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26/01/2021 3:51 pm
The 1957 Packard sedan: (Click on picture for enlargement.)
The 1958 (1:1) Packard 2-door hardtop:
And I just have to include a brief history lesson, mostly from Wikipedia:
For the 1957 model year, Studebaker-Packard took its top-of-the-line model, the President, and added a revised grille and taillights along with a Packard-styled dashboard and called the car the Packard Clipper. Two models were produced in 1957, a four-door Town Sedan and a station wagon Clipper Country Sedan. Sales were a low 4,809, almost all of which were the Town Sedan. Critics bestowed the derisive name "Packarbaker" on the cars. Writer and auto historian Richard Langworth has noted that while these cars weren't truly Packards, they were, however, very good Studebakers.
1958 saw the Packard line expanded to four models; a 4-door sedan, a 2-door hardtop, a 4-door station wagon, and the Packard Hawk, a modification of Studebaker's Golden Hawk with a "fishmouth" Packard grille.
Studebaker-Packard's finances dictated that the changes for 1958 be made as cheaply as possible. Despite stylist Duncan McRae's efforts, the car that emerged appeared cobbled together, rather than as a cohesive design. Auto reviewer "Uncle" Tom McCahill remarked that from the rear it looked as if the cars had been left in the sun too long and the canted fiberglass fins had started to melt down the straight rear fender sides.
Only 2,034 of the three standard models (sedan, hardtop and station wagon) were produced; an additional 588 Packard Hawks were built as well. The rarest of all '58 Packards is the station wagon with only 159 produced. The last Packard rolled off the South Bend assembly line on July 25, 1958.
In 1962 the Studebaker-Packard Corporation officially dropped "Packard" from its name.
Sic transit gloria.
26/01/2021 4:00 pm
Even had Packard/Studebaker kept the Packard name alive for the short term, without resorting to the ghastly Packardbaker the Packard division may have retained loyal customers. But nobody accustomed to driving the classy designs of Dick Teague could possibly arrive anywhere in a thing like this.
John Merritt and John Merritt reacted
26/01/2021 4:12 pm
The tail end is odd looking but with a more symmetrical nose it may have worked overall. IMO what really did this car in was the hideous nose; it is about as bad a design as I have ever seen. I often wondered what it would have looked like if they had stacked or canted the headlights and done a 61 Chrysler-like grille opening (obviously not as tall), rather than the wide catfish mouth grille. Or perhaps even a '59 Lincoln look, with canted headlights incorporated into the grille.
26/01/2021 4:31 pm
There is also the 1958 Packard 58L which Esval has as a future release. Not sure if this Packard made production or was a prototype. In 1957, Studebaker also used the President name according to Esval. Also as a future release, Esval shows the 1957 Studebaker President Broadmoor station wagon.
John Merritt and John Merritt reacted
26/01/2021 4:41 pm
@kenspear I am not sure what the 58L is, but I am aware that before leaving for Chrysler, Dick Teague designed models for both Packard and the then separate division of Clipper for the 1957 model run, which had been based on the Predictor that he'd also designed (named in nature and not name) but these models had been dropped by management for lack of budget. It was at this point Teague and his team left and the Packardbakers, born.
John Merritt and John Merritt reacted
Topic starter
26/01/2021 6:19 pm
Seeing Ken's good comments above, I checked on the unfamiliar "58L" term. It seems that when the 1958 Packard (Studebaker based) was introduced in January 1958, either the sedan or perhaps the entire line was termed the "58L." Here's a picture of the sedan.
This one was owned by the actress Elizabeth Montgomery, of "Bewitched" fame. It was the sedan counterpart to the hardtop in my post above. Thanks, Ken!
26/01/2021 6:36 pm
Imagine from this to the above! How incredibly sad!
26/01/2021 7:41 pm
My Dinky Toy '57 Clipper.
26/01/2021 8:30 pm
And the interesting thing is Studebaker was able to morph the 1957-58 cars and related Packards into much a more rational looking and functionally compact Studebaker Lark of 1959-60. Much of the center body section was used with no tail fins and a shorter front clip. They were a year ahead of the compacts of the big three and revived Studebaker...for a while. I await more than just the Brooklin Lark from other makers.
John F. Quilter
Eugene, Oregon USA
John Merritt and John Merritt reacted
26/01/2021 11:44 pm
@kenspear After my negative comments about the look of this car I must say that when Esval introduces their 58 Packardbakers I will definitely buy them. For me it's all about their part in automotive history being represented in my display. I'm sure many others feel the same way.
Topic starter
26/01/2021 11:57 pm
Good comment, Jack, and I agree. The demise of Packard is central to the history of the American automobile, and those Pacardbakers are part of the story. I look forward to Esval's interpretations. But what I really want is some from the early years!
I'm pulling out some of the "early years" models.
John Merritt and John Merritt reacted
27/01/2021 12:46 am
I sure hope that the '58 Packard models are eventually issued. I will love having them in my collection. I also hope that someone will do a 4dr '58 and a more respectable '58 Hawk would be great too, and while I am wishing, how about a '57 Station wagon.
They may be homely looking, but they are so unique, you can't help but love them. At least that's me.
John Merritt
South Lyon, Michigan - USA
27/01/2021 3:18 am
Good comment, Jack, and I agree. The demise of Packard is central to the history of the American automobile, and those Pacardbakers are part of the story. I look forward to Esval's interpretations. But what I really want is some from the early years!
I'm pulling out some of the "early years" models.
David, there is an absolute dearth of models - certainly 1/43 - of early American cars. Lesney's Models Of Yesteryear, Franklin Mint's pewter casts, along with Jerry Rettig's Enchantment Land Coachbuilders' models help only slightly and our member here, Vlad's VDM Cadillacs will in time expand our collections further, but where are the Duryea buggys, Haynes-Appersons and, of course, early Packards....
1893 Duryea
1901 Duryea
1900 Haynes-Apperson
1916 Haynes-Apperson
1899 Packard runabout
Locomobile, Knox, White and too many others to mention?
Topic starter
27/01/2021 12:00 pm
Charles, I fully agree. I have a few of these from the old Revell Highway Pioneers, 1950's, that I have built, but that's about it. I wonder if there is any real interest.
27/01/2021 12:48 pm
@d-m-holcombe That is exactly it David, these model makers are working on just as tight budgets as the rest of us and none can afford to carry unnecessary stock, waiting for the odd buyer to happen along.
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