A slow news week – so you get some of my musing and amusements…
A neighbor of mine, Jeff, is a car guy, and we talk cars occasionally. He knows that I’m a Packard fan. I love the pre-war Packards; elegant, luxurious cars that were as fine as most any cars made. Their Art Deco styling evokes an era that is long gone.
So Jeff mentioned he had an acquaintance who was selling a 1938 Packard Limousine. Maybe I would be interested? Yes, I was definitely interested… except for the $90,000 asking price. But it is a gorgeous old vehicle!
So what does AI have to do with a ’38 Packard? I’ve had lots of fun for a while with GROK, which got me started playing with AI. GROK can give you lots of information, but it also is pretty good at spinning a tale. Lately, however, GROK has been reluctant to help me – they want me to pay monthly for the service. Since I’m saving for a ’38 Packard (HAA!!) I don’t want to pay a fee, so I’ve gone to ChatGPT for some questions. The other day I told (asked?) ChatGPT to tell me a short story about a 1938 Packard Limousine. I’m going to let you read the story, and more, but first a few pictures of this awesome car to set the stage.
I’ve stolen these pictures from the “Significant Cars” website, in case you can’t read their watermark. I’m not sure it’s the same car Jeff referred to, but I can’t tell the difference and these pictures were easy to get!
This Limousine is powered by a 12 cylinder engine – super smooth, super quiet.
You’ll notice the jump seats – one is folded down here, but one is open for you to see. You may also see the crank on the right to raise/lower the partition glass between compartments. I had always thought the soft “grab bar” under that handle was to assist in egress and entrance… but recently read that it was to drape a lap blanket over. Heaters were not what they are today!
So, now you know what car we’re talking about.
I asked ChatGPT first for a short story, and enjoyed what “she” wrote. Then for an AI battle, I used the exact same prompt for GROK. The question I prompted with was “Can you tell me a short story about a 1938 Packard Limousine?” I’ll show you GROK’s response first:
“Sure. In 1938, a black Packard limousine rolled off the line in Detroit, built for a banker who wanted to arrive in silence. It ferried him through the Depression’s end and into the war years, its V-12 purring while the world changed outside its tinted windows. After he passed, the car sat in a barn for decades, forgotten under tarps. A young mechanic found it in the nineties, restored it piece by piece, and now drives it on summer Sundays, the same engine still turning over smooth as the day it left the factory.”
In all fairness to GROK, I’ve asked for and gotten far better stories than that. It’s like maybe she’s gone on a economy diet since I’m not paying her!
And now for the story from ChatGPT. Exact same prompt:
“Absolutely. Here’s a short one with a little mystery and nostalgia:
The Last Ride
In 1938, a Packard limousine rolled quietly out of a Detroit showroom, its long black body gleaming beneath the lights. It was enormous by modern standards—wide fenders, polished chrome, soft leather seats, and a hood that seemed to stretch halfway down the street.
Its first owner was a wealthy newspaper publisher named Charles Whitmore. For nearly twenty years, the Packard carried him to business meetings, presidential receptions, weddings, and more than a few late-night poker games.
But the car’s most memorable journey came in the autumn of 1944.
One rainy evening, Whitmore received a telephone call. His son, serving overseas, had been wounded and was coming home. Whitmore ordered the Packard brought around immediately.
He drove through the night to the railway station, where a military train was expected just before dawn.
When the train finally arrived, Whitmore stood beneath an umbrella, searching every window. Then he saw his son, pale and thin, stepping carefully down from the car.
They embraced without saying a word.
The Packard carried them home through the misty morning. His son sat in the back seat, wrapped in a military blanket, while his father occasionally glanced at him through the rearview mirror—just to make sure he was really there.
Years later, after Whitmore had died and the Packard had passed through several owners, the limousine was discovered sitting in an old barn.
Its tires were flat. The leather was cracked. Dust covered the dashboard.
But tucked beneath the rear seat was an old envelope.
Inside was a faded photograph of a young soldier standing beside the Packard in 1944.
Written on the back were six words:
“The best ride of my life.”
And somehow, after all those years, the old Packard didn’t seem quite so forgotten anymore.”
I’m sure that in this little battle of AI programs, ChatGPT won by a landslide!
Here’s one more shot of the fabulous Packard.
Hope you enjoyed my whimsical post, done while we are preparing for our first international Tesla Trip! More news next week!