William Packard

Inducted 1999

The Packard Brothers founded the Packard Motor Car Company, developing the first hook-up accelerator pedal, hand throttle, “H” gear slot, automatic spark advance and the first car having three speeds forward and one reverse. The “Thirty Eight,” produced in 1914, introduced a centralized feature with lighting, ignition and carburetor controls on the steering column as well as left-hand drive and an electric starter.

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Class of 1999

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