Last Of The Line: 1958 Packard

[cantflip]

Saw one at DVAP...

 

[glennb49]

Love it! Fin stacked on fin with the Packard taillight , the roof line looks very 57 Chrysler! Packardbackers are beautiful!!

 

[68PK21 440.6bbl]

LOL Are those machine guns? Very James Bondish!

 

[commando1]

Tacked on...

 

[Big_John]

It always strikes me that Studebaker started out with that body style in 1953. From there it always looked to me that the designers just started tacking on fins and chrome.

IMHO, this is one of the best looking cars of the early fifties and actually one of my favorite styled cars ever.

 

[Mr C]

Tacked on...

View attachment 160280

I'd have used a pic of this Dodge instead, but you nailed it Commando...always beating me to the punch!

 

[Big_John]

Don't make me explain why Chrysler should have bought Packard in 1955.

Of course, everyone needs to realize that it was Packard that bought Studebaker.

 

[commando1]

 

[cm23uoc]

Of course, everyone needs to realize that it was Packard that bought Studebaker.

And as far as I read the actual plan was another Merger with American Motors envisoned by their chairman George W. Mason. In his opinion the Nash-Hudson Merger was only the first step and not sufficient enough to face the Big Three in the Long run. His sudden untimely death and seemingly unforgiving leading personalities on both sides killed this plan; so even by this Scenario the Packard-Chrysler Connection could have been substantiated, or AM would have become a big enough surviving Company.

I have a soft spot for the postwar Packards except for the Pregnant Elephants Generation, even the odd Packardbakers of 58. The one I always found outstanding is the Hawk model. I wouldn't mind owning one of them.

 

[glennb49]

What would the late 50s have been with out the fin!! Chrysler set the standard even if Cadillac started it in 48 and faded off into oblivion in 64! they all were stunning! The new Merano by Nisan is reviving the fin, It has a very 61 Dodge Polara kick up outlined in chrome on its rear quarter that I like very much!!

 

[bluefury361]

What would the late 50s have been with out the fin!! QUOTE]




It's "stablizers" guys.

 

[Dodgy Dick]

Finished!!

 

[73Coupe]

If i recall correctly, it was a cheap way for a company with little financial resources to add the extra two headlights.

Studebaker-Packard was almost broke at that time as Curtiss-Wright which had run SP at the government's request, had taken the modern factory which made military material when they ended the management agreement and reneged on taking a large shareholding.

The Packard Hawk was a custom car for Curtiss-Wright's Roy Hurley who requested it put into production. The use of its catfish front in the sedans was the best SP could do at the time as the South Bend factory couldn't make wide-bodied vehicles like Packard did, as the factory wasn't designed for such wide cars.

South Bend placed the add-on dual headlights on most of their full size models for '58. I believe the President and Commander, along with the Provincial wagon got the dual light treatment. The Champion had single light placed in the dual housing...that looked a bit weird. And the bare-bones Scotsman had a single light setup with no add-on housing.

A nice '58 Provincial with said headlight treatment in HCC:

https://www.hemmings.com/magazine/h...ked---1958-Studebaker-Provincial/3700091.html

For comparison, a "cheap" Scotsman:

https://www.hemmings.com/magazine/h...imple---1958-Studebaker-Scotsman/3711561.html

 

[cm23uoc]

I love the no-nonsense Approach of the Scotsman.
Also the Larks with R-applications as mostly overlooked but also practically extinct early Performance cars and of course the 53s mentioned by Big John already.

 

[73Coupe]

!

 

[glennb49]

That is one rare wagon! the way the fins extend way beyond the body looks out of proportion!