AUTOS: Fun-In-The-Sun Packard Cruiser - SPEEDtv.com

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AUTOS: Fun-In-The-Sun Packard Cruiser - SPEEDtv.com Apr 9th 2012, 17:24 AUTOS: Fun-In-The-Sun Packard Cruiser Pastel Caribbean convertible that's perfect for Florida beach cruising sold at Barrett-Jackson's Palm Beach auction. If one could imagine motoring around Palm Beach in the 1950s, it would be hard to find a better option than the 1953 Packard Caribbean Convertible. So it's appropriate that one crossed the block here at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction this past weekend. Large and in charge, this freshly painted Sahara Sand-hued boulevard cruiser is in immaculate condition. One of only 750 built that year and 88 known to exist today, the Packard gaveled home at $66,000, including buyer's premium. Under the hood sits the car's original 180-horsepower, 327-cubic-inch straight eight. It's rare Ultramatic transmission places motion to the 4,250-pound steel unibody, new convertible top and classic wire wheels. On the inside, everything works, and the deep maroon leather interior is in perfect condition. First built in 1953, this limited-run Packard was produced from 1953 to 1950, the bodies for the Caribbean convertibles modified by Mitchell-Bentley Corporation of Ionia, Mich. Designed by Richard Teague, this car is probably the most recognizable Packard of the era with inspiration coming from the original 1952 Packard Pan American show car. The Packard car company traces its lineage to 1898, when engineer James Ward Packard purchased the floundering Winton Motor Company. One year later, under the Ohio Automobile Company manufacturer plate, the first machine rolled out and gave life to the iconic brand. In 1903, the company renamed itself the Packard Motor Company and moved the original factory from Warren, Ohio, to Detroit. The company enjoyed some high-performance success as well. A 12-cylinder Packard captured a land-speed record in 1919 by legendary Indianapolis 500 driver Ralph DePalma at 149 mph. It was an unheard of accomplishment for a land-going vehicle. After World War I and into the Great Depression, Packard re-focused and targeted higher volume, lower-priced vehicles. Teaming with Briggs Manufacturing in the early 40s, Packard rolled out its successful Clipper line. Unfortunately, production demand outweighed Brigg's capacity to produce the bodies, prompting Packard to raise prices. Despite the hiccup, the Clipper still outsold both Cadillac and LaSalle. World War II halted production until 1945, when Packard invested $2 million to completely update its assembly line when it resumed. At that point, they made the Clipper Series exclusive, building various models, such as the Six 2100 and 2103, wiping away other models along the way. One of the hallmarks of those early Packards was reliability – for the era – and build quality. Packard ownership traditionally lasted a very long time. The company's inevitable sales decline was well under way by the 50s. Stiff competition from Cadillac, Lincoln and the other high-end manufacturers was pushing independent automotive manufacturers aside, while demand for luxury vehicles plummeted. In 1956, Packard stopped producing cars. Studebaker purchased the rights and briefly created hybrid cars under the Studebaker-Packard nameplate. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.

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