For Sale at Auction: 1940 Packard Convertible in Carmel, California

Vehicle No. 1801-2025
Engine No. C317807C

When Packard elected to officially offer Howard "Dutch" Darrin's designs as factory coachwork in its 1940 catalog, it upended the marque's traditionally conservative image. The previous fall, Packard had introduced its Eighteenth Series for the 1940 model year, streamlining its lineup to the One-Twenty and the flagship Custom Super Eight One-Eighty. While bespoke bodies had largely given way to standardized production in the wake of the Great Depression, dealer demand persuaded Packard's board to include three Darrin-designed bodies-Sport Sedan, Convertible Sedan and the two-door Convertible Victoria-in the official literature for the first time.

Dutch Darrin, whose career was forged in Paris alongside Tom Hibbard and Fernandez & Darrin, returned to Hollywood in 1937 and immediately cultivated an elite clientele by constructing show-stopping coachwork on Packard One-Twenty chassis for stars such as Chester Morris. His Convertible Victoria featured the iconic "Darrin dip" aft of the doors, seamlessly faired-in trunk and the bold elimination of running boards-styling cues that contrasted sharply with Packard's usual styling. After famously parking a prototype outside the Packard Proving Grounds at the annual dealer meeting, Darrin secured approval for full factory production on both the 127-inch One-Twenty and the 138-inch One-Eighty chassis.

Despite Packard's capacity to build these designs in Indiana under Darrin's supervision, production remained deliberately limited. Marque historian Don Figone estimates that just 72 Darrin-bodied Packards emerged in 1940. Of these, only 28 rode on the One-Twenty chassis, with the remaining 44 on the Custom Super Eight One-Eighty platform. Today, these rare catalog-listed Darrins are singular artifacts of Packard's final coachbuilding chapter.

The car offered here, vehicle number 1801-2025, was exquisitely restored under the previous owner, a prominent world-class collector, by Bob Lorkowski and his team at L'Cars in Cameron, Wisconsin, who between 2017 and 2018 undertook a full nut-and-bolt, show-level restoration to the highest standards. The original coachwork was flawlessly refinished in metallic light green, the interior re-trimmed in supple dove grey leather, and every mechanical component, including the chassis and undercarriage, brought up to pristine, freshly restored condition.

Darrin's design reads as pure late-1930s Art Deco. The long, unbroken hood and the horizontal brightwork spear along the beltline draw the eye rearward to the signature cut-down door line, while the absence of running boards leaves the lower body clean and taut. The low, raked windshield frame and the gently faired tail lend the profile a sense of motion even at rest. Inside, pleated dove grey leather sweeps across the seats and door panels, set against a simulated-wood dashboard whose jewel-like gauge bezels, switchgear, and prominent round clock are trimmed in bright metal, with a cream banjo-spoke steering wheel typical of Packard's finest interiors.

Still fresh today, this One-Twenty Convertible Victoria ranks among the finest restored examples of a factory Darrin Convertible Victoria extant-its finish, brightwork, and upholstery all executed to the high standard the design deserves. Whether gracing concours lawns or leading touring events, Packard vehicle number 1801-2025 embodies the glamour of Hollywood's Golden Age while showcasing the very best of Dutch Darrin's design artistry.