First Sparks of Industry 3 - Image Index | Yenra 1954 Packard Clipper Sedan Production Line, February 24th, 1954: The photograph is a black-and-white image of an automobile manufacturing facility. The shiny 1954 Packard Clipper sedan in this image was manufactured on February 24, 1954, and features a rounded roofline, a long vertical grill with large headlamps flanking it, and three chrome strips running the length of each fender. On the right side of the image, one of four identical sedans is currently undergoing the final stages of assembly in this factory. The back of the car is facing away from the camera; the front end points toward the left side of the image. Four men wearing work uniforms and protective gear are gathered on a platform in the foreground of the photograph. Their backs are to us, so we can only see them in profile. They appear to be inspecting or repairing one of the cars, possibly discussing some sort of problem. The man on the left is holding up his right hand to signal for someone's attention while he speaks into a microphone attached to his ear and held by his neck with his other hand. In contrast, the men in the background wear no masks. They seem to be working together to attach or repair various parts of the car bodies. To the left of the photograph is the side of another 1954 Packard Clipper sedan that has just rolled off an assembly line and into a body shop. We can see one man working on the back door of this car; his tools are scattered around him on the floor. The background is filled with machinery, cars in various stages of production, and parts such as tires and wheels stacked high on racks or shelving units. At the farthest edge of the photograph, we see a dark grey wall made up of several rows of windows separated by thin metal grating bars that resemble the inside of an elevator shaft or escalator enclosure. Beyond this wall is a parking lot filled with cars from different decades and models, all in various states of disrepair.
