Vehicle Description
1939 Packard Twelve 2/4 Passenger Coupe
Only 9 of these 1939 17 Series Packard Twelve Coupes are known to
still survive. This beauty was formerly owned by Ken Kercheval
better known as Cliff Barnes on the TV series Dallas. In 1939 with
most cars selling for $600, the very idea of someone plunking down
$5,000 for a 2-passenger automobile was a tad ostentatious.
Extremely powerful for its day, a Packard Twelve, weighting over
2-1/2 tons, could accelerate from 0 to 30 mph in under 8.5 seconds.
These elegant carriages were the personal Lear Jet of the day,
moving the very wealthy from one place to another in supreme
comfort - symbols of style and class - the affirmation of success
and power for the man or woman who knew what he or she wanted.
Features include golf club compartment, rumble seat with correct
leather arm rests, complete personalized set of luggage within rear
trunk, extraordinarily rare Peacock Hood Ornament (which is
actually the functional antenna for the factory Packard radio),
dual wheel mounts, new correct wide white wall tires and much
more.
Exterior
From that amazing Peacock hood ornament, to the tall vertical
ribbed front grille flanked by a metal covered chrome bezeled
bullet style headlight on either side, you HAVE arrived. Large
bulbous front fenders tastefully pleated in the center, and coves
to accommodate the dual metal encased spare tires with rear view
mirror toppers, this car is the definition of wealthy. Just the
continuation of the curve after the spare enclosure's drips of over
design, but looks fabulous. Nice straight running boards make the
connection to the curved rear fender, long sloping curved "mother
in law" seat, and a body matching painted and chromed cantilevered
trunk with custom luggage inside, the side view of this car
seemingly goes on forever. Crisp clean no corrosion chrome is on
this car with plenty of bumper guards, bezels and trimmings to
feast your eyes on. Wide white sidewalls wrap chrome ring dished
wheels with a Packard Twelve badged dog dish hub covering on all 4
corners. All wrapped up in good condition Belfair Green paint.
Interior
Tufting and buttoning was all the rage in the late 1930's and this
car interior is the embodiment of wool broadcloth, complete with
oval buttons. This is seen on the door panels along with a wood
lacquered top rail, and shiny chromed cranks and levers. Slipping
inside we are enveloped in more tufted and oval buttoned
broadcloth, wide buckets, that move independently of each other.
All this in a tasteful and matching light green. Turning to the
dash which is fronted by a swooping stylized banjo steering wheel
with a bakelite dark pea green wheel, which fronts plenty of wood
burl behind it. This lacquered burl has a polished aluminum trim
strip running horizontally and houses the instruments. Speedometer
and gauges have a wonderful warm background with white lettering
and 20's style Langsdorf necktie pointers. These gauges all
maintain beautiful bezels for highlighting them. A series of extra
chromed knobs and ignition switch hangs below the dash. Very nice
wool carpet in matching light green covers the floors. A broadcloth
headliner appears as new. A note to the rear rumble seat, which is
in green leather, and is also spotless.
Drivetrain
Virtually 2 inline 6-cylinder engines have been put together in a V
formation and with 445.5 cubic inches fed by a single 2-barrel
Stromberg carburetor, there is plenty of power to go around. A
3-speed manual transmission is bolted on back. Noted is the nicely
performed restoration on the engine and engine bay, maintaining
originality.
Undercarriage
A wildly successful amalgamation of straight steel, and X frame
reinforcing it, rust free body hangers, clean wheel wells, and no
rust, the undercarriage presents as well as the top side. Steel
floorpans, and suspension are all clean, and present in beautiful
black. Drum brakes are attached to all 4 wheels, and independent
coil spring suspension for the front, and leaf spring for the rear
are noted.
Drive-Ability
One of the benefits of writing for Classic Auto Mall is I have the
opportunity to drive virtually anything that comes through the
door, and this car did not disappoint. Despite its weight, it
accelerated well, handles nicely, and did not have the feel of a
large car. It turned around the corners smoothly, shifted easily,
and noted the interior has wonderful sound deadening. A beautiful
driver.
About as close to exceptional as one can get with this neat coupe
having a V12 power plant, snazzy wood broadcloth interior with this
oval buttons, and excellently preserved exterior. All the trimmings
are still here including that custom fitted luggage trunk
levitating off the back of the car, and all working buttons and
knobs. Venturing into how the other half lives is not a bad thing,
and I might just stay there.