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82-776: Victoria Avenue may refer to: Canada [ edit ] Victoria Avenue (Hamilton, Ontario) Victoria Avenue (Saint-Lambert, Quebec) Victoria Avenue (Regina, Saskatchewan) Victoria Avenue (Montreal and Westmount) Elsewhere [ edit ] Victoria Avenue, Perth , Australia Victoria Avenue, Cambridge , Britain Victoria Avenue (Jersey) Victoria Avenue (Riverside, California) , United States See also [ edit ] List of places named after Queen Victoria Queen Victoria Street (disambiguation) Victoria (disambiguation) Victoria Street (disambiguation) [REDACTED] Topics referred to by

164-413: A 127 in (3,226 mm) wheelbase. The 200-series models were low-end models and now included a business coupe. The new appearance had similarities to Oldsmobiles , which were more moderately priced and sold in greater numbers. The 250, 300, and 400/Patricians were Packard's flagship models and comprised the majority of the production for that year. The Patrician was now the premium Packard, replacing

246-498: A Packard was considered prestigious, and surviving examples are often found in museums and automobile collections. Packard vehicles featured innovations, including the modern steering wheel , air-conditioning in a passenger car, and one of the first production 12-cylinder engines, adapted from developing the Liberty L-12 engine used during World War I to power warplanes. During World War II , Packard produced 55,523 units of

328-461: A backlog on war orders of $ 568,000,000. By the end of World War II, Packard was in excellent financial condition with assets of around $ 33 million, but several management mistakes became more apparent with time. Like other US automobile companies, Packard resumed civilian car production in late 1945, labeling them as 1946 models by modestly updating their 1942 models. As only tooling for the Clipper

410-447: A few years later). Ultramatic did not compare to GM's Hydramatic for smoothness of shifting, acceleration, or reliability. The resources spent on Ultramatic deprived Packard of the opportunity to develop a modern V8 engine. Also, when a new body style was added in addition to standard sedans, coupes, and convertibles, Packard introduced a station wagon instead of a two-door hardtop in response to Cadillac's Coupe DeVille. The Station Sedan ,

492-616: A great deal more hand labor and traditional craftsmanship. Although Packard almost certainly could not have survived the Depression without the highly successful Junior models, they did have the effect of diminishing the Senior models' exclusive image among those few who could still afford a luxury car. The 120 models were more modern in basic design than the Senior models. For example, the 1935 Packard 120 featured independent front suspension and hydraulic brakes, features that did not appear on

574-472: A kind of overdrive , claimed able to reduce engine speed 27.8%; it could be engaged at any speed over 30 mph (48 km/h). The same year, the company introduced a fifth, transverse shock absorber and made column shift (known as Handishift) available on the 120 and Six. A new body shape was introduced for the 1941 model year, the Packard Clipper . It was available only as a four-door model on

656-550: A luxury car. Model year sales only climbed back to 55,000 units in 1955, including Clipper, in what was a strong year across the industry. As the 1955 models went into production, an old problem flared up. Back in 1941, Packard had outsourced its bodies to Briggs Manufacturing Company . Briggs founder Walter Briggs had died in early 1952 and his family decided to sell the company to pay estate taxes. Chrysler promptly purchased Briggs and notified Packard that they would cease supplying bodies after Packard's contract with Briggs expired at

738-495: A one-piece windshield, a wrap-around rear window, small tailfins on the long-wheelbase models, a full-width grille (replacing the traditional Packard upright design), and blunt "guideline fenders" with the hood and front fenders at the same height. The 122 in (3,099 mm) wheelbase was used on the 200-series standard and Deluxe two- and four-doors, 250-series Mayfair two-door hardtops (Packard's first), and convertibles. The higher-end 300 and Patrician 400 models were built on

820-408: A ride that was soft yet controlled. Additionally, this suspension featured an electro-mechanical compensator or "levilizer" that kept the car level regardless of passenger or trunk loading. As of October 1, 1954, Packard Motor Car Company bought the failing Studebaker Corporation to form America's fourth-largest automobile company, but without full knowledge of their circumstances or consideration of

902-434: A single production line. By maintaining a single line and interchangeability between models, Packard was able to maintain low costs. Packard did not change models as often as other manufacturers. Rather than introducing new models annually, Packard began using its own "Series" formula for differentiating its model changeovers in 1923 borrowing a strategy from GM called planned obsolescence . The new model series did not debut on

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984-405: A strictly annual basis, with some series lasting nearly two years, and others lasting as brief as seven months. In the long run, Packard averaged approximately one new series per year. By 1930, Packard automobiles were considered part of its Seventh Series. By 1942, Packard was in its Twentieth Series. The "Thirteenth Series" was omitted due to the western superstition about the number 13. To meet

1066-561: A system it called Ride Control, which made the hydraulic shock absorbers adjustable from within the car. For one year only, 1932, Packard fielded an upper-medium-priced car, the Light Eight , at a base price of $ 1,750 ($ 39,080 in 2023 dollars ), or $ 735 ($ 16,414 in 2023 dollars ) less than the Standard Eight. Packard rivals Cadillac and Lincoln benefited from the huge support structure of GM and Ford. Packard could not match

1148-463: A version. The Packard inline eight, despite being an older design that lacked the power of Cadillac's engines, produced no vibration. When combined with an Ultramatic transmission, the drivetrain made for a quiet and smooth experience on the road. Packard could not keep up with the horsepower race, which was increasingly moving to high compression, short-stroke engines capable of sustained driving at speeds above 55 mph (89 km/h). Packard's image

1230-454: A wagon-like body that was mostly steel, with a good deal of decorative wood in the back. A total of 3,864 were sold over its three years of production. The Packards of the late 1940s and early 1950s were built with traditional craftsmanship and the best materials, but the combination of the lower-priced Packards leading sales and impacting the prestige of their higher-end models and some questionable marketing decisions, Packard's crown as "king" of

1312-403: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Victoria Avenue (Hamilton, Ontario) Victoria Avenue was named after Queen Victoria . In 1902 Canadian Otis Elevator Company (1902–1987) was formed (August 22) on Victoria Avenue North . For many years Hamilton, Ontario was home to the largest single elevator manufacturing facility in

1394-499: Is expected to open in 2010. At least 250 new jobs will be added to the local economy. David Braley contributed $ 10-million towards the project. Braley's donation marks an important transition in Hamilton's economy, as he takes money he made in the industrial economy and uses it to help the community develop a more diverse economic base. David Braley is the president of auto-parts manufacturer Orlick Industries Ltd. , former owner of

1476-624: Is in close proximity to the current General Motors Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly , which was the former site of the Dodge Vehicle factory from 1910 until 1980. Architect Kahn also designed the Packard Proving Grounds in Shelby Township, Michigan . From this beginning, through and beyond the 1930s, Packard-built vehicles were perceived as highly competitive among high-priced luxury American automobiles. The company

1558-402: Is the largest employer in Hamilton with nearly 10,000 employees and serves approximately 2.2 million people in central south and central west Ontario . Hamilton Health Sciences is a family of five unique hospitals and a cancer centre, they include Chedoke Hospital , Hamilton General Hospital , Henderson General Hospital , McMaster Children's Hospital , McMaster University Medical Centre and

1640-585: The Caribbean convertible. Competing directly with the other specialty convertibles marketed that year, ( Buick Skylark , Oldsmobile 98 Fiesta , Cadillac Eldorado , and Chrysler New Yorker Deluxe ), it was equally well-received and outsold its competition. Nevertheless, overall sales declined in 1953. While the limited edition luxury models such as the Caribbean convertible and the Patrician 400 Sedan, and

1722-530: The Clipper became a separate make, with Clipper Custom and Deluxe models available. Now the Packard-Clipper business model was a mirror to Lincoln-Mercury. "Senior" Packards were built in four body styles, each with a unique model name. Patrician was used for the four-door top-of-the-line sedans, Four Hundred for the hardtop coupes, and the Caribbean for the convertible and vinyl-roof two-door hardtop. In

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1804-491: The Derham custom formal sedan brought back some prestige from past Packards, the "high pocket" styling introduced two model years prior was no longer drawing buyers for Packer's volume models. Furthermore, Packard's build quality also began slipping during this period as employee morale decreased. While American independent manufacturers like Packard did well during the early postwar period, supply had caught up with demand and by

1886-603: The Hamilton Tiger-Cats and current owner of the B.C. Lions . In recent years there has been talk of converting the 500,000-square-foot (46,000 m ) facility on Victoria Avenue North that was one time home of the Otis Elevator Company and Studebaker plant into a Mega-Film Studio. In 2004 a group of local investors were ready to open up the $ 30-million facility named Hamilton Film Studios but pulled out two months after it opened up. One of

1968-494: The Imperial House of Japan . Between 1924 and 1930, Packard was also the top-selling luxury brand. In addition to luxury cars, Packard built trucks. A Packard truck carrying a three-ton load drove from New York City to San Francisco between July 8 and August 24, 1912. In the same year, Packard had service depots in 104 cities. The Packard Motor Corporation Building at Philadelphia , also designed by Albert Kahn,

2050-664: The Juravinski Cancer Centre . Hamilton Health Sciences is affiliated with McMaster University's Faculty of Health Sciences. It is one of the most comprehensive health care systems in Canada . The David Braley Cardiac, Vascular and Stroke Research Institute is a $ 90-million Research Centre that will be home to 500+ scientists and will be built right behind the Hamilton General Hospital. The new building with 165,000 square feet (15,300 m )

2132-600: The Packard Motor Car Company ) was an American luxury automobile company located in Detroit , Michigan . The first Packard automobiles were produced in 1899, and the last Packards were built in South Bend, Indiana , in 1958. One of the "Three Ps" – alongside Peerless Motor Company and Pierce-Arrow – the company was known for building high-quality luxury automobiles before World War II. Owning

2214-769: The Packard Twin Six starting in 1916. The first appearance of the Packard "Goddess of Speed" hood ornament was in 1925 on the Packard Eight and soon adorned all models, while the Cormorant or Swan appeared in the 1930s. The Adonis hood ornament was briefly used in the late 1920s. In the 1920s, Packard exported more cars than any other in its price class, and in 1930, sold almost twice as many abroad as any other marque priced over US$ 2,000 (equivalent to $ 36,478 in 2023) . In 1931, 10 Packards were owned by

2296-571: The Studebaker-Packard Corporation . This merger was intended to be temporary while an eventual consolidation with American Motors Company (AMC) was planned. Disagreements among the firms' executives thwarted these plans, so Studebaker-Packard remained a separate company. The Packard brand was phased out in 1959 after two years of declining sales of the Studebaker-built 1957 and 1958 model year Packards. Packard

2378-614: The "Cadillac of the Skies" by GIs in WWII. Packard also built 1350-, 1400-, and 1500-hp V-12 marine engines for American PT boats (each boat used three) and some of Britain's patrol boats . Packard ranked 18th among United States corporations in the value of wartime production contracts. By the end of the war in Europe, Packard Motor Car Company had produced over 55,000 combat engines. Sales in 1944 were $ 455,118,600. By May 6, 1945, Packard had

2460-429: The "Packard Six", priced at around $ 1200 ($ 25,433 in 2023 dollars ), was in time for the 1938 recession. This model also tagged Packards as something less exclusive than they had been in the public's mind and in the long run hurt Packard's reputation of building some of America's finest luxury cars. The Six, redesignated 110 in 1940–41, continued for three years after the war. In 1939, Packard introduced Econo-Drive,

2542-405: The 120, Packard built a separate factory. By 1936, Packard's labor force was divided nearly evenly between the high-priced "Senior" lines (Twelve, Super Eight, and Eight) and the medium-priced "Junior" models, although more than 10 times more Juniors were produced than Seniors. This was because the 120 models were built using thoroughly modern mass production techniques, while the senior Packards used

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2624-658: The 127 in (3,226 mm) wheelbase of the 160, but powered by 125 hp (93 kW; 127 PS) version of straight-8 engine used the 120. In 1942, the Packard Motor Car Company converted to 100% war production. During World War II , Packard again built airplane engines, licensing the Merlin engine from Rolls-Royce as the V-1650 , which powered the P-51 Mustang fighter, ironically known as

2706-437: The 356, the move was seen by some as further denigrating Packard's image as a luxury car. Since 1951 offered little new from other manufacturers, Packard's redesigned lineup sold nearly 101,000 cars. The 1951 Packards were a mixture of the modern (automatic transmissions) and old (using flathead inline eights when OHV V8 engines were becoming the norm). No domestic car lines had OHV V8s in 1948, but by 1955, every car line offered

2788-461: The Custom Eight line. Original plans were to equip it with a 356 cu in (5.8 L) engine, but the company decided that sales would not be sufficient to justify producing the larger, more expensive engine, and so the de-bored 327 cu in (5.4 L) (previously the middle engine) was used. While the smaller engine offered nearly equal performance in the new Packards to that of

2870-475: The New York and Ohio Automobile Company as the Packard Motor Car Company, with James Packard as president. Alger later served as vice president. Packard moved operations to Detroit soon after, and Joy became general manager (later chairman of the board). An original Packard, reputedly the first manufactured, was donated by a grateful James Packard to his alma mater , Lehigh University , and is preserved there in

2952-742: The Packard Laboratory. Another is on display at the Packard Museum in Warren, Ohio. While the Black Motor Company 's Black went as low as $ 375, Western Tool Works ' Gale Model A roadster was $ 500, the high-volume Oldsmobile Runabout went for $ 650, and the Cole 30 and Cole Runabout were $ 1,500, Packard concentrated on cars with prices starting at $ 2,600. The marque developed a following among wealthy purchasers in

3034-674: The Senior Packards until 1937. During this time, Packards were built in Windsor, Ontario by the Packard Motor Company of Canada to benefit from Imperial Preference as well as to build right-hand-drive cars for export. Production started in 1931, with the best year being 1937, with just over 2,500 cars built. Parts manufactured in Canada included tires, upholstery, radiator cores, headlamps, springs, and wheels, while

3116-455: The U.S. market, and a convertible was added. These new designs hid their relationship with the Clipper. Even that name was dropped for a while. The design chosen was a "bathtub" type, commonly called ponton . While this was considered futuristic during the war and the concept was taken further with the 1949 Nash , and survived for decades in the Saab 92–96 in Europe, the 1948–1950 Packard styling

3198-762: The United States and abroad, competing with European marques like Rolls-Royce , Renault , Isotta Fraschini , and Mercedes-Benz . The 3,500,000 sq ft (330,000 m ) Packard plant on East Grand Boulevard in Detroit was located on over 40 acres (16 ha) of land. Designed by Albert Kahn Associates , it included an early use of reinforced concrete for an automotive factory when building #10 opened in 1906. Its craftsmen practised over 80 trades. The dilapidated plant stood until demolition commenced in September 2022, despite repeated fires. The factory

3280-421: The accounting department, did not want the job and quickly made it clear that he was serving on a temporary basis until a permanent company president could be found. The 1951 Packards were redesigned. Designer John Reinhart introduced a high-waisted, more squared-off profile fitting the contemporary styling trends — very different from the traditional flowing design of the postwar era. New styling features included

3362-527: The bread-and-butter Clipper line (the 250 series was dropped), Mayfair hardtop coupes and convertibles, and a new entry-level long-wheelbase sedan named Cavalier. Among the Clippers was a novelty pillared coupe, the Sportster, styled to resemble a hardtop. With time and money lacking, 1954 styling was unchanged except for modified headlights and taillights, essentially trim items. A new hardtop named Pacific

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3444-446: The challenge of the Depression, Packard started producing more affordable cars in the medium price range. This was a necessary step as the demand for hand-built luxury cars had diminished sharply and people who could afford such vehicles were reluctant to be seen in them when unemployment was over 20%. In 1935, the company introduced its first car under $ 1000, the 120 . Sales more than tripled that year and doubled again in 1936. To produce

3526-620: The company to offer more products and remain competitive. While the Eight five-seater sedan had been the company's top-seller for years, the Twin Six , designed by Chief engineer Jesse G. Vincent, was introduced for 1932, with prices starting at US$ 3,650 (equivalent to $ 81,511 in 2023) ; in 1933, it would be renamed the Packard Twelve , a name it retained for the remainder of its run (through 1939). Also in 1931, Packard pioneered

3608-434: The company. One of James Nance's first actions as president was creating a pension plan to induce Packard executives to retire. Nance worked to snag Korean War military contracts and turn around Packard's badly diluted image. He declared that Packard would cease producing mid-priced cars and build only luxury models to compete with Cadillac. As part of this strategy, Nance unveiled a low-production (only 750 made) model for 1953,

3690-442: The death of Mason, the new president of AMC, George W. Romney , announced "there are no mergers under way either directly or indirectly". Romney continued with Mason's commitment to buy components from SPC. Although Mason and Nance had previously agreed that SPC would purchase parts from AMC, it did not do so. Packard's engines and transmissions were comparatively expensive, so AMC began development of its own V8 engine , and replaced

3772-503: The early 1950s they were increasingly challenged as the domestic "Big Three"— General Motors , Ford , and Chrysler —battled intensely for sales in the economy, medium-priced, and luxury markets. Those independents that remained in business in the early 1950s, merged. In 1953, Kaiser merged with Willys to become Kaiser-Willys. Nash and Hudson became American Motors Corporation (AMC). The strategy for these mergers included cutting costs and strengthening their sales organizations to meet

3854-451: The end of 1953. Packard was forced to move body production to an undersized plant on Connor Avenue in Detroit. The facility proved too small and caused endless tie-ups and quality problems. Bad quality control hurt the company's image and caused sales to plummet for 1956, though the problems had largely been resolved by that point. Additionally, a "brain drain" of talent away from Packard was underway, including John Z. DeLorean . For 1956,

3936-620: The engines were locally assembled. Production ended in 1939, although the company maintained an office in Windsor for many years. Packard was still the premier luxury automobile, even though the majority of cars being built were the Packard One-Twenty and Super Eight model ranges. Hoping to catch still more of the market, Packard issued the Packard 115C in 1937, powered by a Packard six-cylinder engine. The decision to introduce

4018-481: The financial implications. Studebaker-Packard's Nance refused to consider merging with AMC unless he could take the top command position (Mason and Nance were former competitors as heads of the Kelvinator and Hotpoint appliance companies, respectively), but Mason's grand vision of a Big Four American auto industry ended on October 8, 1954, with his sudden death from acute pancreatitis and pneumonia. A week after

4100-528: The first vehicle, a blue Champion four-door sedan, rolled off the Studebaker assembly line. ( Studebaker Canada Ltd. ) The company was located in the former Otis-Fenson military weapons factory off Burlington Street East , which was built in 1941. The Indiana -based Studebaker was looking for a Canadian site and settled on Hamilton because of its steel industry. The company was known for making automotive innovations and building solid distinctive cars . 1950

4182-400: The impossible figure of 250,000 cars annually to break even. Due diligence was placed behind "merger fever", and the deal was rushed. It became clear after the merger that Studebaker's deteriorating financial situation put Packard's survival at risk. Nance had hoped for a total redesign in 1954, but the necessary time and money were lacking. Packard that year (total production 89,796) comprised

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4264-554: The intense competition from the Big Three. In 1953–54, Ford and GM waged a brutal sales war, cutting prices and forcing cars on dealers. While this had little effect on either company, it damaged independent automakers. Nash's president George W. Mason thus proposed that the four major independents (Nash, Hudson, Packard, and Studebaker) merge into one firm American Motors Corporation (AMC). Mason held informal discussions with Nance to outline his strategic vision , and an agreement

4346-407: The line was a turquoise Lark cruiser on March 4, 1966. Studebaker officially shuts down the next day on March 5, 1966, as its last car factory. It was terrible news for the 700 workers who had formed a true family at the company, known for its employee parties and day trips. It was a huge blow to the city, too. Studebaker was Hamilton's 10th largest employer at the time. Hamilton Health Sciences

4428-400: The luxury car market was at risk. In 1950, sales dropped to 42,000 cars for the model year. When Packard's president George T. Christopher set the course for an evolutionary styling approach with a facelift for 1951, others wanted a radical new design. Christopher resigned and Packard treasurer Hugh Ferry became president and demanded a new direction. Ferry, who had spent his career at Packard in

4510-472: The main reasons was they overestimated the appeal of the site, in that the interior had too many support beams, making the space impractical for productions requiring wide, uninterrupted expanses. Bunge is an oilseed processing plant and Canada's largest canola processor. It has crushing facilities in Altona and Harrowby, Manitoba ; Fort Saskatchewan , Alberta ; and Nipawin, Saskatchewan in addition to

4592-836: The midrange volume models. During this time, Cadillac was among the earliest US makers to offer an automatic transmission (the Hydramatic in 1941). Packard caught up with the Ultramatic , offered on top models in 1949 and all models from 1950 onward, but its perceived market reputation now had it as a competitor to Buick . Designed and built by Packard, the Ultramatic featured a lockup torque converter with two speeds. Early Ultramatics normally operated only in "high", with "low" having to be selected manually. Beginning in late 1954, it could be set to operate only in "high" or to start in "low" and automatically shift into "high". "High"

4674-458: The new design was Packard's new overhead-valve V8 , displacing 352 cu in (5.8 L), replacing the straight-eight that had been used for decades. Packard offered a variety of power, comfort, and convenience features, such as power steering and brakes as well as electric window lifts. Air conditioning was available on all car makes by the mid-1950s, but it was installed on only a handful of cars in 1955 and 1956 despite Packard's status as

4756-523: The number one designer and producer of luxury automobiles in the United States. The marque was also competitive abroad, with markets in 61 countries. Gross income for the company was $ 21,889,000 in 1928 ($ 388,402,000 in 2023 dollars ). Macauley was also responsible for the iconic Packard slogan, "Ask the Man Who Owns One". The Packard Six was initially introduced as a senior-level luxury platform for three years starting in 1913, then upgraded to

4838-401: The outsourced unit by mid-1956. Although Nash and Hudson merged, the four-way merger Mason had hoped for, which would have joined Nash, Hudson, Studebaker, and Packard, did not materialize. The S-P marriage (really a Packard buyout) proved to be a crippling mistake. Although Packard was in fair financial condition, Studebaker was not, struggling with high overhead and production costs and needing

4920-528: The processing plant in Hamilton. The Hamilton plant on Victoria Avenue North, has been in operation since 1943 and serves food manufacturers, the biodiesel industry and farmers in Ontario & Quebec . Note: Listing of Landmarks from North to South. Note: Listing of neighbourhoods from North to South 43°15′53″N 79°51′17″W  /  43.2648°N 79.8546°W  / 43.2648; -79.8546 Packard Packard (formerly

5002-413: The same term This disambiguation page lists articles about roads and streets with the same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Victoria_Avenue&oldid=1001164478 " Category : Road disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description

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5084-458: The separation of the Clipper line from Packard. As late as the cars' introduction to the market was, there was reasoning for in 1957 this car was to be continued. It then became a baseline Packard on the all-new 1957 Senior shell. Clippers would share bodies with Studebaker from 1957. The new 1955 Packard design did not affect Cadillac's continuing to lead the luxury market segment, followed by Lincoln, Packard, and Imperial. Reliability problems with

5166-502: The spring of 1956, the Executive was introduced. In a four-door sedan and a two-door hardtop, the Executive was aimed at the buyer who wanted a luxury car but could not justify Packard's pricing. It was an intermediate model using the Packard name and the Senior models' front end, but using the Clipper platform and rear fenders. This was to some confusion and went against what James Nance had been attempting for several years to accomplish,

5248-566: The suggestions by essentially telling Packard to "go build your own car". Packard's first car was built in Warren, Ohio , on November 6, 1899. Henry Bourne Joy , a member of one of Detroit 's oldest and wealthiest families, bought a Packard. Impressed by its reliability, he visited the Packards and soon enlisted a group of investors, including Truman Handy Newberry and Russell A. Alger Jr. On October 2, 1902, this group refinanced and renamed

5330-636: The two new automotive giants for resources. The 1920s had proven extremely profitable for the company and it had assets of approximately $ 20 million in 1932 ($ 447,000,000 in 2023 dollars ) while many luxury car manufacturers were almost broke. Peerless ceased production in 1932, converting the Cleveland manufacturing plant automobile production to brewing for Carling Black Label Beer. By 1938, Franklin , Marmon , Ruxton , Stearns-Knight , Stutz , Duesenberg , and Pierce-Arrow had all closed. Packard had one advantage that some other luxury automakers did not:

5412-694: The two-stage/two-speed supercharger equipped 1,650 cu in (27.0 L) Merlin V-12s engines under contract with Rolls-Royce. Packard also made the 2,490 cu in (40.8 L) versions of the Liberty L-12 V-12 engine. This updated engine powered United States Navy PT boats . After the Second World War, Packard struggled to survive as an independent automaker against the domestic Big Three (General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler). Packard merged with Studebaker in 1953 and formed

5494-558: The war ended in 1953 and the new Secretary of Defense Charles E. Wilson began cutting defense contracts from all automotive manufacturers other than GM, where he had been president. Packard's last major development was the Torsion-Level suspension by Bill Allison, dubbed Torsion Level Ride . The front and rear suspensions on each side of the car side are interconnected by a long torsion bar. This design reduced pitching while allowing for low spring rates, which imbued Packards with

5576-408: The world. The workers produced all kinds of elevators, escalators and later, forklifts. In 1969, the company took over the old Studebaker plant. It was a return home for Otis, which had built the 350,000-square-foot (33,000 m ) facility for wartime production of anti-aircraft guns and other military equipment. On August 18, 1948, surrounded by more than 400 employees and a battery of reporters,

5658-419: Was added to the flagship Patrician series and all higher-end Packards featured a bored-out 359 cu in (5.9 L) engine. Air conditioning became available for the first time since 1942 although Packard introduced air conditioning in the 1930s. Clippers (which comprised over 80% of production) became available in a hardtop model, Super Panama, but sales fell to 31,000 cars. The new model Nance hoped for

5740-538: Was at hand, the Senior-series cars were not rescheduled. One version of the story is that the Senior dies were left outdoors to rust and were not usable. Another tale is that Roosevelt gave Stalin the dies for the Senior series, but the ZiS-110 state limousines were a separate design. The Clipper became outdated as the new envelope bodies started appearing, led by Studebaker and Kaiser-Frazer. Although Packard

5822-495: Was built in 1910–1911. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. By 1931, Packards were also being produced in Canada. Entering the 1930s, Packard attempted to beat the stock market crash and subsequent Great Depression by manufacturing ever more opulent and expensive cars than it had prior to October 1929, and began offering different platforms that focused on different price points allowing

5904-591: Was commonly referred to as being one of the "Three Ps" of American motordom royalty, along with Pierce-Arrow of Buffalo, New York , and Peerless of Cleveland, Ohio . For most of its history, Packard was guided by its president and General Manager James Alvan Macauley , who served as President of the National Automobile Manufacturers Association. Inducted into the Automobile Hall of Fame, Macauley made Packard

5986-442: Was delayed until 1955, partially because of Packard's merger with Studebaker. Packard stylist Dick Teague was called upon by Nance to design the 1955 line, and to Teague's credit, the 1955 Packard was well received. Not only was the body completely updated and modernized, but the suspension was new, with torsion bars front and rear, along with an electric control that kept the car level regardless of load or road conditions. Along with

6068-463: Was extremely high, and nearly any vehicle would sell. Attempting to maintain strong sales beyond this point would prove more problematic. Cadillac's new 1948 cars had sleek, aircraft-inspired styling that immediately made Packard's "bathtub" styling seem old-fashioned. Cadillac also debuted a brand-new OHV V8 engine in 1949 whereas Packard's lack of a modern engine became an increasing liability. Packard outsold Cadillac until circa 1950; most sales were

6150-568: Was founded by James Ward Packard , his brother William , and their partner, George Lewis Weiss, in Warren, Ohio , where 400 Packard automobiles were built at their factory on 408 Dana Street Northeast, from 1899 until 1903. A mechanical engineer, James Packard believed they could build a better horseless carriage than the Winton cars owned by Weiss, an important Winton stockholder, after Packard complained to Alexander Winton and offered suggestions for improvement, which were ignored. Winton replied to

6232-402: Was in good financial condition as the war ended, they had not sold enough cars to pay the cost of tooling for the 1941 design. While most automakers were able to introduce new vehicles for 1948 and 1949, Packard could not until 1951. The company updated cars by adding new sheet metal to the existing body (which added 200 lb (91 kg) of curb weight). Six-cylinder cars were discontinued for

6314-703: Was increasingly seen as dowdy and old-fashioned, unappealing to younger customers. Surveys found that nearly 75% of Packard customers had owned previous Packards and few new buyers were attracted to the make. Compounding this problem was the company's geriatric leadership. The Packard board of directors by the early 1950s had an average age of 67. In 1948, Alvin Macauley, born during the Grant Administration , had stepped down as chairman. Hugh Ferry decided to hire an outsider as president. He recruited James Nance from appliance manufacturer Hotpoint. At 52, Nance

6396-490: Was intended for normal driving and "Low" was mainly for navigating hills. The Ultramatic made Packard the only American automotive manufacturer other than GM to develop an automatic transmission completely in-house. Ford had chosen to outsource their design to Borg-Warner (Ford had attempted to purchase Ultramatics from Packard to install in Lincolns, but bought Hydramatics until Lincoln developed its own automatic transmission

6478-414: Was its best year but the descent was quick. By 1954, Studebaker was in the red and merging with Packard , another falling car manufacturer. In 1963, the company moved its entire car operations to Hamilton. The Canadian car side had always been a money-maker and Studebaker was looking to curtail disastrous losses. That took the plant from a single to double shift — 48 to 96 cars daily. The last car to roll off

6560-412: Was more than a decade younger than the youngest Packard executive. One reason for the aged leadership of Packard was the company's lack of a pension plan for executives (rank-and-file workers had a pension plan per their UAW contract). As a result, Packard executives were reluctant to retire with no source of income other than a Social Security payment, thus blocking younger men from coming to power in

6642-472: Was polarizing. To some, it was sleek and blended classic with modern. Others nicknamed it the "pregnant elephant". Test driver for Modern Mechanix , Tom McCahill , referred to the newly designed Packard as "a goat" and "a dowager in a Queen Mary hat" in the January 1948 issue. Packard sold 2,000 vehicles in 1948 and a total of 116,000 of the 1949 models. In the early post-WWII years, the demand for new cars

6724-446: Was reached for AMC to buy Packard's Ultramatic transmissions and V8 engines. They were used in 1955 Hudsons and Nashes . It did not help that Chrysler and Ford waged a campaign of "stealing" Packard dealerships during the early 1950s. Consequently, Packard's dealer network became smaller and more scattered which made it even more difficult to sell Packard vehicles. Although Korean War defense contracts brought in badly-needed revenue,

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