1956 Packard Patrician 4 door sedan
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- čas přidán 26. 08. 2024
- The last year for the BIG Packards. Packard limped along for another two years as a poorly disguised Studebaker. What a sad ending for what was truly a Patrician among the Plebian rabble! Ultramatic was an advanced automatic transmission that had a lockup feature in top gear. That was way before the rest of the automotive world had it. I still remember watching TV at the time...Packard was the sponsor of a great lady singer. Unfortunately I don't remember her name. However, she announced the merger between Studebaker and Packard, and she insisted that things would always remain the same for Packard..producing the same fine cars! Little did she know what awaited.
My Dad worked fro the Packard dealership in the 50s. These were great cars ages ahead of their time. Thanks for posting.
Notice that this car has the Ultramatic column shift, not the push-button unit seen on many Packards that year. The reason is because that cool push-button pod was standard on Caribbean, but optional on 400 and Patrician. The 400s and Patricians got the column shift automatic as standard, and the cheaper Clippers had a 3 speed stick shift on the column as standard.
@tomsriv I agree! One can only imagine the cost of restoration of all this chrome! Thanks! :) Jack
Another great video. This car really lives up to its name. Nice to see a car with a real ashtray as opposed to the ones that didn`t come with my Saturn or Honda.This looks like the kind of car you just want to get in and drive to California.
@JBC814 Hey, John! I just doublechecked Car Spotter's Bible..the 55 Patrician has side trim that only partially went the length of the car, while the 56 had full length trim as you see here. In addition this was an auction car which probably involved authentication of its year of manufacture. Thanks! :) Jack
@55lincoln Hey, Warren! I was just looking at Packard's futuristic Predicta, which had many of these styling elements....too bad they couldn't have continued with this car! Thanks! :) Jack
My biggest beef with Packard is that these days many owners -- esp., it seems, in our local club -- Potomac Packards (VA/MD) -- are snobs who look down their noses if you own the "wrong" one. I mean a Junior model like the prewar 110s (unless it's a drop-top or a hearse or something else quite rare), or the first Packard I worked on, a 1949 "bathtub" sedan. "Not a True Classic", they'll say, or "These cheap cars eventually brought Packard down, you know." Screw 'em.
Wow, is there any word other than 'Stunning' to describe this car!
It's just absolutely beautiful, Jack, perfect in every way! I've mentioned before that Packard is one of my personal favourites of all time, this car helps make my point :)
And you're right, Jack, it is a satisfying 'clunk' when you shut the door :D ... You can always tell the build quality of a car by the noises it makes, they really didn't come much better built than this!
Man, I miss Packard, even though I was just a little boy. My very first experience was with a family friend who ran a Cadillac/ Buick dealership in Tampa. They had a '55 or '56 Packard and I would play with the power windows (key didn't have to be turned on for safety sake). It seemed so plush. Must have been good cars; he could've driven a Cadillac.
@ncautoman57 My pleasure to post! Great that your dad had the experience of these cars first hand! Just a shame they had to pass! Thanks! :) Jack
That chrome is in amazing condition!
Jack, I just love these Packards. They're so symetrical. The last hurrah for Packard before Studebaker. Just love 'em.
@JesseAndMike Hey, Guys! Indeed...those were the days of the big hood ornaments, mounted in a non-breakaway fashion! It's original, and size was directly proportional to the expense of the car! Only later did the NTSB decide they posed a significant risk for any pedestrian who was unlucky enough to take an unscheduled trip up the hood to the windshield! Thanks! :) Jack
I would agree to that...Cord, Pierce Arrow, Duesenberg, Hudson and Tucker were brilliantly engineered and suffered a similar fate. No doubt lots had to do with the Depression...Cadillac, Lincoln and Imperial survived in part because there was a full spectrum of popularly priced cars to buoy the corporation. Packard had its lower priced 120, but couldn't effectively compete sales wise.
@raconter1 ..Ford lost about 1000.00 on every Mark ll, but the car was more of an image builder for Ford. The MKll was probably one of the most beautiful American cars ever produced. In the chrome and fins era, the MKlls clean styling was years ahead of its time. If I weren`t a car guy ad someone told me it was a `69 or `70, I`d believe it. As far as SP is concerned, Packard lost about 500.00 on every car sold, but the merger didn`t help. There was to be an all new `57 Packard, but.....
Sadly, the detriot plant shut down and all Packards came for the Indiana Studebaker plant, but , the assembly line was too narrow for the packard Track and thus the Studebaker with Packard badges. This car always looked like the 56 Lincolns premieres. The cost for this car now would force it to be built in China , it would far more than a Continental today if built in Detroit. Those days of big boat cars are gone .
Gary wood I agree regarding looking like Lincoln Premieres or to me they also look like the Mercury.
I think you're looking at a '55 Packard, those tail lights are the difference.
Hey, Gary! Thanks for the story behind the downsizing of Packards, sharing Studebaker size and parts. It definitely makes sense...saving the Packard factory and line would have been a tremendous expense. It was the heyday of big cars, nothing was too extravagant! :) Jack
SO very pretty. One of the last real Packards. 28,000 miles?! GIMME! And man did they have the looks of the dash down. Beautiful!
Considering how hard i try to be thorough in my trek, i'm amazed that i missed this one earlier. Seems youtube simply does not serve up all videos that match the search requests.
Packard sure knew how to make a luxury car! They surely did not neglect the dash...it looks like a control center for sophisticated machinery! Nothing but the best materials! Too bad they lost their ability to produce this car...pesky finances made worse with the merge with Studebaker.
Interesting that the AI can't fulfill requests! Thanks! :) Jack
@jma25able1 I remember the Russian limo that looks suspiciously like the out -going Packard...However, it was said the car really wasn't made from bits and pieces salvaged from Packard. I'm sure the style of the Packard influenced the car, though. Thanks! :)Jack
@Seattlecarnut As with many things, it all boils down to money. It's a tough business...you've got to have the right product for the right market..and you need money to produce it. It takes an awful lot of money to design and produce automobiles! Thanks! :) Jack
You’re probably talking about Kate Smith, who also introduced, “God Bless America”!
No, I'm very familiar with Kate Smith and her songs....this was a much younger, slimmer lady and I never saw her again after that show lost its tv spot. I've tried to find reference to the show just recently, without success. Thanks! :) Jack
I found it.....Martha Wright....en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Martha_Wright_Show
czcams.com/video/kVmt_qpHi2A/video.html Thanks for bringing this back to my memory! :) Jack
It's true that the Hudson had a tremendous advantage with their "step down" design. It's also true that there is an advantage to a shorter crankshaft and oversquare design. Hudson had an advantage from what I hear of being "overengineered"...built to a high standard in materials that other makes just didn't do. A long stroke gives an advantage of higher torque..hence the capabilities of the Mopar slant 6. Thanks! :) Jack
That's a great observation! The OHV V-8 was a must-have in this era. Lack of it no doubt contributed to the demise of Kaiser. There was something that distinctly spelled performance with these engines...even though Hudson had done so well with their 6. The day of the OHV V-8 was here! Thanks! :) Jack
@jma25able1 Thanks! :) Jack
@wardawg07 Hey, Warren! I sure think so too! Thanks! :) Jack
@brians09challenger Hey, Brian! Sad to hear the condition of the old plant! Detroit is certainly having tremendous challenges...the jobs situation is bad, the real estate market crumbling...I guess it's symbolic of what happens when an area doesn't diversify its industry...when that industry has hard times, it drags down the whole area. These orphan cars are very interesting...very hard to compete with the giants of their day...but they did, for a time! Thanks! :) Jack
What a beautiful VIDEO. A couple of questions. Why was the Ignition switch on the left side. And, why the power antenna switch was on the right. I had a 1956 Patrician that was the TWIN to this. My VIN # was 5682-3998. Same power equipment, but mine had the push-button drive. There were dreams to drive and electrical NIGHTMARES to maintain. In reference to your comment, on the front door panels, the OUTLINE of the PACKARD CREST was all there was. Tks for reading this note, Tom
@yellowdrinker Yeah, that has to tell you something when the owner of a GM luxury franchise had the car of the opposition as his personal car! I think it makes great sense, myself. How would Cadillac know what it's competition was doing unless some of their executives knew the opposition, up close and personal! I used to play with cars in the junkyard next to the Kaiser-Frazer dealership! Thanks! :) Jack
I read that Packard was looking for another company to a line with after WWII, they needed to be more than just Packard to survive, and they went looking and hooked up with Studebaker, thinking they were in great financial shape, they were not, they found out later, they picked the wrong company to merge with. Somebody high up did not do their homework and Packard ended up the last 2 years as a Studebaker with a Fiberglass nose. Sad ending to a great car
Packard should have simply kept all its own ducks in a row and taken care of itself...
That's a good point...none of these marques were used to sharing the limelight with others. Back in the day, Packard sponsored a woman singer on TV...can't remember the name, but high class, befitting Packard. I remember her announcing the merger with Studebaker..she reassured followers that Packard would continue on as always..she could envision no degradation! We all know how that turned out! Thanks!
:) Jack
When Gary mentioned the reason...it was the first time I had heard it! So often we assume the head of an organization is cognizant of all the workings of that organization! Or that that person knows the right questions to ask of the right people! Sadly, that hasn't always been the case..and it is true today! Thanks! :) Jack
@drewerz01 Hey, Mike! Packard when they were independent, never gave up the dream of being the best luxury car there was! This car certainly was a worthy competitor in the luxury class here. I didn't realize how advanced Ultramatic was until I've done some recent reading about it....the first to have a lock-up arrangement for top gear. As Packard's advertisements said...."ask the man who owns one!" Thanks! :) Jack
what Gary said is so true and so sad, pencil pushers killed the car, wouldn't you think a normal excecutive would measure the assembly line? they didn't and once they found out it was too late. Those mid 50 Parkards are beautiful, but the slightly customized Studebaker wasn't, and I guess Parkard buyers moved on to Cadillac and Lincoln
Thanks for directing me to that site...I had been there before, but forgotten it. I remember these pushbutton controls..they really were the rage at the time, being fitted to all MoPars, some Ramblers, Edsels and Mercurys .
I think pushbuttons gave the impression of luxury and automatic function...something that fit in with the concept of automatic transmissions. Thanks! :) Jack
Hey, Bill! Thanks for that stat! I just hope, somehow, that that car still exists out there..what a prize that would be! Thanks! :) Jack
@50zcarsman You point up some very interesting problems with the restoration of fairly rare, orphan cars. A stuck engine that can't reasonably be unstuck. Electricals that only a few people understand or even know about...a difficult venture! I applaud your decision to donate the car! Thanks! :) Jack
@315tomr Hey, Tom! Thanks for the compliment! These are pretty rare now..glad you have one! I've heard about the problems with the electronic pushbuttons...fortunately our 58 Rambler and 63 and 64 Mopars had mechanical linkages and no problems. Ford was famous for putting the ignition key/starter switch on the left hand side...I think it was thought of as a safety precaution for only the driver could activate it..but as such was criticized because it was out of reach in an emergency, (cont)
Sad how Packard went from a car of high society, then sadly died under the wings of Studebaker.. I really like the '58 Packard Hawks though.. Pretty cars.
@raconter1 so they changed it to the right of the steering column..and of course eventually on to the column itself. As to why the power antenna switch was on the right..perhaps they thought a passenger might want to adjust that...don't know. Sorry to see the big Packards go...they were and indeed are a legend! Thanks! :) Jack
She's solid and gorgeous:-)
Hey, Bill! Thanks for that statistic...it's almost like a memorial should have been constructed bearing that date! :) Jack
Hey, Bill! Very interesting! The casual observer would assume that something as basic as control of the automatic would be standardized in the name of economy. To tell the truth, it didn't register to me that it lacked the pushbuttons that other 56 models had. Thanks! :) Jack
@1DRock37167 Hey, Daryl! She sure is...all Packard! Thanks! :) Jack
@JowettJavelin1 Packard certainly was "king of the hill" in the 20's and 30's..by 1942 they had moved to their "inverted bathtub" phase. It was not well accepted by old time Packard owners..so it was somewhat adrift. I disagree about lack of engineering progress..their new OHV V8 was a real brute in 1955, and they had a very sophisticated automatic transmission "Ultramatic" starting in 1950, as well as a self leveling suspension system. There are MANY old cars, as confirmed by my vids :)Jack
Jack, it was built on June 25, 1956.
@loufalce Hey, Lou! Thanks for the numbers on that...I lacked a reference, but I knew they lost money on the Mk IIs. Not surprised on the loss on the Packard...supposedly Nance never really investigated Studebaker's finances before the merger...and was surprised to find they were almost broke..and then they proceeded to drain Packard of its money. A sad end for a proud company. Thanks! :) Jack
Beautiful Automobile. I have that same car (Exterior and interior) sitting in my yard... not running at this time... have a tick in the Big-Block engine as it sat in a garage, never even started for 5 years.. P.O. should be shot for that. Everything else works though... adjusting torsion bar susp... Wunderbar Radio... all electronics. I have so many projects at the moment that I can't even get to it for more than 10-15 minutes at a time, lol. After this video though.. I'm a bit more driven to get it ready for the road. Again,.. Gorgeous.
Anonimo I wish this were my car, I agree it is gorgeous! I think you're going about it the right way..getting issues settled, a few at a time. Restoration won't seem the insurmountable obstacle that it might seem otherwise. Thanks! :) Jack
@50zcarsman Very interesting observation! I belonged to a car club that gave short shrift to my model...they only prized cars of their first generation. That's too bad..the club should be a medium for exchanging information and comraderie among owners. Of course, those junior models kept Packard afloat...without them they would most probably have not survived the Depression. Thanks! :) Jack
@IluvSixtiesPontiacs Hey, Dave! Yeah, this setup was typical of Powerglide and Dynaflow early in their careers. It came in handy for rocking out of a snow drift. But I think it posed safety concerns for those who overshot Low! I agree about the end for Packard...although there are those that collect the Studepackards, I think it is a bad end for such a stately car. It would be like ending full sized Chryslers, and calling the resultant Neon a Chrysler! Thanks! :) Jack
That's evidently true...Packard had some money left at at merger...and Studebaker quickly fell heir to it! It truly is a sad ending for a proud company, and a proud car! A grand merger of Rambler, Hudson, Studebaker and Packard had been talked about, but died with George Mason, when he passed away! Thanks! :) Jack
@loufalce Hey, Lou! Thanks for the nice words! I love these Packards...luxury without much though to expense.
You have to wonder how much money they made on each car despite the high prices! It's said that Ford lost money on every Continental Mark II they produced in 1956, selling at an astronomical $10K at the time! Thanks!
:) Jack
Jack, the last Packard to be produced was a black '56 Patrician 4 door sedan, I think it was car number #1775...Bill H.
Why did this one not have push button trans. Was it an option?
It was an option. Thanks! :) Jack
www.classiccarstodayonline.com/2017/09/26/alternate-gear-shift-levers-through-the-years/packard-1956-packard/
Jack: A little bit of Packard history. Many, if not most, "Senior" '56 Packards, had the push-button Ultramatic controls on a stalk off the steering column. Many owners got disgusted when the complex mechanism (much like the '58 Edsel Teletouch) failed, so they converted their Packards to the more reliable column shifter. Why did Chrysler not have the same problems with their push buttons? Chrysler intelligently used a mechanical pushbutton system, not an electrical syste, which didn't fail.
Hey, Bill! Exactly! Mopar engineers really had a winner with that one....electronics at that point were problematical. I think Rambler had a similar mechanical arrangement with our '58 Cross Country pushbuttons. They carried on one more year, I believe, then dropped it. We had no problems with the pushbuttons on the Rambler, or our 3 Mopars. Thanks! :) Jack
wow. classy, beautiful blue upholstery!
Yes, Packard really paid attention to the quality of the upholstery, in keeping with the excellence of the rest of the car. Thanks! :) Jack
If Packard, Hudson, Nash and Studebaker had combined to form a unified company, perhaps they would have survived, if they produced a meaningful lineup. But the "big 3" could produce cars and actually sell at low cost for a time to build market share. It's hard to compete with "the big 3". Was that a 170 or 225 c.i. slant six?..I agree that the 170 was underpowered...I had both. Thanks :) Jack
@Sarcasticscum Hey, Nathan! A sad ending to a proud company! Supposedly Packard did not really understand the serious economic straits that Studebaker was in before it approved the merger. A fatal mistake! Thanks! :) Jack
My most favorite Packards were the 1955's & 1956's, to me those were the very best looking Packards of all time. In The Godfather I movie there was a 1954 Packard Limosine that along with a 1949 Packard hearse were used in the movie.
Hey, Christopher! I agree....these are the cars that most closely resembled the Predicta, Packard's dream car that really showed the artistic capabilities of the design staff at Packard. It's cool that Packard was spotlighted in Godfather 1, they deserved the limelight! Thanks! :) Jack
Gorgeous Patrician! As far as interiors, the auto industry globally has lost all style except perhaps on the most expensive cars for the 1%, the 99% percent get gray and black and you'll like it!
Hey, Bob! I couldn't agree more...they need some inspiration in the interior styling department, particularly in the use of color! Thanks! :) Jack
I would not tolerate that obnoxious NOISE from the PA system for five minutes!
You'll notice that all my new videos mute the sound at the show....and I substitute my commentary. Thanks! :) Jack
saweet!
This is a really beautiful car. I wish the whereabouts of the '56 Patrician Charles Starkweather stole from Mr. and Mrs. Ward would be revealed. One report was in western Nebraska.
That's a very interesting point! Every once in awhile, you see a news story about a car that was stolen, only to be recovered many years later. It's a happy reunion with the initial owners! A Packard like this would be a great find! Thanks! :) Jack
I own that very Packard and I am in the process of restoring it. I live in North Platte, Nebraska. I have owned it since 1989. It's all black with a navy blue broadcloth interior. 2 weeks ago, I was visited by Mr. Wards grand daughter and learned some very interesting information about the car. It was Mrs. Ward's car and Mr. Ward drove an old Chevrolet sedan. He bought the car for his wife. He didn't like to flaunt his money. The Packard, even though it is a Patrician, has really no options. No A/C or power seat or windows, base broadcloth upholstery and the column shift transmission, thank god! The way he was described by his grand daughter, he didn't like to spend money. The restoration has been a long process involving a frame off. It was in a very poor condition when I bought it. Years under an old lean-to shed on a farm and prior to that, years in a corner of a cattle feed lot. When I first got it, I did get it running but the old 374 sounded like the pistons were changing holes! The transmission was shot. The suspension was shot but the torsion level system did work, amazingly. The body was rough and riddled with tin worm. Everything is basically done and now in the process of putting it back together. Hopefully, I will have most of it done by next year. I may post a video of it when it's done. Mitch
Thanks Mitch, and the best of luck with that project! I had wondered for years about that car. I read Liza Ward's book "Outside Valentine", which was heavily based on the Starkweather case. I had also read a book written in 1974 that used details that seldom show up in other accounts about the case. I suspected the column shift in lieu of pushbuttons, when another shot of the car showed up in something else I'd read. I had read that Mr. Ward hurried home in his Chevrolet sedan that awful day. I'll bet it was a '55 that partially shows in a picture in the driveway. Their house still looks the same, it's in a historic neighborhood. Thank you again with information about that piece of history. The Ward's by other reports were lovely people and well thought of by all. I can't wait to see a video and more, when that is possible.
This car looked so much like the Russian copy ZIL, had you placed one on the showroom floor at the time, the average Packard customer would have believed it was a Packard limosene version with slightly altered trim. The design was that closely copied.
Hey, Neil! As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of compliment! No question that the ZIL and the Packard shared a common view of luxury! Thanks! :) Jack
That is a 1955 56 had push buttons!
+Felix McNamara Hey, Felix! Packard introduced pushbutton control of transmissions for their 1955 models: czcams.com/video/S7TttrcnEOk/video.html
Pushbutton controls on the "56 were standard on Caribbean, but a $56 option on the other models. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultramatic
Thanks! :) Jack
NO my grandfather had a 55 Patrician I have color movies of inside and outside no pushbuttons!
+Felix McNamara It was OPTIONAL on the Patrician!
One very obvious difference was the the '56s had more deeply hooded headlights than the '55s. Probably some tail light differences, too.
Also, don't forget that the '56s had a torsion bar suspension that got the rear ready when the front suspension hit a rut/hole/bump. Twin-=traction differential was also new IIRC.
SHOW CAR
Hey, Dario! It sure is...the last of the big Packards! Thanks! :) Jack