How Packard helped create Lincoln

[Astro14]

I’ve posted about Packard’s role in WW II - being selected as the sole American producer of the Merlin V-12 aircraft engine that powered Spitfires and Mustangs as well as building the engines for PT boats.

But Packard also played a critical aviation role in WW I - the design and development of the V-12 Liberty engine.

An engine that led to the creation of Lincoln as a car company.

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/liberty-v12-lincoln-motorcar/

 

[GON]

I’ve posted about Packard’s role in WW II - being selected as the sole American producer of the Merlin V-12 aircraft engine that powered Spitfires and Mustangs as well as building the engines for PT boats.

But Packard also played a critical aviation role in WW I - the design and development of the V-12 Liberty engine.

An engine that led to the creation of Lincoln as a car company.

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/liberty-v12-lincoln-motorcar/

Astro,

Great story- thanks for sharing. And a few ties and twists with GM I didn't see coming. Also of note if I read the article correctly, the US GOV awarded a 10 million USD contract for the building of an engine, to a startup to build engines for war-time use. If accurate, 10 M USD at that time was a big chunk of funds for a startup that appeared to not have a plant (assumption).

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Astro,

Great story- thanks for sharing. And a few ties and twists with GM I didn't see coming. Also of note if I read the article correctly, the US GOV awarded a 10 million USD contract for the building of an engine, to a startup to build engines for war-time use. If accurate, 10 M USD at that time was a big chunk of funds for a startup that appeared to not have a plant (assumption).

That's $276M in today's dollars.

LINK

 

[ecotourist]

... Also of note if I read the article correctly, the US GOV awarded a 10 million USD contract for the building of an engine, to a startup to build engines for war-time use. If accurate, 10 M USD at that time was a big chunk of funds for a startup that appeared to not have a plant (assumption).

Packard adapted the already proven Rolls Royce Merlin engine for US construction.

And that was no bad thing. The RR Merlin engine components were custom fitted. The Packard Merlin engine components were made to a tolerance range so that "any" piston would fit in "any" bore, so to speak. That made for high volume production using less skilled workers - which is ideal for war-time production.

The WWII bomber capable of carrying the heaviest bomb loads (the Lancaster, yes the Lancaster) was made in Britain and in Canada. And the Canadian built models used Packard Merlins.

 

[paulo57509]

My wife's father worked at a die casting company in Detroit back in the day.

His boss told him to take a few guys over to the Packard plant and pick up some light fixtures on Saturday; the door will be open. There were lots pallets of fixtures; they loaded the truck and left.

Monday, the paper had a headline something to the affect of, "Theft at Packard Plant...."

 

[JHZR2]

The L-12 had half the power density, or I guess displacement-specific output of my 240D!

Now it’s common to be >>100hp/L. It’s amazing how far we have come.

Neat article, thanks for sharing!

 

[benjy]

good read + thanks! Hemmings has some great info on neat older stuff that i like. subscribed to them but mostly get automotive stuff, but i guess if i look i will find a lot of interesting stuff!