In 1924 Packard replaced it’s V12 powered top of the range Twin Six models with more powerful and economical straight eights.
Four years later Packard production peaked at 55,000 units in 1928 and in August of that year the company introduced it’s Sixth Series with either 140 inch wheel base 640 chassis as seen here or 145 inch wheel base 645 chassis.
Power for the sixth series came from a single block straight eight with side valves and a seven bearing crank with a capacity of 384.8 cui / 6.3 litres that produced 106hp at 3,200 rpm.
Today’s featured car is equipped with a three speed manual gearbox, semi eliptic springs and drum brakes for all four wheels.
A contemporary report in The Autocar noted “… the big car has the power for traveling right up to a high speed without fuss, without suggestion that the engine is doing much work, without harshness, yet with plenty still in reserve.”
Known history of this car starts with collector Richard C. Paine, Jr who owned from at least 1990.
Mr Paine left instructions for this car an several others from his collection to be sold upon his passing to secure the future of the Seal Cove Auto Museum near Bar Harbor, Maine.
After being bought by a European Museum in 2008 the car is seen in these photographs by Geoffrey Horton waiting to be put under the Bonhams hammer for a second time at the 2013 Quail Lodge Auction where it sold for $126,500 including buyers premium despite requiring “mechanical re-commissioning”.
My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing today’s photographs.
Thanks for joining me on this “Sixth Series” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again for FIAT Friday tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !
