Packard auto

[Guest windjamer]

Watched a real informative program on public tv last night. Everything else was reruns so I switched to a local station. They had a hr. long program on the rise and fall of Packard. Showed examples of the first to last and many in between.If I understod right at or near the end it was proposed to merge Packard with three outhers and call the new co. AMC,but the deal fell through. Anyone know the name of the four auto makers??

[poci1957]

I have been waiting 6 months to see this show and it has not come to my station!

My understanding is that by 1949-50 it became apparent to George Mason of Nash that the independents could not compete with Ford and GM on their own. He thought that Nash/Hudson/Studebaker/Packard could successfully merge and their lines could cover the market price ladder like GM. I forget why it never happened, but by 1954 they had paired off and Mason died very shortly after, so no one person could bring them together. In hindsight it looks like a great idea. Other will chime in, this has been written about in the past, Todd

[Rusty_OToole]

The first phase of the merger was to put together Studebaker and Packard, and Nash and Hudson. Then merge the 2 companies into one entity.

The first 2 mergers took place then Mason died. His successor George Romney refused to go through with the final merger, perhaps wisely.

He did keep the name American Motors which is what the new company was to be called. He also dropped the names Nash and Hudson in favor of the name Rambler, which was their most popular model at the time.

Rambler kept the name Ambassador for their top model, a long time Nash nameplate. The Ramblers were basically Nashes anyway. The last vestige of Hudson died with the 1957 models.

Studebaker-Packard struggled along, dropping the Packard name after 1958. Studebaker went on until 1963 at their South Bend factory then made cars only at their Canadian plant until 1966.

American Motors was absorbed by Chrysler in the 80s.

The last ghost of the old independents is the Jeep. The Jeep was invented by Bantam, made during WW2 by Ford and Willys, became a Willys exclusive after the war, was then taken over by Kaiser, then American Motors, and finally Chrysler.

[Guest De Soto Frank]

Was the program part of the series "The American Experience" ?

Hope our local PBS can make room for it...

If George Mason had not passed away when he did, the four-way merger might have gone through, and automotive history might have played-out a bit differently.

Apparently Studebaker was in worse financial circumstances than they would admit to, to Packard's eventual disadvantage. ( Perhaps a bit of "Deja-vu all over again", like their brief ownership of Pierce-Arrow in the early 1930's.)

Even a three-way merger between Packard, Hudson, and Nash might have been a lasting partnership.

Edited August 5, 2010 by De Soto Frank (see edit history)

[Guest windjamer]

Boy,there aint no dummys in this forum.Sorry you missed the program Todd, hang in there ,im sure they will run it again.Keep your pen handy.At the end they give an address where you can buy a copy.Wish I had thought quick to send for a copy..All I can say about the cars is some folks got way to much money.

[Friartuck]

Perhaps this one hour video is the one being sought, available through the Packard club for $24.95. It advetised as being aired on PBS channels, so quite possibly the same:

DVD Packard An American Classic Car [MI-08] - $24.95 : The Packard Club Internet Store

[poci1957]

The first 2 mergers took place then Mason died. His successor George Romney refused to go through with the final merger, perhaps wisely.

The last ghost of the old independents is the Jeep. The Jeep was invented by Bantam, made during WW2 by Ford and Willys, became a Willys exclusive after the war, was then taken over by Kaiser, then American Motors, and finally Chrysler.

Hello Rusty, I assume you say the merger was "perhaps wisely" rejected by George Romney because of the condition of Studebaker. That seems the common thought and there seems no doubt that the combined Nash & Hudson were in far better shape then Stude/Packard, largely due to Nash's strengths. I still like to think what could have happened if it had all come together and they could have pooled their resources.

I do not recall that Kaiser & Willys were approached in this deal. As you point out it is notable that through it all the Jeep brand is the one that refuses to die and in fact always ends up carrying the parent company to the next stage. Even now critics considering the Fiat/Chrysler partnership note that Jeep would certainly survive any merger or elimination of a nameplate because of it's icon status.

[Studemax]

As I understand Romney HATED Studebaker over some perceived business slight, and that is why the 2nd merger never occurred.

[Earl B.]

James Nance, pres. of Packard, and George Mason, pres. of Nash were friends and had planned to merge. When Mason died, and George Romney became pres. he and Nance were not on friendly terms, and Romney called the merger off. Had anyone else taken over Nash, or had anyone else been head of Packard, the merger would have probably gone on....B

[sambarn]

I don't mean to be a nay sayer but before it's big three status there is a vehicle that is manufactured today that was formerly an independent and has survived in name since the beginning of American vehicle manufacturing........ Cadillac, another american icon.

[RPrice]

It's interesting to speculate what would have happened if the 4 independents mentioned above would have merged into one company. I truly believe that if George Mason had lived, he would have pulled the whole thing off. He was a very persuasive man. Mason was responsible for the good financial health of Nash, even during bad economic times.

Rog