Vehicle Description
As America entered the '30s, the country no doubt faced more than
its share of challenges, but Packard wasn't about to let all that
chaos get it down, instead doubling down on its already opulent
line of cars by making them even more ornate and expensive. Most of
the rolling results of their handiwork have long since fallen by
the wayside, which makes this 1931 Packard Coupe a rare find. Along
with its undeniably regal bearing, it's in unusually solid shape
for a car from its era and would be absolutely stellar with the
right attention.
Such a show-stopping, endlessly cool classic. Its squared off,
level roofline rises over a lengthy hood punctuated with a T-Rex
ornament, a spacious cabin and a fairly modest deck lid area that
collectively ride on a wheelbase spanning a full 134 inches - even
longer than an early '60s Cadillac - and every inch of that is
packed with class. This Packard rolled off the assembly line with a
number of aesthetic upgrades already on board, including front
bumper guards, a pair of side mounted spare tires and spotlights
perched just above the front bumper - and all of them have come
through the decades in unusually strong fashion. The body of this
classic is solid and straight and doesn't appear to need any
structural help at all, but rather just a freshening up of its
exterior and front and back bumpers - that exterior is wearing what
is most likely its original paint, after all. It doesn't take much
imagination at all to envision the substantial visual impact this
Packard would hold when returned to its former glory - this is
truly a classic for the ages.
The tan interior remains in its vintage configuration - most of it
was very likely on board when this lengthy classic rolled off the
showroom floor so many years ago. The two broad rows of bench seats
wear cloth covers that are in surprisingly good shape, with quite a
bit of real estate separating them - your backseat passengers are
going to have plenty of room to stretch out here. As would be
rightfully expected considering this car's age, both the carpet
lining the floor and the headliner above could use some attention,
but these are relatively uncomplicated fixes. The back seat is
still equipped with its optional pull-down shades that are still
functional and such is the authenticity of this interior that even
the original ashtrays are still in place. Recessed into a great
looking burlwood grain panel, the gauges still work as intended -
yet another area where this vintage luxury car exceeds
expectations.
Raise a section of the hood and you'll find a period correct
straight 8-cylinder powerplant below. With a beefy cast iron block
as its foundation, the engine fills a good portion of the sizable
compartment - no easy feat - and more than 85 years past its debut
date, it still answers the call when the ignition key is turned.
The powerplant teams with a 4-speed manual transmission that's
navigated by a two-plate clutch that represented state of the art
automotive technology in its day. Over the years an upgraded fuel
system was added to the mix to improve reliability, properly
feeding this magnetic classic as it holds court on 19" wire wheels
with Packard branded centers and period correct 7.0-19 tires with
thin whitewalls for a thoroughly authentic final touch.
As rare as it is to come across a car from this era to begin with,
encountering one as solid as this 1931 Packard Coupe takes that
scarcity to an entirely different level, so this venerable ride
represents a unique opportunity. Call today!
