Vehicle Description
This 1938 Packard Rollston Eight 1668 All-Weather Panel Brougham is
a unique and rare custom-bodied coach with all of the finest
elements of luxury. "Ask the man who owns one" was the tag-line for
Packard back in 1938, however, '38 was a down year for Packard.
Buyers of Packard's luxury automobiles were still recovering from
the Great Depression and spending thousands of dollars on a new car
was not the top priority for most. Nonetheless, Packard still
remained atop of the hierarchy of independent luxury automakers
with many, including Pierce-Arrow, Peerless, Cord, Duesenberg, and
others, either out of business or very close to it. 1938 also
marked the first year that Packard partnered up with the Rollston
Company, a premier New York-based coachbuilder at the time, to
create several new custom-bodied Packards. One of those new
Rollston bodies was Style Number 1668 the All-Weather Panel
Brougham which was built on the Packard Eight's shorter wheel base.
The resulting Brougham was positioned as an "ultra-formal vehicle"
that was both roomy and and easier to park than the typical
limousine-type Packards of the day. Of all of the Packard-Rollston
Eights, the All-Weather Panel Brougham was the most expensive with
an initial price of $5,100 which was more than 4 times more
expensive than the least expensive Eight Business Coupe. This
particular Rollston-bodied Packard comes to us from a Texas-based
collector who purchased the car from an east-coast collector who
reportedly owned the car since the 50s. Under the hood on this
Packard-Rollston Brougham is a 282 Cubic Inch L-Head Straight 8
cylinder engine with a single barrel carburetor that pushed out 120
horsepower in its day. The 282 Straight 8 is mated to a 3 speed
manual transmission that is shifted using a floor mounted shifter.
One of the most unique aspects of this Packard 8 is the open-front
design, where the driver's compartment (which is separate from the
rear passenger cabin) has an open top. This antique Packard is
equipped with a folding black tonneau above the driver which was an
option for the All-Weather Panel Brougham. Another special feature
on this Rollston are the side-mounted coach lights, further
elevating the luxurious look of this Packard. The exterior is
finished in black lacquer giving the car a truly grandiose exterior
appearance. This Packard Rollston Brougham rides on 4 wide
whitewall bias ply tires on disc wheels with Packard Eight hubcaps,
just like how this car came back in 1938. The interior on this
custom Packard is absolutely stunning! The passenger cabin seating
includes a tufted rear bench seat upholstered in an elegant beige
broadcloth and a pair of fold-out jump seats. From the door panels,
to the walls, to the armrests, to the accessory accents, the entire
rear passenger cabin is trimmed in beautiful beige broadcloth. The
rear floor and footrest are finished in a matching beige carpet as
well that is also in very nice shape. The rear enclosed passenger
cabin is separated from the driver's compartment by a sliding glass
window that has a clock mounted underneath it. The driver's bench
seat has been reupholstered in a beautiful black leather. The dash,
door panels and steering wheel are in very nice shape as well and
they're in their stock configuration. The dash is equipped with a
100 MPH speedometer, temperature gauge, oil pressure gauge, amp
gauge and fuel gauge, as well as a clock. An Equus temperature
gauge has been tucked neatly under the dash for added precision
with regards to the engine's performance. Whether you're the man
one should ask about a Packard or you're looking for your very
first classic car, this 1938 Packard Rollston Eight 1668
All-Weather Panel Brougham would make a very fine choice. Give us a
call today!
*282 Cu. In. L-Head Straight 8
*Single Barrel Carburetor
*3 Speed Manual Transmission
*Continental Kit
*Driver's Compartment Convertible
*Texas History
*Custom Bodied Rollston
*Black Leather Driver's Seat/Beige Broadcloth Rear
*Rear Fold-Down Jump Seats
*Wide Whitewalls on Disc Wheels w/ Packard Hubcaps
*Stock Instrumentation
*Odometer Reads: 44,024 Miles
