The Packard® Motor Car Foundation
               Providing for the Future

    Welcome to the Historic "Friends of the Timing Stand" Page

   In mid-Summer of 1998, the future of the former Packard Proving Grounds at Shelby Township, Michigan was unknown, but saving any part of it did not look promising.  The property was owned by a division of Ford Motor Company known as Ford Motor Land Division.  It was time to develop the property and after consulting with others, a Ford Land executive was quoted in the "Detroit Free Press" newspaper saying "The vacant land seems to be more valuable than the buildings."  This belief and attitude did not sit well with local historians nor with The Shelby Township Historic Committee.  A local historian, Hilary Davis said, "It's a very beautiful piece of work and it's going to take an eleventh-hour act to save it."  

   In this atmosphere of uncertainty, local Packard enthusiasts were keeping an eye on the day-to-day activities at the site, and rumor had it that the (easily demolished) Timing Stand was going to be knocked down as a beginning to cleaning up the property.  At the Packard Club (PAC) National Meet at Houston, Texas in June 1998, a group of concerned members met and discussed ways to save the historic stand.  It was decided to form a group, "The Friends of the Timing Stand" who would make an effort to save it.  One plan was to try to move it to a safe location, but this would be expensive.  America's Packard Museum at Dayton said it would provide space on their property for it, if funds could be provided to move it and re-set it.  The "Friends" began collecting money at the meet and the newly-formed Packard Motor Car Foundation joined the effort.  The Foundation, with the assistance of local historians and the officers of the Township were able to arrange for all demolition to stop until the future of the property could be decided.  The rest of the story can be found on this website's "History" and "Projects in Progress" pages.  Meantime, we want to thank those who stepped up to become "Friends of the Timing Stand" by making generous donations to save a piece of Packard automotive history.

WE THANK THE ORIGINAL MEMBERS OF "THE FRIENDS OF THE TIMING STAND."

A BRONZE PLAQUE WILL BE PLACED IN THE RESTORED STAND WITH THEIR NAMES

 H. EMERSON DUKE

JAMES A. HOLLINGSWORTH

TODD STENNIS, III

DONALD TACCONE

JIM KAUFMANN

BILL & JANET FRIEDRICH

BUD JUNEAU

JOHN MC CARTHY

C.D. & SHIRLEY ELDRIDGE

DR. DAN WOESNER

JAMES A. WESTON

BRIAN & CAROLYN BURKE

VIC & CECILIA NELSON

ROGER & MARGARET WHITE

JOHN C. KLEIN

JACK & MERNA HOLMES

PAUL CRUCE

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