For Sale at Auction: 1927 Packard Six in Monterey, California

Packard Vehicle No. 125477
Chassis No. 125499
Engine No. U125617

A lifetime car enthusiast, David Steinman's lifelong love affair with Packard automobiles started in March of 1956 when an issue of The Saturday Evening Post arrived with an in-depth article about the nascent collector car hobby. The article suggested that the best place to find an antique automobile was in the Sunday morning New York Times, so that was exactly what David and his friend Freddy tried! Remarkably, they would soon discover an ad for a 1928 Packard Convertible Coupe being in sold in Delaware for $200. With a grand total of $35 to barter with, the duo drove from Philadelphia to Yorklyn, Delaware the next day where they were unexpectedly greeted by a stately mansion owned by none other than one of the AACA's founding members, T. Clarence Marshall. Unable to negotiate the knowledgeable collector from his firm asking price, he suggested they call home and ask one of their fathers to wire the money. Steinman did so, and much to his surprise, his father agreed. After a quick trip to the local Western Union, Steinman drove home in his first Packard. He later restored it and showed it at numerous AACA and CCCA events, eventually winning a National First Prize with it in 1957.

Later selling his prized Packard in the late-1980s, Steinman regretted the decision the moment it drove away. It was no surprise that in the early 1990s he would purchase this example, a 1927 Roadster Runabout to fill the Packard Six space that remained in his heart. Once acquired, Steinman would take a sabbatical from client cars and begin a full body-off restoration of the Runabout, and in the opinion of his children, it is the finest restoration of his life.

According to research performed by Steinman, he discovered this Runabout was originally sold at the Los Angeles showroom of famed dealer Earl C. Anthony, Packard dealer to many Hollywood stars. With an impressive client list reportedly consisting of film icons such as Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, and John Wayne, this example is believed to have been featured in Buster Keaton's 1928 classic Steamboat Bill Jr. where a college girl Kitty King, portrayed by Marion Byron would drive a Packard Six.

Finished in a sporting green over tan specification, this color combination was chosen as a nod to an original two-tone Packard color scheme displayed in the company's Art Deco advertisements. With stunning brightwork painstakingly finished in the proper and original nickel rather than chrome, this example was shown at numerous AACA events including The Elegance at Hershey and the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance before it was crowned an AACA National First Prize Winner in 2013 and later displayed at the Hershey Antique Auto Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania between October 2013 and October 2014. Offered with exceptional provenance, this Packard is truly one of Mr. Steinman's finest restorations and a true testament to his love for the Packard Six that helped establish a highly decorated automotive restorer in getting his start in the car collecting hobby.