Vehicle Description
To be OFFERED AT AUCTION at Auctions America's Auburn Spring event,
May 11-13, 2017.
Chassis No.
14292012
Estimate:
$375,000 - $425,000 US
The Packard Darrin was a special automobile in the maker's lineup.
It was a blending of all the glory that was Packard in the Classic
Era and the stunning design work of Howard "Dutch" Darrin. The
result was one of the more glamorous cars of the 1940s.
Without Darrin's insistence, the car wouldn't have been built at
all. Following his days in Paris, the inimitable Darrin had settled
in Hollywood where he immediately established himself as the
purveyor of custom coachwork to the stars. The polo playing Darrin
was quickly accepted by the movie crowd; his well-cultivated French
accent fit in perfectly. He named his shop "Darrin of Paris." His
first client was Dick Powell for whom he fashioned a two-passenger
Ford Roadster in 1937. Shortly thereafter, he built a two-seat
convertible victoria roadster on a 1937 Packard One Twenty chassis
for actor Chester Morris. It led to the idea of building a
five-passenger version and selling Packard on the idea of including
it as part of its lineup. The initial word from Detroit was no, but
that didn't stop him.
Darrin began with a standard Packard Eight Business Coupe, little
of which remained when the transformation was completed (later cars
used the larger 138" One-Eighty chassis). Most memorable are the
sweeping cut-down curves of the doors, the car's signature styling
feature commonly referred to as the "Darrin Dip." The rakish body
looked downright racy when compared to competitor Lincoln's Zephyr
Continental. Yet the car remained unquestionably and distinctly, a
Packard.
Darrin arranged to have the car parked outside the Packard Proving
Grounds at the time of the annual dealer's meeting, precisely where
the dealers couldn't help but see it. That, as they say, was that!
Under pressure from its dealers Packard included the Darrin as part
of its catalog for 1940 with three models; Sport Sedan, Convertible
Sedan, and Convertible Victoria. Nearly 100 were built through 1942
when production was halted prior to WWII. Darrins were real
celebrity cars - Tyrone Power, Errol Flynn, Al Jolson, Ruby Keeler,
Preston Foster, and Gene Krupa, all had one.
According to its body tag, this Darrin was first delivered to Mead
Motor Co., Houston, Texas on June 27, 1941. It has since been
restored by Stone Barn Restoration from what is described as a
solid, original car. Included are the jack, spare wheel,
convertible top boot and storage bag. A former AACA and CCCA
National Prize Winner, the car presents beautifully finished in
Cream over saddle leather with a dark chocolate canvas top and
period-appropriate wide whitewall tires. Fender skirts complete the
sleek and svelte look that can only be "Darrin." Optional equipment
includes radio, clock, heater/defroster, grille guard and back-up
lamp. It is equally nice under the hood as it is on the exterior.
The consigner describes the car to be in "excellent driving
condition," and as a CCCA Full Classic it is ready to show and
tour.
