Packard Clipper
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The Packard Clipper was a model of the Packard Motors Company from 1941 to 1954, and the Studebaker-Packard Corporation for 1955 and 1957. Clippers built for model year 1956 are considered a stand alone make, not a model of Packard.
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[edit] 1941-1942
Packard Motors introduced the Packard Clipper model, as part of Packard's Nineteenth Series of automobiles. The car featured "fade away" styling, which means that the front fenders melted into the front doors, and was powered by the same engine used in the Packard 180 series. The Clipper was lower and wider than previous Packards, and was the first streamlined Packard. One body series was offered (model 1951), a four door sedan. The Packard Clipper was priced between the Packard 120 and the Packard 160. Packard advertising encouraged consumers to "Skipper the Clipper!"
For its Twentieth Series (1942), save for its Packard Six and convertible models, all Packards (models 2001, 2002, 2003 "Eight" models 2003, 2023, 2004, 2005, 2055 "Eight" and models 2006, 2007 and 2008 "Super-Eight) became "Clipperized" and adopted the styling cues introduced by the 1941 Clipper.
[edit] 1946-1947
For 1946-1947 all Packards used the Clipper styled bodies and the "Clipper" name.
[edit] 1948-1952
The Clipper nameplate was deemphasized as Packard issued its twenty-first series automobiles.
[edit] 1953-1955
Packard President James Nance had hoped to introduce a new "Clipper" as a stand alone marque, targeting the mid range price field which Nance felt was dragging the Packard image down. When word was leaked to the Packard dealer network that they would be losing their best selling Packard model to "Clipper", they balked. As an appeasement, Nance rolled the Clipper out as a Packard, and worked to transition the cars toward their own make. Thus, the Packard Clipper name was reintroduced and applied to the company's entry level models, previously known as the Packard 200, beginning in 1953. Clippers were available in Special and Deluxe trim models, as two and four door sedans.
For 1954, the "Clipper by Packard" was given its own unique rear fender trim and tail lights to further it from traditional Packards. The cars were also available with a distinctive two-tone paint pattern. For 1955, Packard became a marque in the newly formed Studebaker-Packard Corporation.
The Packard Clipper Constellation was a two-door hardtop automobile produced by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation in model years 1955 and 1956. The 1955 model was a Packard product and sold as part of the Packard Clipper line; for 1956, Clipper was divorced from Packard, becoming a make in its own right.
[edit] 1956
Studebaker-Packard's President James Nance's goal of separating Clipper from Packard was realized. The Clipper was no longer a Packard model, but its own separate registered marque for the 1956 model year only. The Packard-Clipper Sales Division was also established for 1956 models, and existing Packard dealers were required to execute a Clipper dealer franchise sales agreement.
[edit] 1957
Following the closure of Packard's Detroit, Michigan facility, Packard production was shifted to South Bend, Indiana where all Packards shared the Studebaker President body and Studebaker's four door station wagon body as well. All cars produced for 1957 carried the Packard Clipper name.
Trim components from the 1956 Clippers were used to make the 1957 model differ in appearance from the President; outside, this included a narrower Packard-style front bumper and 1956-style tail lamps and wheelcovers. Inside, the cars' dashboards were fitted with the same basic instrument cluster as used in the previous two years. On the whole, the effect was that of a glitzy Studebaker.
Detractors of these cars refer to them as "Packardbakers". For 1958, the Clipper name was discontinued, and "Packard" automobiles produced were simply known by their marque name.
[edit] References
- Maloney, James H. (1994). Studebaker Cars. Crestline Books. ISBN 0-87938-884-6.
- Langworth, Richard (1979). Studebaker, the Postwar Years. Motorbooks International. ISBN 0-87938-058-6.
- Gunnell, John, Editor (1987). The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946-1975. Kraus Publications. ISBN 0-87341-096-3.
- Kimes, Beverly R., Editor. Clark, Henry A. (1996). The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1945. Kraus Publications. ISBN 0-87341-428-4.
- Packard-Clipper division, Studebaker-Packard Corporation,Clipper dealer sales agreement, Studebaker-Packard Corporation, 1956, forms 80-698 & 59
 1899-1958 Category (edit) |
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| Cars: | Packard 200 | Packard 300 | Packard Caribbean | Packard Cavalier | Packard Clipper | Packard Clipper Constellation | Packard Eight | Packard Light Eight | Packard Super Eight | Packard Executive | Packard Four Hundred | Packard Hawk | Packard One-Eighty | Packard One-Ten | Packard One-Twenty | Packard Patrician | Packard Six | Packard Twin Six/Twelve | Packard Station Sedan | Studebaker based Packards |
| Corporate: | Clipper | Packard | Studebaker-Packard Corporation| Ultramatic | Packard Panther | Packard Request |
| People: | Howard Darrin | James J. Nance | James Ward Packard | William Dowd Packard. |
