1949 Packard Super Deluxe Eight Victoria 2-Door Convertible
2023.0026.0004, Savoy Collection
Engine: 327 cu. in. (5.3L)
Output: 143 HP @ 3,600 RPM
Transmission: 3-Speed Manual
Wheelbase: 127 in.
Overall Length: 211 in.
Weight: 4,260 lbs.
Top Speed: 85 MPH
No. Produced: 671
Original Price: $3,350
Manufacturer: Packard
In 1949, Packard celebrated its 50th anniversary as the oldest independent automobile manufacturer still in business. To mark this event, 2,000 cars, finished with a custom gold paint scheme, were produced and driven to locations across the United States. 1949 was also the second-best production year in the company’s history. However, things were not going well. Profits were lower than those in 1948, and Packard had just lost a lucrative jet engine research contract with the Air Force.
Style changes between the 1949 and 1948 vehicles were minimal, so leftover models were re-plated and listed as the 1949 Packard Twenty-Second Series. Another misstep was Packard’s lack of a new design for 1950, like the other manufacturers. Packard simply called vehicles produced in late 1949 their 1950 editions. In the midst of their 50th-anniversary celebration, company president George Christopher resigned, and Hugh Ferry, Packard’s treasurer, took over. Ferry’s first order of business was to find his own replacement! The handwriting was now on the wall; Packard’s days were numbered.