If you’re interested in the rise and fall of the Packard Motor Car Company, there are several good books available with true scholastic discussions of how that august nameplate ended up on a Studebaker body in the end. Some blame the car pictured here, the One-Twenty. In the depths of the depression, Packard gambled that a lower-cost luxury car would bolster its flagging sales, and they were right. Unfortunately, in the eyes of the historians, it also tarnished Packard’s reputation forever.
It’s hard to imagine that being the case, however, when you look at this 1941 Convertible Sedan, which was labeled the Nineteenth Series by Packard. For years, Packard made changes to their cars when they found it expedient, so they attached a “series” label to the car rather than a model year. Starting in the late 1920s, the series number coincided with the model year.
Any convertible sedan is an event, in my opinion, and Pre-War Packards still had that big money cachet, even when the car itself wasn’t quite so expensive as it once was.
The One-Twenty still had the massive vertical grille that one had come to expect from Packard. The styling of the One-Twenty was extremely reminiscent of the larger Super Eight models, which might have been counterproductive in the long run.
It also had a smooth straight eight like its bigger brothers, although its 282 cubic inch displacement was dwarfed by the Super Eight’s 356. Packard stuck with the flathead eight through the 1954 model year, when storm clouds were really on the horizon for the grand old brand.
This Packard is being advertised as an unfinished project that is missing the top and windows, which might be a bit of a problem considering the certain rarity of this particular model. No breakouts are available as far as I know, but 17,100 units were built in the whole One-Twenty line in 1941. How many of those were convertible sedans?
The engine is described as being “rebuilt with care,” and the car “runs and stops.” According to the seller, there is no rust or bondo in the car and the “body has been totally repaired.” It also has an overdrive.
This looks like a seriously ambitious project to me considering the missing parts. On one hand, it’s a car that probably deserves a total restoration. On the other hand, is that economically feasible? It would be a shame to see this glorious old Packard continue to sit. If you’ve always wanted a Packard One-Twenty Convertible Sedan, this may be your only shot. It’s currently listed on Craigslist in the Phoenix area for $19,800. Thank you once again to T.J. for this fantastic find.
Man that would make such a cool street rod. I’d sell the driveline to someone who needed it for another restoration and set this up as a cruiser. Would be awesome to cruise the fairgrounds with a bunch of friends.
OK Street rod this magnificent old beast if you will but any cleric worth his frock will tell you that you will spend your afterlife suspended from a barn side by a rusty spike driven through your privates. And that will be after this life is ended by being fed into a tree shredder. Restore Restore Restore
Why do that when this car is nearly
finished. Just find a set of schematics and fabricate all you need
to finish the car. Granted, it won’t be
cheap but at least you could save one
more of these fine cars from oblivion.
As for a restomod, there are quite a few carcasses still out there waiting to be reborn.
This car has the style and beauty of original Packards–that grill says it all. Somebody please find windows and top parts to finish restoration! Will be a beauty!