Vehicle Description
Packard was considered American luxury car royalty along with
Pierce-Arrow and Peerless that competed with European marques like
Rolls-Royce and Mercedes Benz. It was the only one of the three to
survive the great depression, and it did so in large part because
of the model 120 Touring Sedan. This car is a survivor. We don't
believe that it has ever been apart, and we do believe that it
still wears its' original paint.
It is a beautiful color called Centennial Blue and for original
paint is in amazingly good condition. There is also a nice yellow
pin stripe that runs the length of the car which also still
presents well. Of-course there are all the classic styling cues of
a Packard from the 30's. It starts up front with a tall chrome
grill topped by the iconic Packard hood ornament and underlined by
a chrome bumper. The grill is flanked by headlights in teardrop
shaped housings with trim rings along with driving lights ensconced
in all chrome housings. The narrow, piano hinged hood has chrome
air vents down the side and the separate front fenders curve down
to meet the running boards at the front edge of the door. At the
rear of the car, there is a fold down luggage rack that would hold
a separate "trunk" with what has become known as the trunk behind
it. The doors open toward each other so that passengers can easily
and gracefully step into the tall and luxurious interior.
As you open those doors, notice the wood trimmed windows and the
clean simple lines of the upholstery. Sitting in the back seat is
like sitting on your living room couch. You will notice that the
interior is in unbelievably beautiful condition which leads us to
believe that somewhere along the way, it has been nicely and
correctly redone. Floor mats protect the carpeting. There is a
large, leather wrapped, three spoke steering wheel with a Packard
emblem in the center. The dash gets a beautiful wood treatment top
and bottom with an Art Deco center panel of polished metal
containing the gauges, controls, and clock through the center. The
trim shows some pitting, but that is a precious patina on an
original car which can't be duplicated in a restoration. There is a
new wiring harness in the car and while the horns and the wipers
were never reconnected, the owner believes that they should
work.
Open that long piano hinged hood and you will find a 282-cubic inch
straight 8 -cylinder engine painted in that unique green that
Packard used in those days. Very correct and original. Packard
built a separate factory to build the model 120 and it was the
first model to feature independent front suspension and hydraulic
brakes. The chassis of this car is as original and well preserved
as the rest of it, so offers a unique experience of what it was
like to drive one in 1937. The car rides on steel wheels that are
painted blue to match the body, with polished steel beauty rings
and hub caps with Packard One Twenty embossed and polished around a
red center. There is extensive literature and documentation with
this car including a shop manual and an operation and maintenance
data booklet.
Call or come down and check out this bit of history. It's a
beautiful survivor.