Studebaker-Packard Corporation

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Packard Sedan (1958)

The Studebaker-Packard Corporation was formed in 1954 through the purchase of the Studebaker Corporation in South Bend (Indiana) by the Packard Motor Car Company in Detroit .

Studebaker was the larger of the two companies, but Packard was financially better off and had better staff.

It was hoped that Packard would benefit from the larger Studebaker dealer network. Studebaker, on the other hand, hoped for economic restructuring through Packard's greater financial strength. Packard's President James Nance and the President of the Nash-Kelvinator Corporation , George Mason , planned to combine the combined Studebaker-Packard Corporation after consolidation with Nash-Kelvinator and Hudson Motor Car Co. into an American Motors Corporation consisting of all four Brands existed. If this complicated operation had succeeded as planned, the new company would have been ahead of Chryslerranked third among American automobile manufacturers. Due to Mason's sudden death, the election of his disinterested successor, George W. Romney, and disputes over the same parts concept for all four brands, there was no longer any chance of implementing this plan. This course of events ultimately sealed the fate of all four brands.

organization

James J. Nance became president of the new society, Studebaker's chairman, Harold Vance , one of the vice-presidents. It was initially held at the locations in South Bend (Indiana), the headquarters of the new Studebaker Division and Detroit (Michigan) with the Packard-Clipper Division and corporate headquarters. Nance originally aimed for two profit centers under one management. However, the circumstances de facto led to central management of all three brands; Nance commuted between Detroit and South Bend, where he spent two days dealing with the problems at Studebaker.

During the merger negotiations, the parties did not question each other's balance sheets. Packard assumed a breakeven point at 168,000 vehicles at Studebaker. The new group could have held out that way. Packard management discovered in November 1954 that Studebaker had by far not disclosed all of its business and sales figures. The situation was far worse than Nance and his team had feared; the break-even point of Studebaker was unreachable at about 286,000 cars a year, the company had in 1954 produced only 82,000 vehicles.

Packard's breakeven point was 80,000 units (Packard and Clipper); In the 1955 model year, 55,247 vehicles were built despite the delayed market launch. That was still insufficient, but a quantum leap compared to the 30,965 vehicles of the (correspondingly longer) model year 1954.

The loss of 30% of the Studebaker dealer network in 1956 added to the difficulties of the new company.

Takeover by Curtiss-Wright

After the devastating sales figures of 1956, Studebaker-Packard entered into a business relationship with the Curtiss-Wright Corporation , an armaments company run by Roy T. Hurley , in June 1956 . This was the only alternative to bankruptcy . The new owners, who had bought the company mainly as a depreciation asset, insisted on big changes:

  • All of Studebaker-Packard's military production facilities, including the associated supply contracts, were taken over by Curtiss-Wright
  • the production of Packard vehicles in Detroit was discontinued
  • the Clipper brand, which was only introduced in 1956, was discontinued
  • all remaining automotive activities were relocated to South Bend (Studebaker's facility).

Synergies in car manufacturing

The actual purpose of the merger, to enable rationalization through larger batch sizes , did not materialize.

Engines

Studebaker had developed its relatively small V8 engine into a light and powerful engine with 289 ci (4736 cm³). Packard-Clipper was not interested in it; on the one hand, it was too small for the upper middle and upper class , on the other hand, Packard had only launched its own V8 in 1955. This appeared with 320 ci (5244 cm³) for the clipper and 352 ci (5768 cm³) for the large models.

Packard was able to sell the 320 engine including the "Twin Ultramatic" automatic to AMC, where their own V8 was developed, but it was not available until 1957. The Packard 320 was used for the big Nash and Hudson , which in turn were competing models of the Packard Clipper and Studebaker President . In 1956 the Packard V8 engine was enlarged to 352 ci. The 352 was now used in the Clipper and in the Executive that was later added ; the more expensive models received an even larger engine with 374 ci (6129 cm³). Several examples of the Packard 352 were shipped to Studebaker, where they were used in the 1956 Golden Hawk .

The takeover by Curtiss-Wright prevented the Packard, Clipper and Studebaker brands from adopting a common model policy. Great synergies in engine and body construction would have been possible; Clipper and Studebaker President would have shared most of the components.

Product planning 1957–1959

Nance had specific plans for a model policy. Unlike Romney at American Motors (who specifically targeted the compact car segment), Studebaker-Packard continued to plan to become a fourth competitor to the "Big Three" ( General Motors , Ford and Chrysler ). For this purpose, the production sites in Detroit (Packard, Packard Executive and Clipper ) and South Bend (Studebaker with Hawk , commercial vehicles) should be retained. The following tables are based on a proposal from March 1956 and have never been implemented.

1957
Packard Studebaker
Packard Executive Studebaker Hawk commercial vehicles
2-door. Sedan, champion truck
2-door. Sedan, Commander
2-door. Sedan, President Coupe, Silver Hawk
4-door. Sedan, champion
4-door. Sedan, Commander
4-door. Sedan 4-door. Sedan 4-door. Sedan, President
4-door. Sedan, President Classic
2-door. Hard top, champion
2-door. Hard top 2-door. Hard top 2-door. Hard top, Commander
2-door. Hardtop, President Hard top, Golden Hawk
Station wagon, champion
Station wagon, Commander
Station Wagon, President
Convertible

For 1957 "warmed up" 56 models were planned.

Studebaker : The previous variants should be offered in all three series. No other Hawk versions seem to have been planned. The top model would have been the President Classic, probably a link to soften the gap in the price structure between Studebaker and Executive.

Packard : Sedan and Hardtop correspond to Patrician and Four Hundred . No Caribbean was planned for this year . The only novelty would have been a cheaper convertible, possibly also called the Four Hundred .

Executive : Would have taken the former role of Clipper as Packard's "junior model"; a clipper was not planned for that year, although it was only established as a brand in 1956.

What became of it : Indeed, Studebaker received a mild facelift. A President Classic was offered. Packard only had one clipper as a Town Sedan (limousine) and Country Sedan (Station Wagon), both completely with Studebaker technology. It was about the same as the previous year's Clipper Custom. The segment above Buick ( Cadillac , Lincoln , Imperial ), in which Packard had been a significant competitor for decades, was also exposed, as were the most important achievements of the brand, which had only been introduced in 1955: V8, Twin Ultramatic or Torsion Level Ride . Only the Twin Traction rear axle with limited-slip differential purchased from Dana-Spicer made it into 1957 as an option.

1958
Packard Clipper Studebaker
Packard Executive Clipper Studebaker Hawk commercial vehicles
2-door. Sedan, champion Express Pickup (Champion?)
2-door. Sedan, Commander truck
2-door. Sedan, President Coupe, Silver Hawk
4-door. Sedan, champion
4-door. Sedan, standard 4-door. Sedan, standard 4-door. Sedan, Commander
4-door. Sedan, deluxe 4-door. Sedan, deluxe 4-door. Sedan, President
2-door. Hard top, champion
2-door. Hard top, standard 2-door. Hard top, standard 2-door. Hard top, standard 2-door. Hard top, Commander
2-door. Hard top, deluxe 2-door. Hard top, deluxe 2-door. Hard top, deluxe 2-door. Hardtop, President Hard top, Golden Hawk
4-door. Hard top, champion
4-door. Hard top, standard 4-door. Hard top, standard 4-door. Hard top, standard 4-door. Hard top, Commander
4-door. Hard top, deluxe 4-door. Hard top, deluxe 4-door. Hard top, deluxe 4-door. Hardtop, President
Station wagon, champion
Station wagon, Commander
Station Wagon, President
Station wagon, champion
Station wagon, Commander
Convertible Convertible Convertible Convertible, President

According to this plan, a model offensive was planned for 1958: all Packard and Studebaker were to be re-released. Only the Hawk and the commercial vehicles would have just received a (extensive) facelift.

Studebaker : There should be a new four-door hardtop in each of the three series. An "express" pickup in the style of the successful Ford Ranchero was to be derived from the champion. A slight facelift was planned for the Hawk and the commercial vehicles. The President Classic would have been omitted.

Clipper : The Clipper (as a brand) should rise again. In two equipment lines (probably Super and Custom) a two- and a four-door hardtop should be offered.

Executive : The series would have been expanded to include two equipment levels and each would have been supplemented by a four-door hardtop. The spin-off as another group brand would have been conceivable.

Packard : A complete series was planned above the Packard. It might have been called Caribbean or Caribe and again included a convertible (which would have been deleted from the standard Packard).

What became of it : The passenger cars received an extensive facelift using fiberglass add-on parts to reduce weight. Four-door hardtops appeared as both Studebaker and Packard. The term clipper disappeared without replacement. New was a Packard Hawk with a modified front section and the wrong spare wheel on the trunk lid. Packard came now (except for Hawk) without a compressor on the market.

1959
Packard Clipper Studebaker
Packard Executive Clipper Studebaker Hawk commercial vehicles
2-door. Sedan, champion Express Pickup (Champion?)
2-door. Sedan, Commander truck
2-door. Sedan, President Coupe, Silver Hawk
4-door. Sedan, champion
4-door. Sedan, standard 4-door. Sedan, standard 4-door. Sedan, Commander
4-door. Sedan, deluxe 4-door. Sedan, deluxe 4-door. Sedan, President
2-door. Hard top, champion
2-door. Hard top, standard 2-door. Hard top, standard 2-door. Hard top, standard 2-door. Hard top, Commander
2-door. Hard top, deluxe 2-door. Hard top, deluxe 2-door. Hard top, deluxe 2-door. Hardtop, President Hard top, Golden Hawk
4-door. Hard top, champion
4-door. Hard top, standard 4-door. Hard top, standard 4-door. Hard top, standard 4-door. Hard top, Commander
4-door. Hard top, deluxe 4-door. Hard top, deluxe 4-door. Hard top, deluxe 4-door. Hardtop, President
Station wagon, champion
Station wagon, Commander
Station Wagon, President
Station wagon, champion
Station wagon, Commander
Convertible Convertible Convertible Convertible, President

Compared to 1958, no new models and only a slight facelift were planned.

What became of it : Packard and of course Executive and Clipper were canceled. Instead, the new Studebaker Lark compact car could be produced on a shortened and slightly revised standard chassis using the production capacities gained .

The last Packard

The Packards manufactured in 1957 and 1958 were essentially Studebaker Presidents , which were provided with large quantities of chrome strips. These wagons were called Packardbakers by satirists . The two 1957 models and the Hawk 1958 were standard with Paxton - compressors equipped. The tail fins were designed to accommodate the 1956 model Clipper taillights until 1958. The dashboard was optically based on the one from 1956 and there were metal covers on the flanks similar to the 56 Packard. Teague also used lettering, radiator mascot and trim on the trunk lid of the Patrician / Four Hundred of 1955 . Even if the Clipper was certainly no longer a Packard in the traditional sense, it had many qualities and Studebaker had given it the best that this traditional company had to offer. These included the powerful Sweepstakes V8 (some with a compressor), drum brakes with cooling fins and Studebaker's multiple ratio steering. The chassis did not come close to the regulated torsion bar suspension of the predecessor, but the new Clipper had less weight and a better weight distribution thanks to the lighter engine. At 275 bhp with a compressor, the performance corresponded exactly to that of the Clipper Custom resp. Packard Executive with the Packard 352 V8 engine. Another problem is easily overlooked: At a time when "bigger" was almost automatically equated with "better", the 57 clipper was smaller than its predecessor. In terms of price, the Sedan at US $ 3,212 was exactly between the Clipper Custom Touring Sedan at US $ 3,069 and the corresponding Packard Executive at US $ 3,465.

For the first time in the automotive industry, fiberglass was used in series production; The front masks and tail fins of the 1958 Packard were made of this material. The last Packard left the factory in July 1958. Studebaker used the freed-up production capacity to manufacture his Lark model , which was successful for a while, although some elements of the body went back to 1953.

Representation for Daimler-Benz in the United States

The only bright spot in the company's difficulties was an agreement arranged by Hurley to represent Daimler-Benz vehicles. This agreement was considered important both for the expansion of the smaller series and for the disgruntled Studebaker dealers who had at least one product to sell after Studebaker's own production had ceased.

Studebaker-Packard made one last attempt to save the Packard brand name. The American-French sedan Facel Vega , which was equipped with a Chrysler V8 engine, was to be sold as Packard. However, Daimler-Benz called for these plans to be abandoned for reasons of competition.

Diversification

Studebaker-Packard bought Paxton Automotive as early as 1958 . From 1960 the company began to get involved in other industries and bought:

  • Trans International Airlines , an airline founded in 1948
  • DW Onan & Sons - Generators
  • Cincinnati Testing Labs - Plastics Development
  • Low Plastics - plastics manufacturing
  • Clarke Floor Machine Company - floor cleaning equipment and shock absorbers
  • Gravely Tractors - high-performance mowers and single-axle tractors
  • Chemical Compounds Company - manufacturer of STP oil additives

In 1961, Sherwood Egbert became President of the Society. He continued diversification. In the spring of 1962, four years after the last Packard was manufactured and eight years after the merger of Packard and Studebaker, the company dropped the Packard name and traded again as Studebaker Corporation .

literature

  • Beverly R. Kimes (Ed.): Packard, a history of the motor car and the company. General edition, 1978 Automobile Quarterly, ISBN 0-915038-11-0 . (English)
  • Nathaniel D. Dawes: The Packard: 1942-1962. AS Barnes & Co., Cranbury NJ 1975, ISBN 0-498-01353-7 . (English)
  • George H. Dammann, James A. Wren: Packard. Motorbooks International (Crestline series), Osceola WI, ISBN 0-7603-0104-2 . (English)
  • Richard M. Langworth: Triumph and Tragedy: The Last Real Packards. In: Collectible Automobile. September 1984, ISSN  0742-812X , pp. 6-25. (English)
  • Richard M. Langworth: Illustrated Packard Buyers Guide: All Packard Cars and Commercial Vehicles, 1899 to 1958. Motorbooks International, 1992, ISBN 0-87938-427-1 . (English)
  • Mark A. Patrick (Ed.): Packard Motor Cars 1946-1958 Photo Archive. Iconographix, Osceola WI 1996, ISBN 1-882256-45-X . (English)
  • RM Clarke: Packard Gold Portfolio 1946-1958. Motorbooks International, ISBN 1-870642-19-8 . (English)
  • Consumer's Guide (Ed.): Encyclopedia of American Cars from 1930. Publications International, 1993, ISBN 0-7853-0175-5 . (English)
  • Nicky Wright: Art of the American Automobile. Prion Books, 1995, ISBN 1-85375-163-4 . (English)
  • Louis Weber (ed.); Mike McCarville: Cars of the '40 s . Consumer Guide, special issue from Classic Car Quarterly. Nov. 1981. (English)
  • Louis Weber (ed.); Richard M. Langworth: Cars of the '60 s . Consumer Guide, special issue from Classic Car Quarterly. Fall 1979, Vol. 250. (English)
  • Chris Halla: Dreamboats & Milestones: Cars of the '50 s . 1st edition. Tab Books, Blue Ridge Summit PA 1981, ISBN 0-8306-2065-6 . (Modern Automotive Series)
  • Consumer's Guide (Ed.): Automobiles of the '50 s . Publications International, 1993, ISBN 0-7853-0110-0 . (English)
  • Consumer's Guide (Ed.): American Cars of the 1950 s . Publications International, 2005, ISBN 1-4127-1156-8 . (English)
  • Consumer's Guide (Ed.): American Cars of the 1960 s . Publications International, 2005, ISBN 1-4127-1159-2 . (English)
  • Henry Rasmussen: Decade of Dazzle - Fifties Stylish American Cars. Motorbooks International, 1987, ISBN 0-87938-249-X .
  • John Gunnell: Standard Catalog of American Muscle Cars 1960-1972. Kruse Publication, 2006, ISBN 0-89689-433-9 . (English)
  • George Nick Georgano (Ed.): Complete Encyclopedia of Motorcars, 1885 to the Present. 2nd Edition. Dutton Press, New York 1973, ISBN 0-525-08351-0 . (English)
  • Packard 1956. In: Automobil Revue. Bern, Switzerland, Oct. 26, 1955.
  • About the Allison suspension. In: Automobile Revue. Bern, Switzerland, Oct. 26, 1955.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Ward: Fall of the Packard Motor Car Company (1995), p. 167-168
  2. ↑ packardinfo.com: Packard Model Information / 1955 Model Year
  3. ↑ packardinfo.com: Packard Model Information / 1954 Model Year
  4. ↑ Triumph and Tragedy. In: Collectible Automobile. Sept. 1984, pp. 6-19.
  5. ↑ Triumph and Tragedy. In: Collectible Automobile. Sept. 1984, pp. 20-25.
  6. ↑ Kimes: Packard (1978), pp 622-623.
  7. ↑ a b c Kimes: Packard (1978), p. 624
  8. ^ Homepage of the Packard Club