1957 Packard clipper wagon $11,500 Acton, CA - Not Mine

[m-mman]

 

1957 packard wagon. All original with the factory centrifugal supercharged motor. I have turned the motor over by hand and it's free. This car is all original paint, stainless and interior and is fully complete. This is one of 857 made from. Packard/Studebaker. I just don't have the time to do it proper justice for what it is.

 

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1807777696342273/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A440c041a-5cfb-432e-8b71-52fe09c77066

 

 

Not Mine I have no connection with the sale of this 57 Packard. 

 

Certainly no bargain, I am sharing it because I know there are fans of these Studepaks here.

Interestingly enough, the supercharger is still there. 

[JACK M]

Selling the sedan as well, don't see the boat listed.

I hate to say that I do like these oddball Packards of the 50s.

[TerryB]

Paint does look original, what’s left of it…..

[Gearheadengineer]

That is unique! And a wagon, so I automatically like it. But it’s rough, rough, rough.
 

You’d have to really want one to undertake this project. Even if you got it for free. That said, I hope someone saves it!
 

 

[Xander Wildeisen]

The car has a wonderful view.

[roysboystoys]

That illustrates why they went out of business.

[DrumBob]

Those rakish rear fenders look very out of place on this car, and the extended bumper area off the back gate is odd. I'll pass.  😒

[rocketraider]

Yup. A last dying gasp. Those hyperextended fins and taillights against the truncated wagon body ruin the proportions, almost as badly as a continental kit.

 

Maybe it should be saved to use as a case study of how Studebaker and Packard should probably have gone under separately. 

 

Am I the only one who believes that Packard was simply never able to assimilate itself into the postwar automotive world?

[m-mman]

8 hours ago, rocketraider said:

Am I the only one who believes that Packard was simply never able to assimilate itself into the postwar automotive world?

The answer is much, much deeper than you might imagine. 
 

If you want the honest, well researched, documented truth about the death of Packard. (not the same old myths that are in short articles and told at car shows) 

Read the book. 
“The fall of the Packard Motor Car Company” by James Ward.  

[8E45E]

15 hours ago, rocketraider said:

Yup. A last dying gasp. Those hyperextended fins and taillights against the truncated wagon body ruin the proportions, almost as badly as a continental kit.

 

Maybe it should be saved to use as a case study of how Studebaker and Packard should probably have gone under separately. 

 

Am I the only one who believes that Packard was simply never able to assimilate itself into the postwar automotive world?

Studebaker-Packard barely had the funds to introduce the 4-door 'P'-body station wagon for 1957, never mind extending the cargo area to reach the bumper/taillight housings.   That shortcoming did come back to bite them when Consumer Reports and other automotive magazines did comparison tests on station wagons, and found both Studebaker and Packard had the least amount of cargo room for their length.  (Some have said one can have a tailgate party with it closed on the 1957 & '58's !)

 

S-P was more or less forced to producing a Packard-branded car after the Detroit plant closed because of dealer commitments to standalone Packard dealers who were still under contract.  They had to do that until either dealers handed back their franchise, or converted to Studebaker dealers.

 

As said previous, it was a tumultuous time for Packard in the postwar period; especially during the James Nance era.  It was not an enviable time to be President of a company that unexpectedly lost its body supplier, meet the competition with a modern OHV V8 engine, and continue with product innovation to remain ahead all at the same time.

 

Craig