THE LAST GREAT PACKARD | The Bad Blonde

[@Johnny-xw7mf]

Packards quality standards were very high

[@jks3849]

Dick Teague later went to work for AMC

[@JohnSample-h6n]

I’ve heard these called Mae West bumpers too.

[@KDoyle4]

Packard merged with Studebaker in 1954, before this 1955 model.

[@ericknoblauch9195]

In 1954 Nash Motors Merged with The Hudson Motor Car Company. In the same year Packard merged with Studabaker. It was originally planned by Charles Nance to have all four of these companies merge but it did not happen. If it did happen at the time the newly formed company would have been larger than Chrysler was at the time. Nance wanted all four of these independent companies to merge into American Motors. AMC would have had Packard for the luxury market, and Rambler for the regular market. The 4 way merger might have helped American Motors AMC survive and would have been around today. The Packard Studabaker merger was a failure. Studabaker was loosing money, and had a padded down set of books to show Packard they were profitable when they were not. Packard was in better shape than Studabaker at the time. My Grandpa used to say that Packard never should have gotten into bed with Studabaker, and would have still have been around today if they had not merged. There have also been a couple of attempts to revive the Packard name. The first attempt did not go as planned. There is a second attempt currently in the works.

[@tombrown1898]

The styling wasn't new. Dick Teague accomplished a brilliant facelift of the 1951-54 John Rinehart "high pockets" design, the only Post-War Packard redesign. Packard President, Jim Nance was so thrilled with the Cathedral taillights that he gave Dick Teague a handsome raise. Nance hated the Senior Packard's 1951-54 taillights, referring to them as "bull's nuts."

[@RToddRothrauff]

One of my all-time favorites !

[@slicksnewonenow]

IF ONLY luxury cars like those of 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s were being built today... exact reproductions, only with more modern materials and powertrains! I'm certain that they'd sell like crazy.

[@trickyricky12147]

One automaker should make repops of a poor man's luxury car from yesteryear too.

[@ScubaDude_Sg]

Oh my gosh it’s a thing of beauty!!

[@jamesporche7834]

What an awesome vehicle.

[@JimBEATTIE-os1jk]

One of the most beautiful cars of its day and with many others of the time designed with such meticulous attention to the Aesthetics of the vehicle

[@trickyricky12147]

I always saw Packard as a poor man's luxury car, but they sure did offer some higher end models and trim packages and features. Seems like the Studebaker/Packard Corporation merge became more of a higger end luxury car maker post-war though. Before the merge and during the war, they seemed to be more focused on the poor man.

[@trickyricky12147]

The only modern equivalent I can think of with a poor man's luxury car is Hyundai and that's not even American. America today lost its roots in the automotive world. They all make crap now. Smh.

[@andyeaton6903]

Fine Automotive art!!!❤❤❤🎉🎉🎉 😃👍

[@Helm-w1q]

Packard was my Grandma Mae's first choice. And I just found out that the Studebaker Golden Hawk, was powered by a Packard engine. Had Packard not merged with Studebaker, The Golden Hawk would have been a Packard.

[@billolsen4360]

In 1958, the Studebaker-Packard Corporation did produce a "Packard Hawk." Very rare because it cost more than the Studebaker division's Hawks and was the same car inside.

[@Helm-w1q]

@billolsen4360 In honor of my Grandma, I would like to see one of those. Thank you for the info.

[@slicksnewonenow]

​@@Helm-w1qthink of a '58 Stude Hawk, but with a River Catfish's mouth on it.... No kidding.

[@Helm-w1q]

Thanks to the internet, I looked up that car. "River cat fish grill" is correct . And I'm still trying to figure what the hell the rear trunk lid was designed after. All in all, a pretty ugly car. Sad, because Parkard once made some real classy looking cars.

[@jeffhammers5677]

Packard people hated these....some of the "Packardbakers in 57 and 58 were handsome

[@billolsen4360]

I don't think Packard people hated these! But I may be wrong. Was just 3yo when these hit the market and didn't know any Packard people at the time.

[@KDoyle4]

@jeffhammers5677 Packard customers hated the Studebaker based 'Packardbakers'.

[@danielbennion80]

Was John DeLorean a part of the making of this fabulous automobile? Somewhere I'd heard that he was involved with Packard before going to GM.

[@mattskustomkreations]

Yes. He was their drug dealer.

[@danielbennion80]

​@mattskustomkreations haha, you're a funny guy! 😒👎

[@mattskustomkreations]

@ If you admire JD (like I used to), check out the documentary “Scandal: The Fast Lane”… he was not a good dude.

[@danielbennion80]

@@mattskustomkreations yes, I agree, he was reckless, scandalous, arrogant, overconfident and a bunch more of terms. But he did manage to pull Pontiac Motor Division out of a tailspin in the late '50s and '60s.

[@timothyguinn8324]

Beautiful

[@billwood6168]

Awesome auto

[@Johnny-xw7mf]

The only American Car to receive the nick name The American Rolls-Royce so there Cadillac 😂😂😂

[@lakecrab]

I owned a 53 Packard at one time.

[@aaronwilliams6989]

Fabulous!

[@derin111]

Generally, there are very few American cars that I like…..but that is magnificent! 🙂

[@billolsen4360]

Hot car!

[@inspiration2284]

oh my gosh, you are so refreshing. Instantly subscribed

[@richardfinney3179]

Looks like a PATRISION BODY

[@KDoyle4]

@ericknoblauch9195 James Nance ran Packard into the ground, then ran Edsel / Mercury / Lincoln into the ground. Robert McNamara was very close to shutting down Lincoln in 1959.,

[@cowboykody6775]

BLONDIE failed to mention HUDSON in the merger. I hate this Half truth CLICK BAIT

[@KDoyle4]

Hudson merged with Nash, not Packard.

[@Meowstirdmdfjf]

Well it was Hudson and Nash that became AMC

[@Meowstirdmdfjf]

If I'm not mistaken

[@ericknoblauch9195]

Charles Nance's original plan when he created AMC was to have Nash Motors, Hudson Motor Car Company, Packard, and Studabaker all merge into Rambler. Rambler was also known as American Motors. My Grandfather told me that Packard would have survived without merging with Studabaker. Grandpa also told me if all four of these companies had merged into AMC the newly formed company would have been larger than Chrysler was at the time. Unfortunately, the 4 way merger never happened.

[@vicvaldez9323]

I think I recognize the venue.

[@unclesquirrel6951]

Pretty eyeballs 👀