1966 Packard model

[RO]

shows up again: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3168939684&category=2585

[6219_Rules]

Uh sorry folks, but that is one FUGLY automobile. Sigh.

I guess we will never see a handsome, senior Packard again. Are there any models of 40s or 50s Packards available?

[55PackardGuy]

Randall,

This is the first look I've had at the completed model. The picture on the box looks a lot better. At least it looks interesting, and has many more details. Not quite as plug-ugly. Also, I think the guy that started a "new" Packard company and has been showing around a prototype car (with V-12) did a pretty nice styling job. Once again, this is posted elsewhere. I'll look for some links.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3163176929&category=2581

http://www.packardmotorcar.com/

[6219_Rules]

I have seen some of the Great American Dream Machines. And I love the Predictor...kind of ironic, don't you think? <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> It was so out there as to be desirable! I will check out the Franklin mint and some of the other companies you all suggested. I love building models so it might be interesting to see what is available. I found an original 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham a couple of years ago. Painted it like the instructions indicated...now I think I will disassemble it and redo it in a black and white interior scheme.

[Aanderson44]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">shows up again: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3168939684&category=2585 </div></div>

That's a piece of model car history, not to mention a bit of the work of one of the premiere stylists of all time, Virgil Exner.

After leaving Chrysler Corporation in the controversy over the 1962 styling debacle (not entirely Exner's fault--lots of management and marketing types stuck their fingers in that pie--topic for another time), Exner, along with his son set up their own styling & design studios. Exner was called upon to draw up his impression of what the great Classic (and a couple of antiques) cars might have evolved in, had their marques continued to the 1966 model year. This was a feature article in Playboy Magazine in 1966. The cars, of course, bore Exner's touches throughout, but the parameter existed that they had to carry touches resemblant of their heriage as well (the Packard "Ox-Yoke" grille shape.

The cars were: Packard, Duesenberg, Mercer, Stutz, Jordan Playboy, and Bugatti.

Two of the designs were subsequently built as real, running cars: The Mercer design was created on a Shelby 289 Cobra chassis, with all trim and details done in brass, bronze, and copper (not even a square inch of chrome!), the bodywork, by Ghia of Italy painted in an off-white, commissioned by the American Copper & Brass Institute. The Bugatti body was also built by Ghia, on a 1947 Bugatti Type 101 chassis which Exner had purchased at the Bugatti works about 1950 or thereabouts. Both of these cars are in the private collection of William Lyons.

Renwal Inc., a producer of a large line of plastic toys, and some model kits, produced 1:25 scale model kits of these six cars, which are actually quite true to the Exner designs, in 1966 as well. The kits didn't sell well back then, and disappeared from hobby shop shelves within the year. However, nowadays, they bring some serious money, in their MIB (mint in box) form.

Art Anderson