұрын
It was called Torsion-Level and used two long torsion bars that interconnected the front and rear wheel on each side. one end was twisted clock-wise and the other counter clockwise. The system nearly eliminated all front to rear pitching over intersection crossings, rail road crossings or undulating roads. It also substantially reduced body leans in sharp curves with the need of large anti-sway bars. This kept side to side rocking to a minimum. The leveling system employed two additional Torsion bars connected to the rear axle and were twisted by the screw jack motor to level the car. The geometry of the suspension control arms resisted Nose Dive on braking and rear end squat on take off! The system was equal to Citroens Hydraulic Suspension used on the DS21 and far more reliable and produced better handling than GM's trouble prone air suspension. Most of which were replaced with regular coil springs after less than a year after introduced. Packard had a well proven chassis, engine ready for the all new 1957's. They had a new substantially improved Twin Ultramatic ready as well. So basically the 1957's were just brand new bodies on proven chassis. Unlike Ford and Chryslers All New 1957's. Should had been a winner.
@emjayay
@emjayay 3 ай бұрын
Except the 1957s were never produced. Instead 1957 "Packards" were tarted up Studebakers. Yes, the "Torsion-Aire" term he used was what Chrysler called their torsion bar front suspension introduced in 1957. The "aire" part was just to make it sound like the air suspensions introduced in 1958 by GM and Ford, but no actual air was involved.
@Greatdome99
@Greatdome99 3 ай бұрын
While the torsion bar setup helped fore-aft diving/squating tendencies, it did nothing for side to side swaying in corners--no interconnected torsion bars for that. These cars were very softly sprung and in corners, well, fasten seat belts! The Citroen system in later years was vastly more sophisticated, but very complex with its 2,000 psi hydraulic system.
@49commander
@49commander 3 ай бұрын
@@Greatdome99 your are partly incorrect. When turning both ends of the Torsion bar were twisting effectively doubling the spring rate! Engineers at Packard were able to create development models with near zero Nose Dive on Braking and Nearly flat cornering, However, tire technology made flat cornering unsafe because tire adhesion was so poor on US bias ply tires the feeling of lean made people back off to prevent sudden traction loss! European cars were already using radial ply tires in the 1950's since nearly all their tire factories were destroyed in WW-2. I have driven a 1952 Packard with new OEM type bias ply tires. Go into a curve too fast and the car just slides. That is why all cars until the Corvair were made to severly understeer. Tires just couldn't grip. Its also why larger brakes were pointless. Just made the wheels lock up easier. Yes the cars were very softly sprung and that was a sales and marketing demand. Tires in the USA made huge leaps in the 1990's!!
@Colorado_Native
@Colorado_Native 3 ай бұрын
The tail fins look like they were a great inspiration for the 1960 Plymouths. Our neighbors across the street used to have a Caribbean. It had torsion bars and could level the rear end if my memory is correct. Thanks for postingbthis.
@kenon6968
@kenon6968 2 ай бұрын
Wow, what a rare car, my rear car neighbor had a Maserati Quattroporte returning to its natural elements in his front yard, it being northeastern Canada and Italians being innovators in self recycling steel.
@nottiification
@nottiification 3 ай бұрын
Looks like something out of the 60's. They really were predicting the future.
@jonathanabbott8579
@jonathanabbott8579 3 ай бұрын
Front end is Stingray, meets Edsel, meets Catalina. Love it!
@TheopolisQSmith
@TheopolisQSmith 3 ай бұрын
Old as I am I had never heard of or seen this Packard. Very attractive car. It couda been a contender.
@DSP1968
@DSP1968 3 ай бұрын
What a treat to see this beautiful car out in the sun! (And I see the Studebaker Sceptre behind it, so I hope you feature that car in an upcoming video too.) I'm seeing a few ideas/features that showed up on the XM Turnpike Cruiser, the production Turnpike Cruiser, and the '59 Mercury. This car has a beautiful interior, which looks like it might still feature the original upholstery. Thank you, Adam.
@LuciFeric137
@LuciFeric137 3 ай бұрын
The nose reminds me of 67 - 69 Pontiacs
@alanblanes2876
@alanblanes2876 3 ай бұрын
I am so glad you did this review, Adam. I have wondered for years what the interior of the Predictor was like.
@craigtiano3455
@craigtiano3455 3 ай бұрын
There has been a lot of research done on the Studebaker-Packard merger. As they got close to doing the deal, it was determined that Studebaker's cost figures to build their cars were fiction. They were losing money on every car. They still did the deal, because the management felt that they could consolidate production and achieve profitability. That meant the antiquated Packard production facility on Grand Blvd would be closed as production went to South Bend. Ultimately, they didn't achieve that profitability, so there was no money to put into both Studebaker and Packard models. For 1957-1958, the Packard models were gussied up Studebakers, earning them the ignominious name of "Packardbakers".
@captkirk6145
@captkirk6145 3 ай бұрын
I can only see an Edsel because of the nose. Other than that is looks pretty good. Like the rear. Looks cool.
@lancesteele9719
@lancesteele9719 3 ай бұрын
Another wild '50s concept car ! Thanks for sharing !
@wam44
@wam44 3 ай бұрын
Hard to believe this car and the Pacer along with other AMC dogs were designed by the same person. Love the AMX and Javelin btw...
@davidbaro4834
@davidbaro4834 3 ай бұрын
Love this car, particularly the interior.
@obiwanjacobi76
@obiwanjacobi76 3 ай бұрын
Adam, great video as always. I have a new idea for you: Have you ever done a video about GM’s “bi-level” HVAC setting? With the hot-cold slider near the middle, it simultaneously blew AC out the dash and heat down in the footwells. Then and now, I think 90% of people never understood and/or misused it. Or maybe it’s just me! 😆
@halhenryg
@halhenryg 3 ай бұрын
Adam, Thanks another great posting.
@kubeckjay1137
@kubeckjay1137 3 ай бұрын
The Torsion Level suspension did NOT have a torsion bar for each wheel, but, two long torsion bars tying the front and rear wheels together, and, two short torsion bars at the rear of the car to level the car as it is loaded or unloaded with luggage, passengers or fuel. The Clipper suspension had no leaf or coil springs or air bags.
@alexanderspenser4960
@alexanderspenser4960 3 ай бұрын
Appreciate the clarification/education on this Packard. The background story helps with what I perceived as 'just throw everything at it concept'. Love the execution, and hated the Greenhouse. 🏁🇺🇸 Now about that Studies' next to it, which has so much GM Buick Special & Nova influences.👍🏾
@solemandd67
@solemandd67 3 ай бұрын
The front of the Predictor is elegant. Some design elements of the overall exterior and interior remind me of the '58-'60 Thunderbirds. Industrial designers watch their competitors so I can fathom some of inspiration drawn from this car. Only the deep inset of the wheels make it look like the body is too large for the chassis. A few years ago someone took the Predictor for a spin and posted their driving impression. I recall they liked the smooth ride, due to the cars weight. Additionally, its unique features received accolades. Negatives were confined to a lack of power and a ungainly turning radius. *For the summer public introduction of the Lincoln Futura, two Ford executives were chosen to drive it through Central Park. Once underway, electrical shorts caused both the ventilation system and combination door-canopy release to fail. They couldn't exit at the planned press conference downtown. After a quick drive by, they headed to private airport hanger where Ford mechanics eventually freed them.
@MarinCipollina
@MarinCipollina 3 ай бұрын
Thanks for this one, Adam.. I always thought the Packard Predictor was a stunning vehicle, and it's unfortunate it wasn't made into production form as the swan song for the Packard brand. It fits perfectly with the late 1950s design ethos.
@IowaBudgetRCBashers
@IowaBudgetRCBashers 3 ай бұрын
My favorite packard from the 50’s is the Packard Hawk. It’s such a sexy car, it’s fast, and like nothing else made in 57-8
@Lurch4you
@Lurch4you 3 ай бұрын
That's just a modified 1957-58 Studebaker Golden Hawk. The big difference was the styling up front ( styling was approved by Roy Hurley: Chairman of Curtis-Wright ) & the leather interior. But the leather interior was previewed on the very rare 1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk 400.
@landiahillfarm6590
@landiahillfarm6590 3 ай бұрын
wow!
@geralderdek282
@geralderdek282 3 ай бұрын
It would definitely need large sunvisors in a production vehicle what with all that overhead glass area!
@billdescoteaux
@billdescoteaux 3 ай бұрын
It definitely needed the senior series' 374 under the hood rather than the 352.
@joeseeking3572
@joeseeking3572 3 ай бұрын
I've seen this in South Bend - assuming the Museum had a contingent there as I notice the Sceptre alongside. Wasn't looking this good then, wonder if the interior still looks a little tired in person. The tie-up with Lincoln would certainly have worked stylistically for 57.... Just last week I was in Warren, OH - and they have the 51 Pan America.
@Flies2FLL
@Flies2FLL 3 ай бұрын
That's in the museum in South Bend.
@installwebercarburetorsona6159
@installwebercarburetorsona6159 3 ай бұрын
Glad it has survived
@CarsandCats
@CarsandCats 3 ай бұрын
That looks like a windshield that could never be replaced at any cost! Fantastic car. I see Pontiac copied the beak 10 years later.
@JamesMillis-v3w
@JamesMillis-v3w 3 ай бұрын
I thought it was a great looking car when I first saw it back in 1956. I was fourteen at the time and really into the cars of the day.
@IowaBudgetRCBashers
@IowaBudgetRCBashers 3 ай бұрын
Tge predictor is straight out of the jetsons. It looks like it could fly
@jazzfan6
@jazzfan6 3 ай бұрын
The Predictor is 'interesting' in a 50's Detroit dream car sense, but I think Packard would have been better served style-wise (going forward from 1948) if they had engaged Howard "Dutch" Darrin to evolve his 41-47 Clipper design to be sleeker but still traditional, with the addition of the wider Packard grill from the Packard Request concept car. The result might have been a senior line that resembled the Bentley R-Type Continental, with an attendant boost in prestige in the marketplace.
@davehunt6176
@davehunt6176 3 ай бұрын
What was that great looking car to the left of the Packard?
@fubarmodelyard1392
@fubarmodelyard1392 3 ай бұрын
I think it's cool and we're fortunate she was saved. Did you film the black car next door?
@arnesahlen2704
@arnesahlen2704 3 ай бұрын
This concept car had the beauty of front end that put Edsel to (even greater) shame.
@J-AficioArtes
@J-AficioArtes 3 ай бұрын
!,.1956 Packard Releases; Documental Automotris,unico El.original.interesante.para la Istoria.USA.CARS.ELEGANTE: AUTO.
@AlexanderWaylon
@AlexanderWaylon 3 ай бұрын
I think it’s beautiful… quintessential late 50s. It’s a real shame they didn’t make it.
@louislepage5111
@louislepage5111 3 ай бұрын
Last gasp of a grand old company
@michaelwhite2823
@michaelwhite2823 3 ай бұрын
Okay is a video on the cruddy little StudePackards next?
@Jamesxavier-v4x
@Jamesxavier-v4x 3 ай бұрын
The Pontiac Bonneville😂
@joemazzola7387
@joemazzola7387 3 ай бұрын
I have seen the black and white auto show pictures of it and it looked like the car that Homer Simpson designed But in your video it's outstanding especially the front end .it looks like it's from the mid 60s I don't like the narrow track but I guess it's that way because of the skirted fenders Packard was flush with money after world war II they were stubborn and kept the straight for too long
@emjayay
@emjayay 3 ай бұрын
Joe meant "straight eight." Packard spent what money they had on their own automatic transmission instead of an OHV V8. They should have just bought them from GM or Borg-Warner. They were also late with a real postwar design in 1951 which all their cars to 1956 were based on, and in its original version it was way too stodgy looking.
@jamesterakazis6624
@jamesterakazis6624 Ай бұрын
The front nose is an obvious ode to Alfa Romeo
@mscotthowell1
@mscotthowell1 3 ай бұрын
Were the body panels for these concept cars fiberglass, or something similar?
@MarkWG
@MarkWG 3 ай бұрын
Yes, the Packard Predictor was indeed, a beautiful masterpiece of what could have been the look of future, GENUINE, Packards. It is really a shame that the company could not stay afloat or if one of the larger automobile companies could have taken Packard in and allowed it to flourish. Once, a Great Marque.
@timbrady6473
@timbrady6473 3 ай бұрын
What is the car along side of the Predictor(on the drivers side)?
@Romiman1
@Romiman1 3 ай бұрын
But how about that extremely elegant car, left next to it?
@rafaelfiallo4123
@rafaelfiallo4123 3 ай бұрын
I always thought the wheels were way too far in, it was sort of their shot at a Mark II/Eldorado Brougham car.
@theragingdolphinsmaniac4696
@theragingdolphinsmaniac4696 3 ай бұрын
I thought it was Ford Edsel at first. If Ford had made it look like that it would have sold well
@WhittyPics
@WhittyPics 3 ай бұрын
Ford had a roof like that on their Turnpike Cruiser?
@audieconrad8995
@audieconrad8995 3 ай бұрын
Gotta give it to Dick Teague, he was an innovator not an imitator...
@gencreeper6476
@gencreeper6476 2 ай бұрын
Just like the Edsel they had a really good front end and ruined it by slapping an extremely out of place looking puckered up pooper in the middle of it. Edsel's design team should have gotten the hint from this.
@michaelstrafello7346
@michaelstrafello7346 3 ай бұрын
Pontiac vette
@theatreorganman
@theatreorganman 2 ай бұрын
Well done--but please, NOT TORSION-AIRE; TORSION-LEVEL!
@jonesbugattis
@jonesbugattis 3 ай бұрын
That may be the ugliest car ever! WTF were they smoking?
@treesnmoguls
@treesnmoguls 2 ай бұрын
No offense, but I am finding your videos have become boring. I miss the ones where you show us your cars and drive them.
@Johnnycdrums
@Johnnycdrums 3 ай бұрын
I'm a big fan of the Pedictor's interior. The front end is worse than a 58' Edsel and the back end, is the worst I have ever seen on any mid-Twentieth Century American Modern art form. Hard to notice the slab side weirdness with all the other excentric weirdness going on, all the while being too long, too big, and heavy for the 270 h.p. 352 c.i. mill. Thank God nobody had to live with it, as they would be ashamed to be an American one week after purchase. The Caribbean on the other hand, stands the test of all ridicule, including my own. Sorry, Adam, the Packard Predictor (lousy name, but lives up to it visually), with it's inboard wheels and ungainly shape just looks queer. Glad it wasn't built and looked upon as inspiration by worthy designers, other than as an example of what not to do. Big fail by Ghia too, of which I am sure they would rather forget.
@oldcarbear503
@oldcarbear503 3 ай бұрын
please do a video on the Studebaker Sceptre that was parked next to the Predictor
@catlovermarty
@catlovermarty 3 ай бұрын
YES! I saw that he kept filming over by it and thought he'd have both in one video. The Spectre is a cool car!
@volktales7005
@volktales7005 3 ай бұрын
Would love to see that too!
@noscwoh1
@noscwoh1 3 ай бұрын
I've never seen or heard of the Sceptre, but that's no Dick Teague design. That baby has Brooks Stevens written all over it. Yes, Adam, we want to see more of it!
@michaelwhite2823
@michaelwhite2823 3 ай бұрын
Is that that sleek black coupe?
@jazzfan6
@jazzfan6 3 ай бұрын
@@michaelwhite2823 Yes.
@oldcarbear503
@oldcarbear503 3 ай бұрын
Totally agree the Predictor is one of the best concept cars of the 50's, from any manufacturer. Packard never lacked in the design department, just finance and management.
@49commander
@49commander 3 ай бұрын
Really by this time Nance had built a strong management team at Packard. They had the cash needed to bring the all new 57's to market had they not done the hasty merger with Studebaker which just was flushing Packards cash down the toilet almost overnight!!
@stevevarholy2011
@stevevarholy2011 3 ай бұрын
@@49commander Packard had a number of lean periods over it existence. It's reluctance to have an entry level mass production car almost did it in when the Great Depression hit. Finally, they saw the writing on the walls and the 120 saved the company.
@stevenjones1441
@stevenjones1441 3 ай бұрын
On a modern note, the design s of Dodge rams and cars are wonder but underneath they are Fiats😢
@49commander
@49commander 3 ай бұрын
@@stevenjones1441 Ram Trucks are still mostly Detroit since Europeans don't have that technology. The new Hurricane 6 was started before Diamler took over. It was to replace the old AMC 4.0. Took forever to get the money to bring it to production.
@MinnieTricks
@MinnieTricks 3 ай бұрын
It looks like the Predictor predicted Edsel’s nose.
@Lurch4you
@Lurch4you 3 ай бұрын
Not quite. Photos exist of Edsel prototypes taken in November of 1955. These prototypes already sport the famous for 1958 " Horse Collar " grille in its almost final form.
@MarinCipollina
@MarinCipollina 3 ай бұрын
Quite the opposite reailly.. Whereas Edsel had a central opening, Packard had a solid shield.
@gruntherblendin388
@gruntherblendin388 3 ай бұрын
The Predictor was in response to years of requests from Packard buyers to bring back the vertical grille style of the classic pre-war Packards. The "Request" show car was the precursor to the Predictor.
@kenon6968
@kenon6968 2 ай бұрын
​@@gruntherblendin388good point about the request, not nearly as well integrated a design as the predictor. Funny how Studebaker Packard in all their wisdom actually ended up grafting a grill onto the Loewy coupes, can't win them all...
@gencreeper6476
@gencreeper6476 2 ай бұрын
@@Lurch4you True but Packard would have had no idea unless they put all their money into spying on Ford
@markbehr88
@markbehr88 3 ай бұрын
I have seen this car in person at the Studebaker museum in Indiana. Dick Teague was a great designer. The 1964 American, the 68 Javelin, the AMX and his 1970 Hornet are stand outs. 👍
@mpetersen6
@mpetersen6 3 ай бұрын
The AMX/3 was the best they ever did. One of them was a barn find in Michigan NW of Traverse City
@curtisjknight6367
@curtisjknight6367 3 ай бұрын
Don't forget Teague's 1980's Jeep Cherokee , built thru 2000 . Still the best early SUV .
@markbehr88
@markbehr88 3 ай бұрын
@@curtisjknight6367 Yes although I prefer Brooke Stevens Wagoneer. 👍
@curtisjknight6367
@curtisjknight6367 3 ай бұрын
@@markbehr88 And that black Studebaker next over , was the equivalent last gasp concept for Studebaker , by Brooks Stevens (mid 1960's)
@markbehr88
@markbehr88 3 ай бұрын
@@curtisjknight6367 Yes, I have seen all of those at the Studebaker museum. Interchangeable panels and very cool Sylvania headlights. If they had of made those I would definitely own one today. Will have to make do with my 63 V8 Lark.
@mileshigh1321
@mileshigh1321 3 ай бұрын
Many aspects of it are ahead of its time! I really like the interior! The front is nice too, like the corvette as you mentioned! The roll top, T-top was pretty unique! Glad its restored and saved!
@Lurch4you
@Lurch4you 3 ай бұрын
Interesting you post this on June 25th. June 25, 1956 , the last " real " Packard ( a black 1956 Patrician ) would leave the Connor Avenue Detroit plant. Exactly one year later, June 25, 1957 , AMC would build the last Hudson & Nash automobiles. A quick note. Packard actually bought Studebaker. Lehman Brothers brokered the deal in which Packard's stock was used to purchase Studebaker's debt. And three notes on the Predictor itself. First, the original name was the Projector but it was changed. Second, under the hood is a 1956 275hp 352ci V8 that was used in both the 1956 Clipper Custom & the midyear Packard Executive. The 260hp quoted was the rating of the 1955 352 ci V8 used in the 1955 Packard Four-Hundred & Patrician. And Third, I'll give Creative Industries a nod. They were the company that hastily repaired the Predictor after it suffered a dash fire, soon after the car arrived from being built by Ghia. They got done with the repairs barely in time for the 1956 Chicago Auto Show.
@nthused
@nthused 3 ай бұрын
Love these old concept cars. Thank you for posting this!
@bjepper1
@bjepper1 3 ай бұрын
What a beautiful piece of art. Dick Teague was an absolute genius.
@curtisjknight6367
@curtisjknight6367 3 ай бұрын
Certainly he did better with his AMC designs , notably the compact Jeep Cherokees ...1997-2000 were his best , in my opinion .
@sebastian0107
@sebastian0107 Ай бұрын
And all that with just one eye!
@curtisjknight6367
@curtisjknight6367 Ай бұрын
@@sebastian0107 That's right .
@taunusv4power
@taunusv4power 3 ай бұрын
Looks like it inspired several cars in the 60s
@62Madison
@62Madison 3 ай бұрын
The Predictor really didn’t predict much, but it is way cool. Adam- please talk about that gorgeous 1960s Studebaker Scepter designed by Brooks Stevens next to the Packard.
@bryduhbikeguy
@bryduhbikeguy 3 ай бұрын
I thought it was an early 67-69T-Bird design,except the grill area.
@jefweb5043
@jefweb5043 3 ай бұрын
I know Studebaker was far from perfect; but Studebaker Champions and Presidents were the vehicles my grandparents drove until they were done. Thank you for featuring the Packard!
@kennethbode2017
@kennethbode2017 3 ай бұрын
I see corvette, Pontiac, T bird and Mercury all in one car
@curtisjknight6367
@curtisjknight6367 3 ай бұрын
I just see trouble trying to sell that design , like the 1959-1960 Continentals that were so excessively done. And the overworked torsion bar suspension and it's motors would have sunk this idea , and taken the whole company with it .
@hughjass1044
@hughjass1044 3 ай бұрын
I can see Pontiac, Edsel, Plymouth, Mercury, Oldsmobile, Corvette and Lincoln styling which either was poached by Packard or from Packard.
@stevevarholy2011
@stevevarholy2011 3 ай бұрын
It's all about proportions, too. Where the Edsel came across unsightly, the slender stylized grille on Predictor looks perfect.
@kenon6968
@kenon6968 2 ай бұрын
There was talk of sharing the body frames I believe for the abortive '57 models. Interesting to that Lincoln went with the "pregnant elephant/ bathtub" styling immediately post war as well, weird similarities
@Primus54
@Primus54 3 ай бұрын
Certainly a unique car. I chuckle a little bit at how far inset the wheels are from the edge of the wheel wells. Reminds me of your Canadian Pontiac sporting the Chevy chassis. 👍
@markbrow252
@markbrow252 3 ай бұрын
Great Segment! You are a virtual Cornacopia of knowledge! The Big ripped off so many of these styling features over the years!
@SeventhAnubis071
@SeventhAnubis071 3 ай бұрын
Amazing!. The list of cars that borrowed from that design... Corvette, Cadillac, Fords, Mercury, Buick Riviera, Edsel or Pontiac nose, 59 Chevy round gauges, that style speedometer used in many cars..... That curve off the top of the fender to the center of the headlights on current cars....
@RobertKnapp-n6q
@RobertKnapp-n6q 3 ай бұрын
Sceptre!!!
@PeteLenz
@PeteLenz 3 ай бұрын
Amazing car for that year! Those door handles remind me of later AMC door handles.
@efogg3
@efogg3 3 ай бұрын
Looks like a mix of interiors and exteriors of all kinds of cars to come.
@roberthoffhines5419
@roberthoffhines5419 3 ай бұрын
The exit of Packard is one of the most vexing. How they took so long, after making all those Merlin engines for the P-51s, to come up with an OHV engine. Cadillac introduced theirs in '49. It seems Packard was just overly conservative after their rough ride through the depression, but their product suffered from it, being comparatively stodgy. This (and the Panther) being a notable exception. And the merger...right up there with the Penn Central merger a dozen years later.
@kenon6968
@kenon6968 3 ай бұрын
Cars like the 110 and the 120 save the Packard name plate from the decimation which was the depression but it was a wrong move to keep going down mid-market in the postwar sellers boom, their management however hated the senior line and proceeded to erode magnificent brand equity in very short order
@RobertJarecki
@RobertJarecki 3 ай бұрын
One of the things I've seen written in a Packard Club publication was about Packard's profits during war years. IIRC, the article said that under a War Profits Act, a company's profits were limited to the margin the company had in certain years before the war. This was to avoid war profiteering, mostly seen as a commendable goal. However, since Packard had a lower margin in the years leading up to the war, the company was limited in the margin percentage they could make. Even though Packard introduced lower priced models in the late 1930s, applying the lower margin meant that they didn't accumulate the cash reserves that a company like Ford (with far more popular low priced models and greater economies of scale) could accumulate on an equal amount of sales. This meant that Packard didn't have the resources to develop the features, like a V8 engine or automatic transmission* to compete with the Big Three. * I have a 23rd Series (1949/50) Packard with the Ultramatic. The most charitable thing I've seen written about it is that it was "designed for leisurely acceleration." Having also driven a 1950 Oldsmobile with automatic, I'd say that, even though my Packard has an Ultramatic in very good condition, the Oldsmobile's transmission has much better response. Packard: Ask The Man Who Owns One. Edit: Punctuation
@kenon6968
@kenon6968 3 ай бұрын
@@RobertJarecki that adds an interesting new dimension to their post-war woes. And yet they still managed to pull out an independently designed automatic transmission, a modern V8, and dick teague pulled off a very convincing restyle for 55 of the 51 body shells, alas it was probably already too late by 55 even if they didn't have production issues
@RobertJarecki
@RobertJarecki 3 ай бұрын
@kenon6968 Ooops! I didn't mention the V8. Thank you for reminding me.* *The V8 was a modern design. The oil pump, however, had a pot metal cover that expanded in heat enough to sometimes allow air to be drawn in and damage the engine. Concerned owners may still be able to get a steel replacement from Custom Auto on French Street in Santa Ana California if the replacement hasn't already been made. Edit: typos
@robertvance1873
@robertvance1873 3 ай бұрын
I am so in love with the Predictor after seeing her in person so breathe taking
@danielulz1640
@danielulz1640 3 ай бұрын
Ford started poaching Packard engineers and designers in the early 50's, primarily for its Lincoln division. That is why you see Packard advanced styling cues beginning with FoMoCo's 56 models. It could be said that the 56 Lincoln should have been the 55 Packard with a different face.
@2packs4sure
@2packs4sure 3 ай бұрын
Please say that that Sceptre is next !! I've always had a thing for it.
@bozodog428
@bozodog428 3 ай бұрын
One of the wildest for sure.
@rusty365
@rusty365 3 ай бұрын
Really gorgeous car and thanks for answering emails Adam
@robertvance1873
@robertvance1873 3 ай бұрын
I can see Pontiac with the nose and the 57-58 tail light design of the Plymouth Fury.
@toddbonin6926
@toddbonin6926 3 ай бұрын
This is AWESOME!!! Please tell us you’re going to do the Sceptre next!!!
@starman2337
@starman2337 3 ай бұрын
I got to sit behind the wheel of this one in storage at a Studebaker warehouse in South Bend. There was some paint damage on the trunk that's thankfully been restored.
@Pisti846
@Pisti846 3 ай бұрын
Nash and Packard and Willys would have made the best merger, both N-K and Packard were profitable and Willys would have made a great truck division.
@kenon6968
@kenon6968 3 ай бұрын
Really everyone buts Studebaker, throw Kaiser in there as well..but egos got I the way, Nance and Romney we're never going to play nice with each other. Nash tied up with Hudson, Packard couldn't go it alone so I had only one partner left in the dance.
@Lurch4you
@Lurch4you 3 ай бұрын
Actually, George Mason had approached Packard about merging as early as 1948. He was shown the door by Packard. Mason admitted that Hudson was his second choice because Hudson & Nash directly competed with each other.
@Drcraigfreeman9280
@Drcraigfreeman9280 3 ай бұрын
What a cool ride, it was a shame that the Packard brand went away, it would be a lovely Sunday driver.
@craigcardwell4143
@craigcardwell4143 3 ай бұрын
Reminds me of a later Pontiac.
@rogelio451
@rogelio451 3 ай бұрын
I can see some Corvette, Mercury, Edsel, Plymouth and even Pontiac styling that may have come from this monstrousity, but I wanted to see more of that black car you kept teasing us with.
@emjayay
@emjayay 3 ай бұрын
Brook Stevens Studebaker Sceptre. Both of these are usually inside at the Studebaker museum in South Bend. I saw the Scepter at the car museum in Hershey PA a few years ago, so it does get out on occasion.
@rogelio451
@rogelio451 3 ай бұрын
@@emjayay From what I could see on the video the scepter looked good but I'm too far from Indiana so I hope we get a video on it too.
@DocBBR
@DocBBR 3 ай бұрын
Very cool car 👍🏼 Thank you for presenting such history 🙏
@brianfisher4940
@brianfisher4940 3 ай бұрын
Amazing!! Love it. T top, open rear window for more ventilation, thick 10 inch doors.. very cool indeed.
@turdferguson4124
@turdferguson4124 3 ай бұрын
How many Predictors were built? Was there more than one?
@danielulz1640
@danielulz1640 3 ай бұрын
No, one only.
@kaelhooten8468
@kaelhooten8468 3 ай бұрын
Packard plant museum in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Go there.
@davidpancerev9658
@davidpancerev9658 3 ай бұрын
Also Packard museum in Warren, Ohio.
@drakbar5957
@drakbar5957 3 ай бұрын
Darned shame Studebaker couldn’t keep Teague as their stylist after the ‘56 Packard run. He would’ve done a much better job on the Packard Hawk. Studebaker styling limped along until Brooks Stevens came along, and Raymond Loewy re entered the picture. But by that time, Packard was gone.
@arnesahlen2704
@arnesahlen2704 3 ай бұрын
I still don't get why US government allowed the giant Ford-Chevrolet price war in 1950s! That small auto companies would suffer if not collapse must have been blindingly obvious.
@pcno2832
@pcno2832 3 ай бұрын
5:04 This was a little over a year before Danish architect Jørn Utzon submitted his initial models for the Sidney Opera House.
@GaryBoyd02
@GaryBoyd02 3 ай бұрын
The rear window later in the Mercury Montcalm ok m 64 and also the front quarter fenders and hood sure resemble several years of early 60s Pontiac including that nose in 69. Lots of future designs are seemingly present in this vehicle.
@49commander
@49commander 3 ай бұрын
Keep in mind, most of the Packard people left for Ford to bring their Edsel to production and when it failed many were sent to rescue Lincoln and they were critical to bring the best car Ford had built in decades to market, the all new 1961 Continental!!
@maxr4448
@maxr4448 3 ай бұрын
Packard made some of the most BEAUTIFUL CARS ever produced. It is a sham they went out. Along with Studebaker, and Hudson, and Stutz, and Duesenberg's. Chrysler did too!
@philip4193
@philip4193 3 ай бұрын
It looks like the car that Homer Simpson designed in that old episode where he works with his newly-discovered rich half-brother who owns a car company.
@a.person7825
@a.person7825 3 ай бұрын
The front of the Predictor looks as if an Edsel and a second gen Corvette had a love child. Sorry, Adam, I said this just as the video started.😬
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