Listed as “a great barn find“, this 1941 Packard 110 Club Coupe is just that – actually, any Packard is a great find these days as it was one of America’s preeminent automobiles and just so far removed from the “stuff” that the Detroit Two and a Third knock out today. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know safety, fuel mileage, comfort, features, and technology (drone on here) today, surpasses anything from 1941. But presence, bearing, cachet, and in its own right, 1941-era Packard engineering – all of those things that seem to be so absent from today’s automotive scene. Let’s take a closer look at this big two-door coupe, it’s located in Wallingford, Connecticut and is available, here on craigslist for $17,900. We have T.J.’s sharp eye to thank for this nice discovery!
Our subject is listed as a 122-inch wheelbase Club Coupe, one of the 110 Series of six-cylinder Packards offered in ’41. There was also a similar 120 Series model offered too and the primary differences were another five inches of wheelbase and an eight-cylinder engine. As for the 110, total production was 34,700 vehicles according to The Classic Car database. Other body styles included a business coupe, convertible, two and four-door sedans, and even a station wagon. Research states that a Club Coupe retailed for $1,205 that year, imagine that!
Patina, overrated as it is, is suggested by the seller to be great. It just looks like old faded paint to my eyes. We’re told that this car is rust-free though there is some minor surface rust revealing itself just below the rear window – it’s likely, not serious. The stainless trim, always extensive on higher-brow cars of this era, all seems to be intact but the driver’s side fender appears to be bent and tilting slightly downward. I’d also offer that the rear bumper looks as if it’s missing its guards. The defining Packard element, its grille, looks good, a bit dull, but not kissed.
Packard power, in this case, is a 100 HP, 245 CI, in-line six-cylinder engine channeling its output through a three-speed manual transmission. The engine looks complete but it doesn’t run. There’s no indication if it will turn over by hand.
The interior is typically worn as one would expect with an eighty-two-year-old car. Curiously, the steel dash is painted brown but the fabric seat upholstery is green – a shade similar to this car’s exterior hue. The instrument panel is not as spectacular as I was expecting and am surprised to find a horizontal speedometer. The environment is useable as is but could use some rejuvenation.
OK, so this isn’t a top-drawer Packard, more of a pedestrian model if such a term can ever be used to appropriately describe a Packard. As to what to do with it, considering this car’s originality and completeness, I’d suggest a full stock restore. Packards, at least of this era and earlier, were really special cars and deserve proper attention. That’s my thought, what’s yours?
Wow that would make a great lookin street rod. I’d leave it mostly stock looking but with modern suspension and a big block. Here comes the hate I don’t care about lol.
Great looking car. I wouldn’t do a full restoration, I’d just get it driveable and fix whatever is necessary – I’d want to preserve that “barn find” charm!
Too much $ imo for a non runner (who knows what’s wrong with it it could sound like shaking a coffee can full of marbles once you get it running if it’s not locked up and what about the trans and diff too) with really not patina but a lot of surface rust in spots.Patina to me is worn paint down to the primer not a bunch of surface rust. Cool car for about 5-7k the way it sits now imo. 18 k …no way.
Great write-up, Jim. Nice lines too much, Dinero, for me.
Would daily this. Front end is spectacular.
I’m also in agreement with taking care of the basics, and make it an every day car as best as possible. I have a soft spot in my heart for Packard, so I’m in favor of keeping it close to what the car was in the beginning… no hotrod for this one!!
Too high price for hard top, maybe half that, but why not spend some $$ and get it running first, THEN advertise it. I bet it wouldn’t take all that much. I’d take this car over the Ford but let’s get it running first.
In my opinion if should be running and driving for that asking price. If you spend that much on an unknown motor, you are taking a huge gamble. But it’s a great looking car. I’d pay about 8 grand as it sits
Way too much $ for a NON RUNNER .
The small Packard 110 series were hard to find even in their sales years. This only the second coupe I can remember seeing. My dad bought a ’39 110 two-door sedan in 1945 which was our family cruiser until it was t-boned & totaled in ’47 by a much larger LaSalle. I have never seen another 110 two-door since.
That kind of $$$ expectation exists only If total rarity counts for anything…
Neat Packard from the days the company was reaching down-market but still engineering in high quality.
But I’m tired of people asking the earth for non-runners.
I’ve been buying, selling, and working on Packards for over 55 years, and can comment that 1941 Packard 110 cars, up into the early 1980s sold for $500 and up for running & driving 4-door cars, a little bit more for 2-doors. Packard coupes have always been fairly rare.
Sadly, this car doesn’t have overdrive, so it’s going to be difficult keeping up with high speed driving. While it has a radio, it’s not a Packard factory radio, likely a Motorola. The fog lights are not correct PMCC examples, but the Heater is the deluxe heater/defroster, not surprising, considering it’s from New England!
The “brown” color for the dashboard is actually a printed representation of wood grain & found on 95% of “Junior” Packards [the 110 and 120 cars], with the other roughly 5% of the interiors featuring very rare options of grey, green, or blue simulated wood grain. This was only offered in late 1941 and into 1942. I had a 1941 120 sedan with the green woodgrain, and while it was rare, it really didn’t look right in my opinion.
This is priced as if it was a reliable running and driving car. It’s actual value is probably closer to between $8k and $10k. Also of note; these cars are not keeping up with inflation, but if the care could be purchased for about $10k less, that would be a more accurate price today.
For a ‘Non-Runner’ anything over $5K, in my opinion, would be a gift, just Sayin’……