This shot posted at the Cohort by Stephen Pellegrino is a bit different. He found this fine old classic Packard sitting in a parking lot next to a Walmart in Boonton, NJ. He did not identify it. The brand is obvious, and I took a stab at pinning it down to 1923 or so. The Series 126 (for its wheelbase) actually came out in mid 1922, to replace the slow-selling series 116, which was a bit too small for Packard’s clientele at the time. It was built through 1924. Yes, these are six cylinder cars, priced well below Packard’s glorious “Double Six” v12s.
There was also a 133″ version of the Single Six. Both were powered by a 61hp 268.4 cubic inch side-valve six. It was priced at $2,485 ($36,380 adjusted).
So the only question is why it’s sitting here. Are prewar cars’ value sagging, except for the really top-tier versions?
Note to Stephen Pellegrino: Are you getting my emails? I’ve sent you several about your submission, but no response.
This is a great find. Just a note though — the Packard V12s were known as “Twin Six” not “Double Six” I believe that was an appellation used by Daimler.
I think the adjusted price doesn’t really tell the whole story. Many people today wouldn’t blink an eye at spending 36K for a vehicle, but the average wage is upwards of 50k too. But in the mid-1920s the average annual wage was on the order of 1K so these Packards were astronomically expensive and exclusive.
These Packards have nice lines but there must be a very small market these days for cars of this vintage. They would be quite a handful to drive in regular traffic and I don’t think you’d want to pile up any mileage doing the show circuit. So that would leave trailering them about if you wanted to show them off and that would get to be pretty expensive.
Wow! If I had a free space and the cash, I’d be down there in a minute! Looks complete. Anything that says Packard on it is worth saving.
The Series 126 and 133 are more significant than this modest-looking touring would suggest. Prior to the Packard Single Six, there were no entry-level established luxury marque cars fielding models priced for upper-medium-priced customers to step up to. In the early 1920’s, there were many of those medium-priced makers that sold models, usually sedans, in the $2,000-$3,000 segment, the luxury segment was above $3,000.
It took Packard a few seasons to develop the Single Six into a major market force, first lengthening the wheelbase and enlarging the engine, eventually to 288.6 c.i. The major event that caused its sales to burgeon was when the sedan price was lowered to parity with the open touring during the Third Series 1925-26 years.
The other major significance of the Single Six is it formed the basis for the First Series Single Eight introduced in 1924. The straight eights seceded the Twin Six, were far more cost-effective to manufacture, carried the Packard prestige to greater heights and were massively profitable up to the Depression. This was Packard in its ascendancy, it all started with the Single Six.
Note to Paul,
Yes, I did get one email from you on 9/17 concerning the submission. Never got your first email from a month ago, although I’m sure you sent it. I haven’t had time yet to put the article together and re-submit, but I plan to soon.
Here’s a shot of the Packard from the front:
As an aside (and not certain if there is any connection to this vehicle being where it is presently located), Boonton happens to also be home to Kanter Auto Products, which I believe to be pretty well-known for their inventory of new parts for old cars – with Packard (and Packard restoration services) being a specialty. We would often refer to their facility, visible from a nearby major interstate highway, as the “Packard factory”, as it is located in a rather old building that had a Packard sign and (at least at one time) actually had an entire Packard automobile on its roof. The Walmart mentioned in the original post would be about a mile or less from where Kanter is.
You beat me to it!
There’s a 1930-ish (license plate is dated “32”) Packard that periodically appears at our local hardware store. I’ve only ever encountered it parked and have never seen it on the road. Regardless of condition, it’s nice to see cars of this era still out and about.
Looks like this one’s going to be saved or respectfully parted out. Makes me happy even if I can’t have it. Was looking at some photos earlier today on the net and sure enough, seems to be a proper spark advance lever on the steering wheel. Way too early for syncromesh. My kind of car! Thanks for the post. Back in the 60’s, a good friend of my family owned one more like the one in Earl Jam’s photo – a roadster. My brother and I both got to drive it when we were still teenagers.
Parted out? Wow I hope not. That is a survivor! Clean it up. Maybe a new top and other maintenance and enjoy!
Bob
Agree, remember I darn near cried when my French teacher scrapped his ’55 Clipper because of troubles with the Ultramatic.The kids tore it up first and the back seat somehow wound up in my friend’s dorm room. What a shame. At least the touring will probably avoid that fate.
This would end up on display in a restaurant or something before it would be parted out, it’s just that good. 100 year old cars in this condition with the prominence of the Packard name aren’t going to get parted out. Awesome find. I so miss seeing the real antique iron on the road.
Cars of that vintage, if complete or nearly complete are never parted out. They’re too rare. The worst that’s going to happen to this car is it’s going to be put into some kind of storage to stop the deterioration until either the money is available to make improvements, or someone buys it who has the resources..
+1
All that Packard needs is tires and tubes, the brakes checked and fixed, maybe a tuneup and gas line/tank clean out, and eventually a new top.
Then drive it! Not on main roads, of course.
What a great survivor! The progress in auto design from 1920 through 1929 was phenomenal. I hope these cars that are after the brass era but before the “classic era” find folks who will love and care for them.
What are the chances that someone has just driven it to the store, raggedy top and all?
My great , great uncle had a wood-spoke wheel 1926 Studebaker. As the car aged, he was known to use a garden hose to get the wheels wet before a long journey. The water would cause the wood to swell, making the wheels tighter, less creaky, better to drive.