3.5 Million Sq. Ft. Packard Plant

[56H-Y6]

I can never figure out why Packard, with a facility of this magnitude, had to subcontract out their body production.

Hi

In truth, they didn't have to subcontract body production for lack of space. Among the rationales over the years has been the urgency of ordnance work coming into the plant at the same time as the Clipper was in production preparation, 1940-41. If this was the reason, it was still a bad decision based on a short-term situation. Continuing to receive the stampings from Briggs and assembling themselves was a much better option. Additionally, Briggs had been intimately involved in the Clipper design and development, no doubt pressed hard to have its production remain in their facilities.

Postwar, again the urgency of ramping up production to meet the pent-up demand kept the situation in place. Packard had by then become completely dependent upon Briggs for the body production. The cost of reinstituting body production at East Grand Boulevard had escalated dramatically in the intervening decade, while Packard's profitability had fallen to very low margins.

All this lead up to the nail in Packard's coffin: the leasing from Chrysler and move of assembly to the crackerbox Connor Avenue plant in late 1954.

Steve

[qsanford]

Thanks Steve. I guess it is true- hindsight is always 20/20!