1953 Packard Mayfair

James Nance joined General Motors' Frigidaire division in 1927, leaving in 1940 when he became vice president of Zenith Radio Corporation of Chicago. He became CEO of General Electric's Hotpoint brand in 1945 and CEO of the Packard Motor Car Company in 1952. During his tenure at Packard, Mr. Nance worked to separate the Packard Clipper range of vehicles into a stand-alone brand (Clipper) and expedited the development of Packard's first V8 engine and automatic transmission (Ultramatic). He was also instrumental in the acquisition (merger/buyout) of Packard by the Studebaker Corporation in 1954, creating the Studebaker Packard Corporation. Studebaker failed to give Packard a full disclosure of its tenuous cash position, leading to Packard's demise in 1958. Nance left two years earlier, in 1956 when the company was on the brink of insolvency. He then became vice president of Ford's Mercury Edsel Lincoln Division, resigning in 1959 due to Edsel's poor sales and pressure from Ford executives. In 1960, he became president and CEO of Central National Bank of Cleveland, Ohio, and chairman and CEO in 1962. When he retired from Central National, Nance established his own consulting firm in Cleveland, Ohio.

During the early 1950s, President James Nance had ambitions of restoring the Packard Motor Company to its prominent position in the luxury car market, and the Mayfair was an integral part of his endeavors. It wore the legendary Packard nameplate and (along with other 'Senior' Packards) was marketed to the public as 'America's New Choice in Fine Cars'.

The Mayfair's existence began in 1951 as a hardtop on Packard's Junior series. It was upgraded to Pacakrd's Senior series in 1953 alongside the Standard and Caribbean convertibles. The Mayfair was named after the City of Westminster's Mayfair district in London, England, one of the most expensive areas in the world.

The exterior styling of the Mayfair was similar to the Cavalier, with horizontal taillights, 'fishtail' rear fenders, side molding that looked like a lightning bolt, wraparound full-length chrome bumpers, bullet-shaped bumper guards positioned near the front license plate, and Packard lettering on the rear fenders. Although appearing similar to the Cavalier, the Mayfair had a nicer interior.

A 327 cubic-inch, L-head inline eight-cylinder engine powered the Mayfair and Cavalier. It had 8.0:1 compression, five main bearings, hydraulic valve lifters, a Carter four-barrel carburetor, and produced 180 horsepower at 4,000 RPM. A three-speed manual was standard, and a two-speed Ultramatic automatic was optional. Additional optional equipment included Easamatic power brakes, power steering, power windows and front seats, two-tone paint, back-up lights, and tinted Solex glass.

The Pacific replaced the Mayfair in 1954.

By Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2024

The 1953 Packard Mayfair was powered by a straight eight engine with 180 horsepower at 4,000 RPM and 300 lb-ft of torque at 2,000 RPM. It had 8.0 compression, Delco ignition, and a four-barrel Carter downdraft carburetor. Its wheelbase measured 122 inches, and fourteen paint selections were available plus two-tone combinations. Priced at $3,280, a total of 5,150 examples were built in 1953.