Vehicle Description
By 1940, most luxury automakers realized that the days of massive
engines hauling equally massive bodyworks were drawing to a close.
Packard dropped the V12 in favor of an all-new straight-eight that
neatly bisected the line between the 320 cubic inches and 385 cubic
inch straight-eights it had employed throughout the '30s. At 356
cubic inches, it would carry Packard into the next decade and, for
many Packard enthusiasts, it was perhaps their finest engine:
smooth, torquey and utterly reliable. The 1941 Packards were the
first to move the headlights into the fenders, giving the cars a
striking, modern look that was suddenly the height of fashion. In
the senior 160 and 180 Series, the cars were large, impressive,
worthy additions to the Packard legacy. This 1941 Packard 160
Convertible Coupe is a CCCA-registered Full Classic and is one of
the best-driving Packards of all. With thoroughly modern brakes,
suspension and that wonderful 356 cubic inch engine, it embodies
Packard's finest engineering with a sporty 5-passenger convertible
coupe body, making it one of the most desirable cars of the
immediate pre-war era. The luxurious interior is lined in
glove-soft light tan leather expertly stitched in original
patterns. With complementary tan carpets, it ties the car together
wonderfully with a traditional combination that will never go out
of style. Its deluxe design shows subtle upgrades not found on the
standard 160 model. The seating position is commanding, and the
view over that long Packard hood makes it seem like the hood
ornament is a quarter-mile away . . . there's no other view like it
in all of motoring. Accessories like the heater and radio are fully
functional. The trunk is fully finished in matching tan carpets
that have been artfully bound and likely fit even better than the
originals. Under that long, two-piece hood lives a fully rebuilt
356 cubic inch straight-eight engine rated at 160 horsepower. It
starts quickly and easily thanks to an electric fuel pump upgrade,
and it idles almost noiselessly. On the road, it pulls with the
urgency of an electric locomotive with almost vibration-free
operation that is a Packard hallmark and one of the 356's strongest
attributes. The engine bay has been nicely detailed with correct
Packard Green on the block and a massive oil bath air cleaner and
proper accessories, including the Autolite generator.
Exact-reproduction wiring harnesses with cloth insulation have been
used throughout. The 3-speed manual transmission shifts easily
without the need for double-clutching, and the big engine sails
along at highway speeds without apparent effort, thanks to the
factory overdrive. No expense was spared with the $140,000+
body-off restoration completed by Stone Barn in New Jersey. A
complete set of Diamondback Whitewall Radials were mounted in the
summer of 2019 to make the ride even smoother and flashier. As an
addendum, the current owner was on a Caravan, and noticed the
engine was not running up to his standards. Upon returning home he
took this car to Greer restorations, who had done previous
restorations for him. It was decided that the engine should be re
restored as to insure there would be no further issues. The engine
and transmission have been rebuilt at a cost of over $70,000 in
2021.(all invoices are available with the car., ) It has been
driven and tested several hundred miles by the restorer and owner
since this work has been completed without issue It's no surprise
that this 160 Convertible Coupe Deluxe, one of only seventy
produced, is sought after by Packard collectors around the world.
