THE ALL PACKARD SHOW AT WEGMAN'S

[Jay and Pat]

One of the nicest Saturday evenings of the summer was August tenth '02, when our fellow Patrician owner,Vern and his friend John along with Pat and I with our Patrician, decided to attend the Angel Car Club's area car show, in Wegman's parking lot. We have been fairly regular attendees and along with everyone else enjoy them very much.

We arrived a few minutes early and with our pick of parking spots, settled in, dutifly opened trunks and hoods, set up chairs and dusted off the cars with great care and chatted about, what else? Cars.

The few minutes turned into an hour, still no-one else came, we began to wonder if we come to the wrong lot, but upon checking the schedule, found we were indeed in the right place and that the meet must have been canceled. Not to be deterred though, Vern suggested that we have an ALL PACKARD SHOW.We thought that suggestion was great and began immediately to change our outlook from JUST ANY CAR to ALL PACKARD. We had a couple of slow drive-by lookers and some people from far up on the mountain came down to see. Then, in a few minutes a beautiful 1956 Ford Sunliner with every conceivable option and some that hadn't even been invented in that year, installed. The owners, whose name escapes me now, but <img src="/ubbthreads/images/icons/blush.gif" alt="" /> who are probably the nicest people we've met so far, through mutual agreement, decided it would be a PACKARD-FORD SHOW. It went off with much good natured laughter for another half-hour or so, then broke up. We met at a later show that year and had many more good laughs about the August tenth PACKARD-FORD GET-TOGETHER.

JAY

[Guest]

Sounds like a good time! Seems like cruises are becoming more enjoyable than shows that charge entry fees for car owners and gate and/or parking fees for spectators.

Where in PA is Wegman's? Since there are several posters here from PA, maybe more of us could all get together - with a little advance notice. An All-Packard Cruise might be just the ticket.

[Jay and Pat]

Wegman's is a national grocery chain whose local management allowed the aforementioned car club to hold their monthly meets there until after the July meet when some of the HOT RODS went peeling out afterwards. Unbeknownst to a few of us, Wegmans then canceled the agreement. We will, in the future meet at Pep-Boys here in this little town of Williamsport in North Central Pennsylvania.

There are four of us in this little area who own and drive '53 Pats and Cavs, but there is a 53 Clipper and a 52 300 that are not yet up to par.

An ALL PACKARD SHOW here? A lovely dream, Oh,I'm sure it will happen, but it won't be very big.

[Guest]

Jay and Pat,

Did someone say Cruise Night? Thats interesting, as I belong to a Club, The Downshifters of S.E. Mass. We are off shoot of the Downshifters of Brooklyn, N.Y. Car Club and the Downshifters of Florida West Coast.

During the Summer months, from May through September we run 5 Cruise Nights each week in various locations in Southeastern Massachusetts. I Dee Jay 2 of them and my partner Johnny Angel, Dee Jays the other 3. All the money we raise goes to "A WISH COME TRUE". A non-profit organization that grants terminally ill children, in some cases and unfortunately, their last wish in life.

Jay and Pat and the rest of you on this board are more than welcome, if you are ever up in Massachusetts, to come to one of our Cruises. The most I ever had for Packards at any cruise was 3, including my 1955. An all Packard Cruise would be a Blast. Believe it or not, I carry all my Disc Jockey equipment in my 1955 Clipper Constellation as well. You would be mighty surprised as to what you can actually stuff inside a Packard.

Bob Bosworth

[WCraigH]

An all Packard cruise? Probably unachievable almost anywhere, but last spring I attended a "Over the hill gang" (I'm a member) sponsored cruise at a Sonic drive-in across town. On this particular Sunday afternoon we had 3 Packards (my 55 Pat), the president's wife's 1952 Mayfair and a 1937 120(?) coupe. After a while, someone observed that there were more Packards in attendance than Pontiacs (only a couple of really nice GTOs representing). So of course the Packard folks had to needle the Pontiac guys about our (numeric) superiority! Good laugh was had by (mostly) all (except the Pontiac guys)! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" />

[Guest]

It's allways nice to go to a car cruise with Pat and Jay. Although not being able to attend in my Packard. I am usually able to park my Chevelle beside Jay and Pat's Packard with thier permision. Which is two hours of talking about Packard and cars in general. I must say that Jays packard allways draws lots of attention, with people asking many questions. Iam hoping that in 2004 my Packard will be sitting along side Jays Packard. There are about three cruises a month during the summer and fall. I like attending the car cruises better than I do going to a car show for the day. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/icons/laugh.gif" alt="" />

[WCraigH]

Cruise vs. meet: In 1999, I drove my 55 Pat to "Hot August Nights" in Reno, NV. This is a REALLY BIG MEET. It's been on TV a couple of times and certainly a bunch of fun. To give you a perspective: about 4,000 cars registered and about 2,000 cruisin' and NOT registered (at least in 1999). Well, to the point. I saw 3 (count 'em 3) Packards the whole meet (out of 4K plus).

The 3: a 1950 "bathtub" which was 'cruisin'. A 1955 400 restored (resurrected out of the Nevada desert) and my 55 Pat.

On Saturday there was a cruise down Victoria BLVD which was also televised. Although my Pat didn't make it onto TV, the experience was worth the travel time.

So... there's some stats for you guys: 3 out of 4,000??? That's probably about the right number. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" />

[Constellation]

Everyone,

If you are serious about an All Packard Cruise and wanted to hold it in the New England Area I'd be glad to Dee Jay it for you for ZIP. We could do it in New Bedford, Mass. I can get and have access to a Huge Parking Lot on a Summer Weekend. With a Night Cruise also on Both Friday and Saturday. I would have to have some help in advertising it and getting the word out. This sounds like a great Idea.

Bob Bosworth

[Guest]

I'm in North Central Illinos (about 130 miles SW of Chicago). I'd love to see something here in Illinois. The gatherings I've been to have been very light on Packards too. Seems like everyone wants a '57 Chevie. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/icons/frown.gif" alt="" /> I'll take my '56 Exectuive any day. Anyone around the Peoria, Bloomington, Pontiac, Ottawa, Lasalle, Peru area lets try and put something together.