History

To set the stage, in 1898, our nation was involved with the great Klondike Gold Rush in Alaska and concerned about the Battle Ship Maine blowing up in Havana Harbor. The war in Spain was over while another war erupted in the Philippines in early 1899. The Boxer rebellion was on in China and a Hurricane hit Galveston, Texas killing 8,000 people. As you can see, the beginning of the century was filled with notable events and the public had little time to notice any new industries.

However, in Warren, Ohio, James Ward Packard, brother of William Doud Packard wrote to George Lewis Weiss on April 11, 1899, and suggested that they start their own automobile company. G. L. Weiss, a major stockholder in the Winton Motor Carriage Co., owned Winton # 4. J. W. Packard purchased Winton # 13 on August 13, 1898 and the two men became acquainted through their mutual interest in the automobile and the related problems with the Winton carriage. In the spring of 1899, J. W. Packard was bold to suggest to Alexander Winton how his automobile could be improved. A. Winton rebuffed him and the seeds for the Packard saga were planted.

On June 29th G. L. Weiss went to Warren and the decision was made to form a partnership to start manufacturing operations if he could entice Wm. A. (Bert) Hatcher, the Winton Plant Manager, to join him and the Packard brothers in Warren. J. W. Packard, W. D. Packard and G. L. Weiss each put up $3,000.00 to finance the venture when W. A. Hatcher signed a contract with them on July 3rd with them to develop a "practical" motor vehicle. All patents applied for were to be the property of "Packard & Weiss".

Throughout the summer and fall of 1899 work was carried out in the shops of the New York & Ohio Co., the incandescent lamp plant owned by the Packard brothers. J. W. Packard and Hatcher did design and development and George L Weiss handled procurement from Cleveland. W.D. Packard attended to the financial functions. On Nov. 2nd a new machine shop was opened to separate the automotive operations from the N.Y. & Ohio Co. The first Packard Model A was rolled out and tested in the snow on Nov. 7th. Finally, on Dec. 30th, 1899, the partners documented their relationship by signing a formal partnership agreement.

The year of 1900 was one of rapid and harmonious growth. Five Model A's were built. All were slightly different and experimental. One of the Packards was shipped to G. L. Weiss in Cleveland on April 13, 1900. It was a Model A and received good newspaper coverage. The objective now was to sell automobiles. Both W. D. Packard and G. L. Weiss took every opportunity they could to present the new car to the public. This was done mainly by making reliability runs around the eastern states. J. W. Packard and G. L. Weiss made a heavily publicized trip in the G. L. Weiss Model A from Cleveland to Buffalo in 13 1/2 hours on May 26, 1900.

The lessons learned with the Model A's, including the first use of an "H" pattern selective gear shift, resulted in the Model B which went into production in April. From that time till the end of 1900, 49 Model B Packards were produced, according to W. D. Packards diary.

In the summer of 1900, the Model C was introduced. Power was increased from 9 to 12 hp. and the steering wheel replaced the tiller. That was but one first in a long string of firsts which Packard pioneered that stimulated the automotive industry over the years. September marked the establishment of the first Packard agency in Painesville, Ohio. The company was now outgrowing the informal Packard-Weiss partnership and the decision was made to incorporate as the Ohio Automobile Co., with a capitalization of $100,000.00 and the same distribution of ownership. J. W. Packard was named president, G. L. Weiss Vice President and W. D. Packard Treasurer.

In November 1900 the big event was the 1st National Auto Show at Madison Square Garden. G. L. Weiss organized the company effort featuring the Model B and the new Model C. The Ohio Automobile Co. opened a branch at 487 Broadway, NYC and the Packard automobile was now moving into a position of national prominence.

By early 1901 the company had a backlog of orders and was able to buy its production facilities from the N.Y. & Ohio Co. and make a distribution to the principals plus a 50-share gift to Bert Hatcher.

The first experimental Model F was introduced at the National Auto Show in November, 1901. It was built on the Model C chassis especially for this event and lacked the front radiator which became the distinguishing feature on subsequent models. Packard was now synonymous with quality and cars sold well off the floor.

During 1901, Packard automobiles made a significant showing in the New York to Buffalo Endurance Run that began on September 9th. Of the 80 entries starting the race, 5 were Packards. At the end of the day, 39 cars including the five Packards reached Rochester. Two of the Packards held second and third places. Unfortunately, that was the day that President McKinley died and the race was not continued.

An unexpected visitor to the 1901 Auto Show was one Henry B. Joy, heir to a vast railroad fortune. Impressed with Packard quality, he bought two cars and acquired 100 shares of stock. In January 1902 he bought another 150 shares and showed up at the stockholders' meeting in Warren. He obviously had ideas for the company. Production was now up to one Model F per day. Expansion was rapid and there was an urgent need for more money. H. B. Joy wanted to bring his Detroit friends and family into the company.

In 1902, the Model G with 24 horsepower engine was completed in June and the design for the Model K was started. H. B. Joy purchased more stock and became actively involved in company operations. At a special stockholders' meeting in October 1902 the firm name was changed to the Packard Motor Car Co. and it was decided to make a stock offering of $250,000.00. The Detroit group subscribed to $150,000.00 of this amount and the control of the company passed from the founders to H. B. Joy and associates. Production was increased to 10 cars per day and the Detroit group pushed for a move to that city.

The crisis at this point was not one of money but of personalities. G. L. Weiss resigned in November 1902 and was followed by Bert Hatcher in January 1903. J. W. Packard submitted his resignation in July 1903, but recanted his resignation the following month at the insistence of to H. B. Joy. W.D. Packard left to run the N.Y. & Ohio lamp operation.

In the course of 1903 H. B. Joy bought a 66-acre site in Detroit and built the world's most modern automobile plant. The move to Detroit was completed on Oct. 10, 1903. J. W. Packard was in Detroit attending a board meeting two days before the new offices opened when he received notice that his mother had died. J. W. Packard returned to Warren immediately and never again took any active role in the administration of the company although he kept his Packard stock and his name appeared as president until 1909.

Thus, as in so many large corporations, within a few years the men with the original ideas passed from the scene and another group who, in this case, had the money, the drive and the vision to convert a small automobile company into a corporation of world renown.

As mentioned above, besides the First use of an "H" pattern selective gear shift (1899) and the First steering wheel instead of a tiller handle (1901), Packard also pioneered the following firsts in the automotive industry:

• First use of an automatic spark advance. (1899)
• Gray Wolf broke all American speed records, 77.58mph. (1904)¹
• First reinforced concrete factory building. (1905)²
• First rumble seat. (1908)
• First to locate hand brake on left of driver. (1915)
• First American twelve cylinder engine. (1915)
• First aluminum pistoned automobile engine. (1915)
• First hypoid differential. (1925)
• First hydraulic shock absorbers. (1926)
• First backup lights. (1927)
• First pressurized cooling system. (1933)
• First oil temperature regulator. (1933)
• First full flow oil filter. (1933)
• First central automatic chassis lubricator system. (1933)
• First automatic radiator shutters as standard equipment. (1933)
• First "ride control" for control of shock absorber activity. (1933)
• First self cleaning full flow oil filter. (1934)
• First power hydraulic brakes. (1936)
• First aluminum crankcase.
• First automobile air conditioning, 18th Series. (1939)
• First sealed beam headlights. (1939)
• First padded dash. (1939)
• First pleated upholstery. (1939)
• First automatic windows. (1940)
• First all steel station wagon. (1948)
• First reverse rear window. (1953)
• First application of torsion bar suspension in cars. (1955)
• First electric load leveler. (1955)
• First thermostatically controlled water circulation.
• First to join the accelerator pedal and hand throttle.
• First patent of automobile wheels interchangeable at hub.
• First with ribbed jacket water-cooled cylinders.
• First patent on radiator with top and bottom reservoirs w/tubes.
• First in US with "trunnion block" which added to driving safety.
• First package compartment in instrument panel.
• First patent for a mechanical striping device.
• First interior folding sun visors.
• First constant action vacuum (pump aided) windshield wipers.
• First to use lateral stabilizer.
• First to use built-in under fender cooling tunnels.
• First electrically controlled overdrive.
• First with front and rear bumpers as standard equipment.
• First to use balloon tires as standard equipment.
• First use of limited slip differential.
• First fiberglass body.
• First gasoline driven car to climb Mt. Washington, NH
• First filling station built by a Packard dealer. (LA, CA)
• First transcontinental trip by a truck, a Packard Truck.
• Only automobile with complete torsion suspension.
• And yes, First to build and fly a diesel aircraft engine!

¹On 1/1/1904 - The Gray Wolf made a five-mile record of 4:43.8 beating Winton's Winton Bullet 1 by 2.2 seconds. On 1/2/1904, Schmidt broke all American records for the mile in 51sec. On 1/3/1904, Schmidt slashed the mile to 46.6 for 77.58 mph, 0.4sec off the unlimited international mark, but was the best American record.

²PMCC Bldg. #10 in Detroit by Albert & Julius Kahn.

As a result of the care, craftsmanship and attention to detail put into every Packard produced, it's no wonder Packard became one of the premier automotive marques produced in America.

If you wanted to know a Packard's qualities, you were told "Ask The Man Who Owns One".

"The earliest form of the script is shown on the Patent Office document dated April 1905, in which a script is shown to date back to the pre-automobile days of 1898. The Packard script trademark, in addition to the to being used on the products of the Packard Electric Company (now a part of G.M.) was used both on a brand of motor oil and a piano of the same name. The Packard Piano Company was founded in 1871 in Ft. Wayne, Indiana by Isaac Packard, lasting supposedly until 1938. Although it seems coincidental that these scripts resemble one another, no known relationship between these companies or their founder exists."

"The familiar Packard radiator design first appeared in 1904. However, it was not used in its advertising until 1908. Probably the company didn't realize what they had created until several years had passed. Automobiles through about 1903 were in such a stage of experimentation that little thought was given to style development of a company logo. New forms of engines and transmissions, etc. were tried and perfected and put in a different place each year. Little or no attention was paid to continuity of style by the major manufacturers. Packard, Thomas, Stoddard-Dayton and Maxwell were a few of the first American cars coming out with distinctive lines, radiator wise during 1904-1908. An exception is the still famous "curved-dash" model Oldsmobile made as early as 1901 through 1904. At any rate, the radiator style having been more attractively re-proportioned, became a distinguishing feature (of a Packard) by 1908 and as such was promoted by the company. The shape of the radiator, of course, changed with the passing years and it came and went with various types of advertising art, all featuring the now famous radiator."

"A prominent design on the motometer was the Packard radiator shell outline, coupled with a bi-plane. This design dates back to 1919 and ran, with minor variations, to 1928 when it passed with the passing of the motometer which was mounted on the radiator cap. The airplane motif alludes to the Packard built aircraft engines. The last year of the radiator design as a principle advertising trademark was 1929, coincident with the introduction of a Coat of Arms from the Standard 8 sales catalog, 6th series. The radiator design was always popular as a dealer identification sign, clear through the 1930's and 1940's. Many Packard agencies had these signs, attractive in blue and white porcelain, swinging from a signpost or hanging on the outer walls of the dealership. The larger and older agencies frequently had cast brass plaques in the shape of radiators mounted by the entry to the showrooms."

"While other trademarks were used on the company's advertising and on its product, the familiar Packard Script is the one trademark which spans the company's entire history."

"The Packard Coat of Arms first appeared in November, 1928."

Description: "Gules, a cross lozengy between 4 roses or. A pelican in her piety."

"So, in the language of Ancient Heraldry is described the Coat of Arms and Crest of the old English Packard family, first transplanted to the new world by Samuel of that name in the year 1638 via the ship Diligent from Windham." "It was to be 290 years before that device was shown and known to fame in America — adopted with pride and as a mark of respect to James Ward Packard, and his brother and co-worker William, by the great company which they founded and lived to see win world leadership in the manufacture of fine cars. For it was not in the Packard code to adopt a crest without meaning or significance, and the Packards were not the men to press their personalities or family in the public eye. So for thirty years, the characteristic Packard radiator has neither borne nor needed a distinguishing symbol. But in 1929, with the passing of Ward and William Packard, they who built largely with their own hands the first Packard car, the Packard Company had appropriately adopted that family's Coat of Arms. The Packard Arms stands for Quality, Taste and Integrity — an ever-present pledge that the ideals established would be always faithfully upheld."

"Doubtless, the Coat of Arms was the source of inspiration for the mascot known variously as the Pelican and as the Cormorant, as it was called in different examples of the company's publications. This mascot first appeared, optionally, on the 1932 models and lasted nearly to the end of automobile production, although scarcely recognizable from near the end."

The "Hexagon" first appeared in September 1905 on the hubcap of a Model S or Model 24 painted Black. When Packard owners brought their Packard back to the Factory for overhaul, the center of the hubcap was painted Red to indicate it passed inspection. In 1913, the Hexagon was permanently made Red and became another Packard trademark.

Let the Master Service Salesman speak for himself.

Says he: "FIRST of all, I realize that to the car owner I AM the Packard Motor Car Company and I will endeavor to act accordingly. I know how everyone wants immediate attention nowadays. They simply will not stand for the slightest delay. They want to be able to sit in their cars — especially the women — and have a service salesman literally run to them with a pleasant greeting. And why shouldn't they expect this from us — they get it at the corner filling station. So I am going to try to wait on my customers the minute I see them come in the door, just as if their order was going to be worth a million dollars."

"Then I will wait on them just as if each owner was the one and only person I had been looking for, and as if servicing their particular car was the only thing the entire organization had on their minds for that day."

"And it doesn't cost me any more in fact it is a lot more fun than doing a slouchy, inattentive job which satisfies neither the customer nor myself."

"If I can't wait on my customers in this way, because I am waiting on another person, or talking on the 'phone, I am going to always recognize them with a wave of the hand or a pleasant word and assure them of my attention just as quickly as possible. And if time drags on I will occasionally reassure them of my anxiety to wait on them."

"I believe the car owner really wants to be told what his car needs mechanically. I think he would rather have an adjustment, or a part replaced, before trouble occurs, at a minimum of expense and loss of transportation, than to have something repaired after it has happened and perhaps with a disabled car at some most inopportune time, with a longer time required to fix the trouble, and all at a much greater cost. Therefore, I will look farther than the things he thinks he needs, and give him intelligent suggestions on the service he really needs. And I will urge him to follow a plan of monthly inspection which I will give the car without charge."

"I will always try to see the Owner's point of view, and to realize that it is never a pleasant job for a car owner to come to the service station and give up the use of his car even for a short time."

"I will appreciate how the owner feels who is forced to bring his car to the service station because of some trouble, and perhaps when he needs his car the most. And I will try to serve him just as I would like to have a service man serve me. If possible I would loan him a car if his needs were urgent. I would at least have him driven to his destination and would deliver his car to him when it was fixed."

"I am going to treat the owner of an old car with just as much respect, and with even more interested attention, if possible, than a new owner because the day will soon come when we should be able to count on this man to buy a new car, provided he has been satisfied with his car and the service attention I have given him."

"I am going to personally see to it that every mechanical case is diagnosed correctly, and I will write no order or make no statement until I am sure what is needed I am going to make no wild guesses to cause me grief later and shake my customer's confidence in me."

"I am going to write the kind of orders the mechanics in the shop will understand, and even then I will follow up to explain exactly what the owner had in mind."

When the job is done I am going to consider my most important duty is still undone until I have assured myself the car is just as the owner expected it to be, and if this is not the case, then I am going to see that he is told the truth — that in spite of in best efforts the car isn't quite right and that we will have to go after the elusive trouble again."

"I am going to see that my customers' cars are ready when promised, or that they have surely been notified with an explanation why this is impossible, and with regret expressed."

"I am going to see that my customers' cars leave the place cleaner than when they came in, if possible; with motors washed after a major motor repair job, and the car cleaned if it has become soiled or finger marked."

"Above all I am going to personally see that bills are correct and understandable, and that the owner has had a clear explanation of just what work was necessary and why the charges are what they are for each operation, and that they are very reasonable consistent with the completeness and quality of the job."

"I will be particularly careful about charges for little jobs and for work done while the owner waits. Better to undercharge than overcharge. Often a small job at no charge will create much good will."

"I will follow a liberal policy in not charging for the correction of anything defective about the car, believing that this is the best and cheapest advertising in the world."

"I would have the bookkeeper or accounting department arrange the method of payment with every customer. If it must be C.O.D., I will see that he is told so through the proper department and in the most courteous way. I will be sure there is a clear understanding and no offense."

"I will be scrupulously careful to thank our customers and express appreciation for their business."

"I am going to make it a rule never — under any circumstances — lose my temper. I will always realize that the owner's remarks, however insulting and disagreeable, are aimed at the Company I represent and not really at me, provided I have conducted myself courteously and in a business-like way. Therefore, I will take a perfectly impersonal attitude and keep a level head and a smooth temper."

"I am going to say too little rather than too much. A wise service man is a good listener and a very careful talker."

"I am never going to get into an argument with an owner because this never accomplishes satisfactory results."

"I am going to try to have all my owners satisfied with their cars, our service, and me. I say ME because I want to personalize our service and make our customers feel they have a real friend to look after their Service needs and some one personally interested in their car. This will make them want to come back, and it will make my job a lot easier and more pleasant."

"I will keep a definite and close contact with every one of my customers and will see to it that they come to my Service Station for all their service needs at regular intervals."

"I am going to be particularly careful and patient in investigating salesman's reports of owner complaints. After I have the complete story from both sides, I am going to see that the salesman gets it straight, because I want him to help me sell service. He will if he is sold on our service department and has confidence in me. Often I will call on a disgruntled owner with the salesman and I know, then, that everyone is going to feel a lot better when we get through because I am determined my customers shall get what is coming to them."

"I will never condemn the policy or knock the work, or the statements, of another Packard service man to an owner. Furthermore, I will do all I can to create a feeling of confidence and good will toward the Packard Company, the Packard car, and Packard Service everywhere."

"I am going to see to it that my service station is kept scrupulously clean and I am always going to be neat and clean in my personal appearance."

"I am not going to forget that my employer is in business to make some money. Therefore, I will always look upon the car owner as a potential buyer of Labor, Parts and Accessories in other words, these things are our Service Merchandise. I will be constantly on the alert to discover things the owner might be willingly sold. I emphasize willingly sold. By that, I mean that even though it may require some real salesmanship to sell him a motor recondition job or a brake relining or some accessories, he will be so well sold and satisfied with the purchase, that there will be no regrets. The transaction will go down as a mutually satisfactory one."

"As for accessories, I will never overlook the opportunity to suggest something from our list of accessory items which will add to the owner's comfort, convenience, safety or the appearance of his car. Accessories produce the highest percentage in profit of anything I have to sell. And they are very salable if I will just keep them always in mind, contacting my owners in the service station or by telephone, letter and circular. In furtherance of my determination to do a much better job of rendering Intelligent and Satisfying service, in the future, I am going to study every word of the Sales Course. I am thoroughly convinced I can get a tremendous lot of good out of it too. It is without doubt the best thing I've ever seen and is going to give me just what I need to supplement and perfect any selling ability I now have no matter how good I may, think I am."

"If our mechanics can fix the cars properly and if our service salesman will sell service more intelligently, then our owners are going to be enthusiastic about their Packards. And if that is so, then they are going to be our best car salesmen and also our best service and accessory customers. They will be less unreasonable when it comes to trading in the old car. This is my CREED — It is what I believe about my work. I am going to work to make EVERY PACKARD OWNER A SALESMAN."

[NOTE: The Packard Salemans' Creed is as appropriate today as it was when it was written.]

"Inner Circle" Detroit, Mich. June 6, 1932:

Despite the stress and strain of the depression years, the stability of Packard Motor Car Company (PMCC) distributors and organizations is impressive and has always been outstanding. Figures compiled for this dealer album in 1932 show the cumulative service records of all distributors to be nine centuries and the average record is more than a decade, 11 years and five months to be exact. The enviable service records of our dealer personnel and factory employees have also been maintained. Truly these are encouraging facts to all of us in these troublous times, for in stability there is strength. The "Inner Circle" editors inform me that a portrayal of all Packard old timers would involve so many pages that the must fore go such a comprehensive treatment. But it is with a deep feeling of pride and pleasure that, in presenting our distributors, we dedicate this issue to all Packard veterans. They are the foundation of our belief that the stability of Packard personnel cannot be bettered by any company.

Editors' Note: Amplifying Macauley's reference to the service records of the distributors, the date of the original sales agreement is indicated below each distributor's photograph.

Shortly after the old Packard company in Ohio moved to Detroit way back in 1903, the organization of Packard distributors came into being. At the rate of one a year in the first four years of Packard's Detroit existence, the signatures of our four oldest distributors were affixed to Packard franchises. Rightfully then, these four lead off the album in original sales agreement date order.

— Alvan Macauley, President PMCC