Vehicle Description
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.
