In 1900, the Ohio Automobile Company was founded to produce Packard automobiles and in 1902 the name was changed to the Packard Motor Car Company with James Packard as president.
With regard to marketing, Packards were an automobile for the wealthy. They had a starting price of $2,600 at a time when the Oldsmobile Runabout sold for $650, the Gale Model A sold for $500, and the Black was only $375.
In 1903, Packard constructed a modern automobile manufacturing plant in Detroit. Packard produced luxury automobiles not only for the American market, but also for foreign markets. By the 1920s, Packard was exporting more cars than any other make in the luxury class.
Shown below are some of the early Packards displayed in the Packard Museum in Dayton, Ohio.
1903 Model K Grey Wolf Racer
This car featured a 275.4 cubic inch inline four with a 2-speed sliding-gear transmission and rear drum brakes. It cost $10,000 to produce.
Initially, James Ward Packard was in favor of large displacement, single cylinder engines, but when Charles Schmidt took over engineering and design at Packard in 1903, the possibility of multicylinder engines was considered. According to the display:
“One Model K engine was pulled from the line for special duty—to power Packard’s new racing car. Known as the Grey Wolf, the special, lightweight and streamlined car was raced on Ormond Beach at the speed trials in 1904, setting the record in its class at 77.59 miles per hour. It went on to place fourth in the inaugural Vanderbilt Cup race in 1903.”
1914 Model 4-48 Runabout
This car featured a 525 cubic inch Straight Six engine with a 3-speed sliding gear transmission. It also had an electric starter, 37-inch tires over wood spoke wheels, electric head lamps and side lamps, and left-hand drive. It sold new for $4,650 (note: the average yearly wage at this time was $1,300.)
More automobile photo tours
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WAAAM: Automobiles of the 1910s (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Automobiles of the 1910s in America's Car Museum (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Early Fords in the Classic Auto Museum (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Automobiles before 1920 (Photo Diary)
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