Pumpkin Run Packards

 

From its beginnings in 1899, Packard was one of America's most luxurious automobiles. With plenty of room and built in comfort, solid, worry-free construction and some of the most powerful engines, including one of the first V-12s, Packard was an automobile sought out by those who could afford it. It, along with many others, became a victim of the Big Three (Chrysler, Ford and General Motors) slashing prices and saturating the market following World War II. In 1954 Packard bought a failing Studebaker hoping that the smaller, less expensive cars of Studebaker would help them compete but Studebaker was too far in debt and it all managed to drag down both companies.  Packard shuttered its doors in 1958. Still, a number of these magnificent machines live on and a few were on hand for the 48th Pumpkin Run Nationals. Here they are, including the 1940 Eight above.