Despite the Great Depression, automobiles continued to sell in the early 1930s – even luxury automobiles. Perhaps desperate to retain a foothold in a fast-diminishing market, car makers were differentiating their wares based on chassis length. Another race was taking place under ever-lengthening hoods, too, as engines grew in displacement while remaining configured as in-line blocks. Packard was practicing both these arts, as it introduced its Eight series. First launched in 1924 with a 136″ wheelbase, by the early ‘thirties, a buyer could find an Eight on a 147″ wheelbase. (These swanky cars were frequently advertised with long dogs – here is one with a long-legged, long-nosed Collie, and another with a vignette of two Borzois, which are long everywhere.) A multitude of body styles were available. By 1932, sales had tailed off with the economy, in spite of many performance and comfort improvements. Here on eBay is a very rare 1932 Packard Deluxe Eight coupe roadster – one of perhaps ten survivors – in near-concours condition with bidding at $85,000, reserve not met. A hint at the reserve can be found here, where the car is also advertised. The new buyer can motor it home from Lake Oswego, Oregon.
This example received an exacting restoration about twenty years ago and it has been shown extensively since then, accumulating an impressive list of awards. Since that restoration, the car’s original 384 cu. in. in-line eight-cylinder was rebuilt by a specialist with no expense spared. Horsepower comes in at 135, respectable for the day. The transmission is a three-speed synchromesh manual. The wheelbase of the 903 is 142.5″; the longer 904 measures 147.5″. As we would expect from a car of this caliber, the underside is impeccable. The seller has used the car fairly regularly in his 17-year ownership, putting 5000 miles on the clock.
The interior is striking in maroon leather. The carpets are wool, the top is Haartz cloth. Dual side mount spares with tire covers accessorized with mirrors, “Pilot Ray” driving lights that follow the steering wheel to line up with the path of travel, and a commorant radiator mascot round out the distinctive amenities provided by Packard. Virtually no sign of wear is extant.
Raymond Dietrich styled cars for Franklin and Erskine as well as Packard into 1930, but the Great Depression suffocated his coachbuilding company along with many others. Dietrich’s work can be seen through at least 1932, but that year, he went to work for Chrysler. The seller’s attentiveness to this spectacular car is an honor to the efforts of both stylist and manufacturer. That said, I am not sure eBay is the best venue to consummate a sale. Researching values reveals that sales via auction or high-end dealers result in prices much closer to the seller’s asking price than the current bid, generally around $150k. How do you think a car like this should be marketed?
Normally, I’d think about as much interest as a rotary dial phone, but 46 alleged bids tells me, that there are at least 46 people( plus the folks that are here that could never bid on one, except maybe Bill McK, :) , that know what this is or care. It could be real easy for younger generations to think everybody drove cars like this. I mean, who is going to tell them otherwise? People that bought Packards, secretly wished they were like this, but most were plebian 4 doors that got used. What is neat, is even those “plebian” Packards shared many components from this car. It was a well respected make. While “only” a 3 speed, this car had mighty long legs, and 100 mph, almost unheard of in the 30s, was quite a feat.
So,, the 64,000 dollar question( when $64,000 was considered a lot of money), what do you do with it? I know, I pretty much said the same thing on the HD post, but really, you going to actually drive this beast? At our local car show every 4th, a guy drove his late 20s Packard, very similar to this, to the show. As people gawked at the size, it’s hard to tell here, I was the only one that asked to see the motor. After talking to the guy, he said, it would be his last show, as it is just too dangerous driving a car like this today. For a time when motoring was a more civilized event, not run into the back of someone.
Howard, I could certainly bid on this lovely pre-war Packard, but at the point where the bidding jumps into 5 figure values, I’m out!
Sadly Howard you are correct. These were long before me but my knowledge of cars came from, and I will say it, old coots who had daily cars I was into and stuff like this in every crevasse they had with a roof. Yes these cars are huge. They are works of art. Pure art deco beauty. I would love to have a unit from this era but like you said driving it anywhere is a danger. I don’t even like driving my late 50s units any longer. You are also correct. Car get togethers are well, yeah. Just as my Caballero draws no attention I see the same for guys with cars from this time. This car would be good to exercise on some of the back roads were I live now but that’s it. this car is stunning but sadly a giant Hummel for car heads. 75mph is the speed in the slow lane now and thats being conservative. I know for many this was not so good. My grandfather told me many stories. Like he said though if you could make or managed to keep it after the crash, it was a good time for quite a few.
Hummel. Ouch.
The above posts are factually correct but there are aberrations via multiple venues for the many remaining enthusiasts. There are many Packard Clubs throughout the US and the world. At most CCCA events the Packard is the marque automobile. Most of these cars that are driven have overdrive so that they can speed down the road and seat belts added for safety.
Just Ask The Man That Owns One.
Seat belts are a false sense of security when some imbecile plows into you doing 30 over the limit, playing on his phone. Been there and done that in a 55 Bentley by some dipstick in a Lincoln Navigator. The Bentley didn’t do well.
Installing seat belts on a vehicle with a steel chassis/frame and a separate main body made up of a wood frame covered with metal panels, certainly is a false sense of security.
Attaching the seat belts to the floor or lower body section could result in the seat belts ripping loose from the body. Attaching the seat belts to the car’s frame could result in the passenger being cut in half when the body separated from the frame.
In the early 1980s I ran a vintage Rolls-Royce limo service, and I had several older cars with a body frame of white ash covered in aluminum. The Sate of Maryland told me I had to install seat belts in the cars. This was a requirement of ALL limousines in rental fleets. I explained the problem, but they insisted.
When I provided them with a statement from an automotive safety expert and a retired automobile designer, indicating that the mounting of seat belts could result in more serious injuries [including death] from minor accidents, plus a letter from my attorney indicating the state would likely be brought into pending lawsuits because the law was seriously flawed, we came to an understanding.
The law as written required the installation of seat belts for each passenger. No mention of how the installation was to be accomplished, nor was there any definition as to the word “Installed”. We finally agreed that on the cars with wooden bodies, the act of “installing” would include placing [and keeping] the said seat belts anywhere within the confines of the vehicle. So my cars had brand new seat belts, still in their packaging, conveniently “installed” in the trunk! This accommodation was “grandfathered” in to keep us in business.
Today there are no vintage limousines legally for rent in the state. Once I closed my limo company in the early 1990s, and the 2 other vintage limo services did the same, the state police facility that inspects all livery vehicles has prevented any non-conforming vehicles from being approved.
My limo service contracts also had a section that explained how the vehicles did not meet modern safety standards, and that the person renting the vehicle had the duty to inform every passenger of the risks involved. Never had anyone refuse to sign the contract because of that clause, and only a few people voiced concern at not having a seat belt.
Touche…….!!
Howard, all those bid were made by 9 bidders, not by 46. Total number of bids is often a function of the bid increments. Theoretically 2 bidders could generate that number or more in a back and forth battle, especially with eBay’s proxy bidding system.
Thanks, Fred, makes more sense and only bolsters my statement even more. Sadly, these will fade into obscurity, as fewer will be able to relate. Simply looking at it behind a velvet rope takes all the zing out of it.
You could safely drive this car on the roads around here on Vancouver Island. The highway speed limits are usually 90kms per hour which is about 56 miles per hour. Highest is 110km per hour [about 66 mph] and you can always drive a little slower on a four lane highway. Stay behind a truck! But I do agree that I would not want to actually drive this car because it has become a museum piece and an owner would not want to put its value in question by driving it and incurring some damage. Too bad. It would be a blast to drive.
If I had the Bread, It would be mine.
$195k? Wow, thats alot of bread. There’s one of those in the bushes with a ripped tarp on it, for sale in my area for not much.
Tom, depending upon the condition, I could be interested. Is is proper on this site to post that information ?
Send in some photos so we can feature it on the site!
Haha, I’ve found lots of amazing “barnfinds” in my area but stopped sending submissions to this website when they didn’t publish the 1969 Trans Am that I found in a junkyard for sale. Someone spray painted it black and removed the spoiler, so no one but me knew it was a real Trans Am. It was being sold for $2500. For some reason Barnfinds deemed it not fit to print, and posted a story about a Ford Pinto instead.
I stopped sending in tips when they liked, but refused my cab forward ’57 Chevy manure spreader.
Dad drove theirs to school in north Hollywood in 1934 -Nice ride. Lots of friends
I love seeing these cars in old movies, particularly gangster flicks from the 30s, but other than owning one for show and the very rare drive somewhere safe I can’t imagine what to do with one. Driver and passenger safety simply wasn’t thought of back then, just two weeks ago I was driving my huge 2011 Lincoln Town Car Executive L, and was hit head on by a drunk driver. I was going 60, I don’t know how fast she was going. I’m finally being released from the hospital tomorrow, but it’s gonna be months before I’ve got the use of my legs again and maybe longer till I can drive. And all these injuries were while driving a huge modern vehicle with nearly the latest safety features. I honestly don’t know if I’m ever going to feel safe in a smaller or older car again. So, no classic roadsters or sports cars for this guy, not in this lifetime.
Holy cow, Boo. Hope you make a full recovery. Please tell me the drunken idiot spent some time in jail? Drunk drivers who cause accidents and injuries should be charged with felony assault.
Lots of good points in the comments on this beautiful vehicle. I’m sure that this would be enjoyable to drive but you risk getting anything from a ding from a stray pebble or worse every time you do. Staying in Concurs condition is problematic when you use the car for it’s intended purpose. That’s why I like what Jay Leno does. Of course he can afford it.
Gorgeous car! But that color 🤮
On the watch list, near the top of desirable Packard’s, this era is fading fast. We will see what happens.
My father owned and drove one of the top 1932 Packards — I’m not sure if it was the exact same model as this one — but it looked the same from the rear. He got another Packard in 1939, but he always missed that ’32. What I recollect best about the ’39, was its huge “travelling living room” interior with every comfort. As to relative safety in an older car, I drove an 8-cylinder flathead 1946 Ford Super DeLuxe Tudor for years. It had Columbia Overdrive, which helped. But it loved the two-lane 50 M.P.H. roads we all took before the days of Interstates. And that clunky “Long Distance” A.M. radio was to die for. But I found it to be both reliable and roadworthy. After years of enjoyment, I lost it to an unlicenced driver who hit me, head-on, doing 94 M P.H in a 1979 Ford L.T.D. (later years called it a Crown Victoria). The L.T.D. split in two, and one half was way up in a tree. The young driver who was on drugs was very seriously hurt. My son and I were able to get out of the ’46 Ford and walk away. But he was pretty badly bruised and they took him by ambulance just to be certain that he had no broken bones or internal bleeding (he didn’t). But he suffered horrific post-traumatic stress. Of course the car had no seat belts. It was damaged as though it had run at high speed into a wall. The frame was not bent, but just about everything else forward of the rear seat was. It broke my heart. And I felt so sorry for the foolish driver of that L.T.D.! Less than a year later, in a Volvo wagon, I was hit, head-on by a Canadian driver who had dropped dead of a heart-attack behind the wheel. He didn’t have a mark on him, but I was recovering from my injuries for six months. Any time you take to the roads, I guess, it’s something of a lottery. But my current 1988 Mercury Grand Marquis has more than 360,000 accident-free miles.
The above sounds a bit “cold” and unfeeling, as I re-read it. It was not meant to be. Please accept my apology. I’m very grateful that my son was not seriously injured! But he approached being in a car with white-knuckled terror for quite some time after that. I saw the accident coming, but he didn’t until I slammed on the brakes and he looked up — exactly in time to see the impact right in front of him! I had a second or so to prepare — he didn’t.
To Boo Radley: I’m dreadfully sorry for your multiple injuries! When I was hit in the Volvo, the front wheel strut came right through where the pedals were, crushing my legs from the knees, down. I was told that I would never walk again — but more than thirty years later, not only can I walk; but I can run — something that most people anywhere near my age would rarely even attempt. So, take heart! As for an old car: if you find a full-sized one with body-on-frame construction, you are better protected than you are in any modern vehicle other than a truck! (thank you, government regulators caring more about miles-per-gallon, than about safety in the event of a crash!). By the way, “Boo Radley”, as he appeared in “To Kill A Mockingbird”, is very special to me, because I am Autistic — and, although it was not stated in the film, I believe that he was, too.
This is a rich man’s game car period. Definitely a show piece so it comes down to buyers location because you need to be close to the events you’ll enter and all the other reasons mention.