{"id":4824,"date":"2015-09-21T07:26:07","date_gmt":"2015-09-21T11:26:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/vweisfeld.com\/?p=4824"},"modified":"2015-10-01T06:44:36","modified_gmt":"2015-10-01T10:44:36","slug":"classic-cruisers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vweisfeld.com\/?p=4824","title":{"rendered":"Classic Cruisers"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Packard

(photo: Vicki Weisfeld)<\/p><\/div>\n

Think of Dayton, Ohio, and you probably think of the Wright Brothers and latter-day U.S. Air Force resources, but it also contains a unique tribute to the automobile. \u201cAmerica\u2019s Packard Museum<\/a>,\u201d located a short distance from downtown, displays an impressive collection of more than 50 classic cars from the Packard Motor Car Company. The company began producing true luxury vehicles in the early 1900s, with models that cost more than the average price of a home in those days.<\/p>\n

\"Packard

(photo: Vicki Weisfeld)<\/p><\/div>\n

The museum\u2019s restored cars are beauties even now. I especially liked the yellow model pictured, which offered its passengers a literal \u201ctrunk.\u201d James and William Packard weren\u2019t fussy about body design. Customers could purchase their chassis and engine and add their own custom-designed body. One model in the museum had a French-designed body, for example.<\/p>\n

During the Depression, the company began producing a more moderately priced line, as well as its luxury models, which in the long run diminished its reputation as an exclusive brand. During the early 1940s, the company gave over total production to the war effort, building aircraft and marine engines. When automobile production resumed, the luxury and lower-priced, lower-profit models were too difficult to distinguish, further diluting its reputation as a high-end manufacturer.<\/p>\n

\"Packard

(photo: Vicki Weisfeld)<\/p><\/div>\n

Two of the \u201cCaribbean\u201d luxury convertible models, produced from 1953 to 1956, are shown in the photo at left. The museum includes a gorgeous mid-century red convertible once owned by Perry Como. According to the docents, a recent visitor said, \u201cOh. He\u2019s the governor of New York.\u201d No, you\u2019re probably thinking of his dad.<\/p>\n

You can easily spend an hour examining the wide whitewall tires, the perfect paint jobs, the leather interiors, and real chrome details of these cars. The volunteer docents are full of information and affection for the collection. It\u2019s easy to see why.<\/p>\n

Appropriately enough, this award-winning museum is located in Dayton\u2019s old Packard dealership, built in 1917. Emblazoned on the wall is the company motto\u2014created when the company president was too harried to talk to reporters about his cars\u2014\u201cAsk the man who owns one.\u201d Packard merged with the Studebaker company in the early 1950s, absorbing a boatload of Studebaker debt, and produced its last vehicle in 1959.<\/p>\n

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