The production of Packard automobiles stopped in the late 1950’s. The original registration for the name Packard was held by Packard Motor Car Company. When Studebaker and Packard were one company, the name was owned by Studebaker-Packard from 1954 to the middle of the 1960’s when it expired and wasn’t renewed.

The name wasn’t used for almost twenty years when a Packard enthusiast by the name of Bud Bayliff purchased the right to own the name and to manufacture vehicles with the name of Packard. He called his vehicles Bayliff Packard. They were manufactured under the name of Packard by Bayliff Coach Company of Lima, Ohio. Bayliff manufactured these cars from 1979 to 1992 when he sold the rights to Roy Gullickson from Canada. Production of these cars was very limited. Bayliff manufacture only a couple cars a year.

Bayliff Packard used Cadillac and Buick cars as the base for the creation of their cars. The original chassis for this Packard is a 1982 Buick Rivera. All the mechanical parts and power train is the standard Buick Rivera. The front end was replaced with a grill and headlight section that resembles that of a 1939 Packard. The rear section of the body is extended to look like a modern tail light of the 1930’s Packard. The back roof line and window area was changed to look like a Limo rear window. The interior was changed by adding wood trim on the dash and door area. The cloth and design of the interior was also changed. The steering wheel had the four spokes of the 1930’s car. A big change that was made to the chassis is not seen by the general public. That change was in the suspension. Torsion bars were added to the front and independent air suspension was installed on the rear. The car glides along the roads like it is floating on clouds.

As you can tell the car is a little different than a normal production car in the overall appearance. It is also a part of the America Auto history in two ways. One is the name Packard from the early 1900’s and two, the effort of a small company to revive that classic car. Being that it is unique in these areas is the reason that I bought and now enjoy driving this car.