Packard reached the pinnacle of the American luxury car segment during the 1930s, surviving the Great Depression by introducing a more affordable product that greatly increased sales. Moving down the market may have injured the company's reputation, and by the 1950s, sales had plummeted. As the 'big three' Detroit automakers continued to increase their market share, Packard was forced to merge with Studebaker in 1954. Perhaps too little too late, by August of 1956, with over fifty percent of the year's total Packard production unsold, operations in Detroit halted. The 1957 and 1958 Packard model lineup was greatly reduced, and all Packard vehicles were now produced at the Studebaker plant in South Bend, IN., based on Studebaker models. The final Packard automobile was produced in 1958, but Studebaker production continued through 1966.
The Packard Executive
Positioned between the Packard Patrician and the new Clipper marque, the Packard Executive was introduced on March 5, 1956. The top-of-the-line Clipper Custom was priced at $3,065, and the Packard Executive sedan was approximately $400 higher, listing at $3,465 (the two-door Executive coupe was priced at $3,560). The Patrician was at the top of the sedan price spectrum, selling for $4,160 (The Packard Caribbean Convertible was $6,000 and the hardtop coupe at $5,500).
The Packard Executive had a 122-inch wheelbase, a 214.8-inch length, a width of 78 inches, and a height of 62.8 inches. It used the Clipper Custom's body, the Clipper Custom's 122-inch wheelbase, and an all-new, Packard-designed 352 cubic-inch V8 engine with overhead valves and 275 horsepower. It had a cast iron block, 10.0:1 compression, a Rochester four-barrel carburetor, five main bearings, and hydraulic valve lifters. The transmission was the Twin-Ultramatic Drive, and standard equipment included an oil bath air cleaner and Torsion-Level suspension (by the end of the year). Power brakes, a limited-slip differential, and an electronically controlled, push-button Ultramatic gear selection were optional.
Distinctive styling elements bestowed upon the Executive included unique tail lights, and the hood, front fenders, and radiator grille were sourced from the senior Packard models. There were two straight horizontal rub rails beginning at behind the headlights and terminitaing at the start of the taillights. A roof-matching paint scheme was applied to the area between the parallel moldings in two-tone color schemes. Rocker panel molding was applied to the area between the wheel openings, and there was no vertical simulated 'vent' strip on the rear quarter panel (as used on senior Packards).
The interior trim and appointments, along with the instrumentation, were sourced from the Clipper.
The four-door sedan was priced at $3,465, and the two-door hardtop coupe was listed at $3,560. The sedan was the more popular of the two, with 1,784 examples produced compared to 1,031 of the hardtop coupe (the Executive's shortened model year lasted from March through June). This was the lowest production Packard model for 1956, except for the range-topping Caribbean (539 total units produced). History records the Executive as being very popular, but sales were hindered by slow production, the Studebaker-Packard Corporation's financial woes, and fears that the Packard marque might soon be out of business. If that happened, many buyers feared that spare parts would become scarce and resale value would plummet.
Packard's Conner Avenue assembly plant in Detroit ended production of Packard and Clipper models on June 25, 1956. The Packard name continued through the 1958 model year but was now based on Studebaker platforms and shared the same assembly lines in South Bend, Indiana.
During its brief existence, a total of 2,779 examples of the Executive were constructed.
by Dan Vaughan