Packard Eight Trivia Question of the Week:  1. What were the first and last model years for production of Packard automobiles?  2. What does the abbreviation ‘LTSO’ stand for?  3. Mona Lisa was a big 1950 pop hit for what artist?  4. The president of the United States in 1950 was, A. Harry S. Truman; B. Dwight D. Eisenhower or D. Theodore Roosevelt?  5. Can you match up the following cubic inch displacement numbers with the appropriate car makes?  Hint: All numbers are from 1950-1959 models and all are from GM, Chrysler and Ford.  235; 265; 312; 324; 347; 350; 383; 390 and 401.  6. Born Leslie Sebastian Charles on January 21, 1950, this West-Indian jazz/pop musician/singer won a Grammy Award as Best Male R&B Vocal Performance in 1985 for his hit song, Caribbean Queen.  What is his stage name?  7. What is the name of the South Carolina race track which, on September 4, 1950, hosted the inaugural Southern 500... the first 500-mile NASCAR race?  8. “You can trust you car to the man who wears the star” was the theme of radio and television commercials for what product? 

A FIN MAN Trivia Tidbit:  You think today’s wintery weather is bad?  On November 25, 1950, a severe winter storm ravaged the northeastern United States dumping 30 to 50 inches of snow across a broad area and with temperatures below 50, killed 323 people.

For answers to this week’s trivia questions, visit The FIN MAN’s web site at http://www.thefinman.com.  You can e-mail The FIN MAN at mailto://the_fin_,man@msn.com.

The postwar Packards provided power and pizzazz aplenty… but not like in the old days.

Loyal FIN MAN reader LTSO James Townes asked me, just yesterday, if he could suggest a feature car for an Old Car Column story.  I of course replied, ‘sure, no problem, what car would you like me to write about”?  He replied that his mother drove two Packards of note when he was just a young lad.  One was a 1949 model and the other was a 1951.  “How ironic”, I replied, “it just so happens that my story for Monday is about the 1950 Packard, which, for all intents and purposes, is virtually identical to the 1949 model.  James went on to say that his mother had a bit of a lead foot, and once, while behind the wheel of her ‘51 Packard at a stoplight, some guy in a Ford looked over at her and gave the nod indicating that he wanted to race.  James said his mom ‘walked away from the Ford guy and left the bloke with a bit of a bruised ego.  So, James, this old car story is for you!

The Packard line of luxury automobiles came to be under rather unusual circumstances.  James Ward Packard, a successful Ohio businessman in the field of electric light bulbs and power transformers, had purchased a 1898 Winton automobile for his personal use.  He quickly became quite displeased with his new car citing a rash of troubling problems.  When he confronted founder Alexander Winton, a spunky Scot who had emigrated to the United States fourteen years earlier establishing a successful bicycle manufacturing business, Winton barked back, saying, in so many words, that if Packard thought he could build a better automobile, then he’d better go ahead and do it because the Winton was (in Winton’s own words) “a ripened and perfected product, the result of many years of lofty thought, aided by mechanical skill of the highest grade, and could not be improved in any detail”.  Winton continued his tirade by proclaiming that he was not about to “stultify (I must confess– I had to look that one up!) himself by any departure whatever from his own ‘incontestably superior productions’!”  ‘JW’ accepted the dare and did just that, creating the Packard, a highly successful line of quality automobiles that would become a favorite of celebrities and the social elite for over half a century. 

Those of you who I have had the pleasure of meeting in person may not believe this (or, maybe you will), but I remember, during my youth, seeing Packard automobiles on the streets of St. Louis (maybe I saw James Townes’ mother driving one of hers... who knows?).  However, by the time I reached the age of serious automotive curiosity, the grand old marque was in the December of its life. years as a popular dress up accessory on everything from Ford sedans to Chevy pickups. 

But the postwar Packards were nothing like those built prior to WWII-- the limited production, high-performance, luxury cars of the rich and famous (including many a movie star or starlet) many of which earned ranking as ‘True Classics’ in the Classic Car Club of America annals.  Packard was moving in a different direction after the war and trying to appeal to a broader, mass market.  The styling took on the ‘bathtub’ theme, one also favored by Nash, to name just one other example, and not uncommon for the period.  Packard wore the style better than most, however.  Their sedans appeared larger than life and included styling cues such as a grill reminiscent of pre-war models and the graceful, chrome pelican perched atop the massive hood, was a stately reminder of days gone by.  So popular was the Packard pelican (or ‘mascot’ as hood ornaments are often called) that it became a popular pattern for after market imitators and would be found for many years to come on everything from Ford sedans to Chevy pickups as a popular dress-up accessory and customizing feature.  Some specially-equipped 1950 Packards came with the ‘Godess of Speed’ mascot.

And, speaking of speed, although many of the early, more exotic Packards were known for their prowess, post-war models, while not record breakers, were nonetheless formidable performers, particularly in view of their fairly heavy mass.  All 1950 Packards were powered by eight cylinder engines, but were straight, in line designs, not the ‘V’-block type that have dominated the market since the mid fifties.  James Townes’ mother likely left that Ford sitting in the dust because, although the Packard weighed in at close to 4,000 pounds, vs. the Ford at roughly 3,200 pounds, or about one fourth again as much, the Packard’s 356 cubic inch, straight eight engine (in the Custom Series) put out half again as much horsepower (160) as the Ford flat head V-8 which displaced only 259 cubic inches and was rated at a modest 100 horsepower. 
Although bodies were unchanged for 1950, their was big mechanical news at Packard for the year as a brand new, Packard-designed and built automatic, dubbed ‘Ultramatic Drive’ debuted and was met with rave reviews.  Earlier Packards used Hydra-matic trannys built by GM, but the new Packard unit quickly proved itself in terms of performance and reliability.  The Ultramatic was priced at $185.00 to $225.00, depending on which model was being ordered.  This unit came standard on the top-of-the-line Custom Series cars.

Packards were available in three model series, each powered by a model specific in-line V-8 engine.  The entry level Packard Eight Series (in Standard and Deluxe editions) was powered by a 288 cubic inch, 135 horsepower engine, the Super/Super Deluxe Eight Series was powered by a 327 cubic inch, 150 horse version and the Custom Eight Series, as mentioned in the previous paragraph, came with a 356 cubic inch, 160 horse mill. Factory, base prices ranged from $2,224.00 for a Standard, two-door, club sedan to $4,520.00 for a Custom convertible.  In terms of 2008 prices, that range equals about $20,238.00 to $41,130.00.  Just as with today’s models, those prices rose considerably after the customer sat down to look over the generous list of available options.  They included heater and defroster; Six Tube Radio; Deluxe Eight Tube Radio; roof mounted antenna; cowl-mount antenna; custom (exterior) sun visor; ‘traffic light viewfinder’ (we’ll discuss this later); white sidewall tires; coat hooks; dual vanity mirrors (no, they weren’t lighted); emergency brake alarm; Pelican hood ornament (unless equipped standard); rear wheel shrouds (they were known as ‘fender skirts’ on lesser cars); tissue dispenser; road lamps; fog lamps; rear seat draft deflectors on four-door sedans; Cloisonne hubcap medallions (standard on Custom models); Vent-I-Shades; license plate frames; gasoline filler panel guard; door edge guards; spare tire valve extensions; outside rear view mirrors; plaque with original owner initials; vacuum-type radio antenna; fuse kit; trouble light; exhaust deflector; wheel chocks; curb feelers; under hood light; spotlight; wheel trim rings; rear bumper guard; and protection rail; Select-O-Spring seat inserts; two tone paint; ‘Ultramatic’ trunk logo (standard on cars with Ultramatic Drive) (whoa... wait a minute!  You mean you could fake having an automatic transmission in your car by having the logo on the trunk?!?!?  Some people!)

Oh yes, I promised to discuss the aforementioned ‘traffic light viewfinder’.  I suspect many among my readers (especially the ‘Gen-Xers’ in the audience) don’t have a clue as to what a ‘traffic light viewfinder’ is all about.  Others, closer to the FIN MAN in age, may have forgotten about them a long time ago.  Back in the early fifties, many cars were fitted with this handy gadget either from the factory or as an after-market add-on accessory.  It consisted of a hooded, convex glass lens sitting atop a dash mounted stalk.  In those days, traffic control in many, if not ‘most’ intersections (particularly outside the city proper), was controlled by a single traffic signal, suspended from crossing guy wires, hung directly over the center of the intersection.  (What government could afford a pole mounted signal on each of four corners, much less the gigantic, multiple signals we see today, looming over the intersection like giant spider legs, bearing a separate signal for each lane?)  Anyway... the suspended signals were difficult to see, especially if your car was fitted with the popular sun visor accessory.  But, with the dash mounted traffic signal viewfinder, one could simply look at the dashboard and view the light suspended above the intersection.  Just visit any sizeable car show and you’re likely to see an early fifties car with one of these devices... or, you can visit the Fin Man’s web site for a picture of one.

I remember visiting a Packard dealer in the mid fifties with my father Charley.  The car on the showroom floor was a 1956 Patrician and I was fascinated by the air lift suspension that compensated for load weight.  You could sit on the bumper and feel the car lift itself up to standard operating height.  That was cool.  In the following few years, Packard would become nothing more than a Studebaker make over and the year 1958 would see the end of this once proud make.

Oh yes, James wanted to make sure I pointed out that the 1950 Packard was virtually identical to the 1949 model, but the 1951 was a totally redesigned car, lower, longer and wider with a host of changes.  But then that’s another story for another column, later down the road.

For the answers to this week’s trivia questions and other images of the 1950 Packard... visit the FIN MAN’s web site at http://thefinman.com.  To e-mail him, click on this link: mailto:the_fin_man@msn.com.

‘The FIN MAN’TM is available for your group’s special occasion.  In addition to his seminar schedule, he has been a guest speaker at group meetings including car clubs, engineering clubs and other professional associations.  He has also acted as host or emcee at a number of special events including trivia parties, holiday parties, social and professional club events, benefits and fund raisers.  There are still a few open dates for December, 2008 and we are now accepting bookings for calendar year 2009.  During his appearances, he presents an overview of the collector car hobby plus a detailed look at American cars from the fifties and sixties.  His program includes a fascinating Power Point presentation with images of collectible automobiles and various associated nostalgia and Americana.  Guests also have the opportunity to play “FINS for FUN,” the video game he produced in 1987 which inspired his nickname, in which players compete to identify the year, make and model of cars from tightly cropped photos of fins and taillights.  Those who score the highest win auto-related prizes donated by supporting Fin Man sponsors.  Be sure to sign up for the program which is being presented at the secluded YMCA Trout Lodge in April and May of 2009.  For more information, click on this link:  http://groups.msn.com/the-fin-man/seminaragenda.msnw. 

Bruce Kunz is a member of the Society of Automotive Historians, the St. Louis Chapter of the Buick Club of America and the Monte Carlo Owners Association of America.  He welcomes your comments and suggestions.  To e-mail him, click here > mailto:the_fin_man@msn.com.   

Bruce Kunz- a.k.a. "The FIN MAN"