Many historians agree that the last 'real' Packards rolled off the Detroit assembly line in 1956. After the 1954 merger of Studebaker and Packard, production of both marques were consolidated in Studebaker's South Bend, Indiana facilities. The resulting 1957 Packard, a redecorated Studebaker created on a shoestring budget, disappointed brand loyalists. Packard tried again in 1958 with quad headlamps, a low and wide grille and restyled tailfins (constructed of fiberglass), but fewer than 3,000 were built before the marque ceased production in July 1958.
The 1958 Station Wagon 'combined station wagon capacity with limousine luxury and riding ease,' claimed Packard. In actuality, this Studebaker-based Packard was smaller and lighter than a standard Ford or Chevrolet, with a 116-inch wheelbase and 206-inch overall length. Standard equipment included a 225 horsepower 289 cubic-inch V8 engine, 'Flight-o-Matic' automatic transmission and power brakes.
This 1958 Packard is a nine-passenger wagon and one of just 159 built. It was rescued from a field many years ago and fully restored to its present condition.
