Vehicle Description
Packard's landmark 11th series was first introduced to the world on
August 21st 1933. Considered a high-water mark for Classic Era
Packard automobiles, the 11th series was among the last of the
traditionally-styled Packards before streamlining trends began to
influence the company's design portfolio. Graceful and curvaceous,
the 11th series is counted among the most beautiful of all pre-war
American designs. Keeping with tradition, the Standard Eight served
as the entry model of the lineup, followed by the Super Eight with
its additional power, trim and more luxurious body options. At the
top of the range lay the prestigious and exclusive Twelve, which
had been renamed from the earlier "Twin Six." Packard's magnificent
445.5 cubic-inch, side-valve V12 delivered 160 horsepower with
turbine-like smoothness and in virtual silence. Along with the
Packard's typically exquisite build quality, it featured a fully
synchronized 3-speed manual transmission, vacuum assisted clutch,
adjustable ride control, and vacuum assisted four-wheel brakes.
Beautifully engineered and built, the Packard 11th series is a
genuine driver's car with an effortless quality that belies its
size. Packard's overall 1934 production reached approximately 8,000
vehicles, however only 960 of those left the Detroit factory
equipped with the expensive and prestigious twelve-cylinder engine.
As usual, Packard offered its customers a seemingly endless variety
of standard, custom-catalog, or full custom coachwork. Buyers of
the Twelve had no fewer than twenty-four different chassis and body
combinations available to them in 1934. Three wheelbases were
offered, the model 1106 at 134-inches, the 1107 at 141-inches, and
the ultimate 146-inch 1108. Bodies ranged from sporty to formal,
understated to extravagant. The 1107-738 would have been found in
the upper-middle range, an elegant yet understated
two/four-passenger coupe on the 141-inch wheelbase chassis. This
handsome motorcar is one of the rarest of the 11th series, as many
of the originals have been sacrificed to create convertibles.
Today, a scant few genuine coupes survive intact. Our featured 1934
Packard is one of approximately 8 known surviving examples of the
twelve-cylinder model 1107-738 two/four-passenger coupe. This
lovely Packard presents with a well-earned patina and careworn
charm. According to information provided by previous owners, it was
discovered in the 1950s in Illinois, and subsequently restored in
the early 1960s. It earned a CCCA National First Prize shortly
after that and is featured in Ed Blend's seminal book "The
Magnificent Packard Twelve of Nineteen Thirty Four." Many years
later, this car was purchased by noted Packard restorer and expert
Marc Ohm, who found it to be in remarkably correct condition,
retaining many of the original parts that so often go missing. He
tidied the car up, serviced it as needed and enjoyed it on several
CCCA CARavan tours before eventually selling it on to a fellow
Packard collector in 1999, who has since retained the car in his
extensive collection of significant Packards. Our consignor reports
this to be an excellent driving car that has needed little more
than basic maintenance in the nearly 20 years he has owned and
enjoyed it. It still presents with its 1960s restoration, and while
the two-tone bronze/brown paint shows extensive cracking and
imperfections, it maintains a certain charm and appeal in its
patina. The body panels present in fair condition, appearing
well-aligned with doors that shut with reassuring solidity. It sits
proudly on the road, with painted wire wheels adorned with correct
Packard Twelve hubcaps and blackwall tires. Chrome trim is complete
and in good order overall, with straight bumpers featuring
Packard's unique vibration dampeners, correct-type Depress Beam
headlights and a Goddess of Speed mascot atop the radiator. The
body also features dual side-mount spare wheels with rare original
metal covers and a folding trunk rack. The interior is trimmed in
brown leather which is pleasingly broken in, showing some wear on
the outer bolster of the driver's side, but is in presentable and
sound condition. The carpets, door panels and headlining are
excellent and show that the car has been enjoyed but properly cared
for in the hands of its current and previous owners. The original
instruments are clear and in tidy condition, as are the controls
and switches. Features include twin vacuum wipers, adjustable ride
control, Bijur chassis lubrication system, opening windscreen, and
opening rear glass to converse with rumble seat passengers.
Packard's 11th Series stands as one of the finest driving cars of
the American Classic Era, and this example lives up to that
expectation. The consignor reports he has enjoyed the car on the
road for many years, using it regularly and ensuring it has been
maintained in top mechanical condition; storing it in a climate
controlled facility when not in use. The Stromberg carburetor has
been rebuilt recently, and the car runs very well, with the
signature smoothness and power expected of the legendary Packard
445.5 Cubic Inch V12. The relatively clean and orderly
undercarriage further supports the well-maintained nature. Single
digit survival rates put this Packard 1107 Coupe in exclusive
company. Lovingly looked after by marque experts, this rare and
important motorcar remains suited to touring and everyday enjoyment
while also being an excellent candidate for a cosmetic restoration
to return it to its original Classic Era glamour.
