Asking $139,900
Reasonable Offers Encouraged
Packard was founded by brothers James Ward Packard , William Doud Packard and his partner George Lewis Weiss in the city of Warren, OH. James Ward believed that they could build a better horseless carriage that the Winton cars owned by Weiss (An important Winton stockholder) and James Ward, himself a mechanical engineer, had some ideas how to improve on the designs of current automobiles. By 1899, they were building vehicles. The company, which they called the Ohio Automobile Company, quickly introduced a number of innovations in its designs, including the modern steering wheel and years later the first production 12-cylinder engine.
While Ford was producing cars that sold for $440, the Packards concentrated on more upscale cars that started at $2,600. Packard automobiles developed a following not only in the United States, but also abroad, with many heads of state owning them.
In need of more capital, the Packard brothers would find it when Henry Joy, a member of one of Detroit's oldest and wealthiest families, bought a Packard. Impressed by its reliability, he visited the Packards and soon enlisted a group of investors that included his brother-in-law, Truman Newberry. In 1902, Ohio Automobile Company became Packard Motor Car Company, with James as president. Packard moved its automobile operation to Detroit soon after and Joy became general manager and later chairman of the board. The Packard's factory on East Grand Boulevard in Detroit was designed by Albert Kahn, and included the first use of reinforced concrete for industrial construction in Detroit. When opened in 1903, it was considered the most modern automobile manufacturing facility in the world and its skilled craftsmen practiced over eighty trades.The 3.5 million ft plant covered over 35 acres and straddled East Grand Boulevard. It was later subdivided by eighty-seven different companies. Kahn also designed The Packard Proving Grounds at Utica, MI.
Throughout the nineteen-tens and twenties, Packard built vehicles consistently were among the elite in luxury automobiles. The company was commonly referred to as being one of the "Three P's" of American motordom royalty, along with Pierce and Peerless. Packard's leadership of the luxury car field was supreme.
Entering into the 1930s Packard attempted to beat the stock market crash and subsequent depression by manufacturing ever more opulent and expensive cars than it had prior to October 1929. The Packard Twin Six was introduced for 1932, and re-named the Packard Twelve for the remainder of its run (through 1939). For one year only, 1932, Packard tried fielding an upper-medium-priced car called the Light Eight. As an independent automaker, Packard did not have the luxury of a larger corporate structure absorbing its losses as Cadillac did with GM and Lincoln with Ford. However, Packard did have a better cash position than other independent luxury marques. Packard also had one other advantage that some other luxury automakers did not; a single production line. By maintaining a single line, and inter-changeability between models, Packard was able to keep its costs down. Packard did not change cars as often as other manufacturers did at the time. Rather than introducing new models annually, Packard began using its own "Series" formula for differentiating its model change-overs in 1923. New model series did not debut on a strictly annual basis, with some series lasting nearly two years, and others lasting as short a time as seven months. In the long run, though, Packard did average approximately one new series per year. By 1930, Packard automobiles were considered part of the "Seventh Series". By 1942, Packard was in its "Twentieth Series". There never was a "Thirteenth Series".
This lovely ’38 Packard was purchased by the seller in 2007 from Dar and Becca Kuehl. They had driven along with this Classic as it completed numerous CARavans under the Kuehl's directorship since 1996, including the Alaska CARavan in 2005. That trip saw it complete 4500 miles, as it drove from Calgary, Alberta, to Bellingham, Washington, for the start of the CARavan, and upon finishing the tour, return down the Alaska Highway to Calgary before being tucked in a trailer for the remainder of the trip home.
This Packard was sold new to a gentleman named Harry (last name unknown) of Long Island, New York. Harry used the car on his estate for summer driving only. But eventually, the car was stored at the estate sitting for 18 years until acquired by Harry’s nephew, Richard Rhodes, of Altoona, Pennsylvania with 32,000 original miles at this point.
Mr. Rhodes had asked Bob Turnquist to make it a roadable car in 1974. After spending $2,500.00 toward making the car road worthy, Mr. Rhodes decided not to go any further.
At this point, Bob Turnquist suggested to Jack Garrow of the Illinois Region that the car would make a fine project for him. Having just finished the restoration of a 1937 Packard Limousine, Jack declined to take the bait. But within two days time, his resistance crumbled, he flew to New Jersey to look at the car, and soon was on his way home to Illinois, driving the 1938 Packard! His trip home is a whole other story – an adventure all on its own.
Mr. Garrow totally restored the car and in 1977 started it on “the circuit”. The car was shown at CCCA Grand Classics, AACA shows, The Allstate Concours in Illinois and Packard Club Nationals, where it garnered numerous awards – most of them first place! Mr. Garrow was a contemporary of Bill Deutsch, and subscribed fully to his theory that these Classics were meant to be driven, so the Packard saw plenty of road miles while in his care.
Morris Jones of St. Thomas, Ontario had been involved in the car hobby for some time, and had earlier restored a 1934 Packard, becoming a huge fan of the Marque. He went in search of a 1938 Packard convertible, and in 1987, acquired this particular 1937 convertible coupe. When at a meet Mr. Jones was asked is he had trailered his car, his reply was, “What, and be deprived of the pleasure of driving there in a Packard!?”.
By 1995, the car had gone to Gerry Greenfield, CCCA member from Sumner, Washington. Gerry passed the car on to Dar and Becca Kuehl in 1996. The Kuehl’s cared lovingly for the car through the next decade, steering it through many CARavans while it was in their care. This rumble seat convertible was a favorite, and frequently took them to dinner or the local ice cream parlor, to the delight of all fortunate enough to be stationed along their route.
Since purchased the seller replaced the tan top with a new black one, and installed new black carpet as the 30+ years of use since its restoration had exacted a toll, and these items had reached the end of their useful life. The engine was rebuilt, high speed gears were installed, and Radial Tires added roughly 3,000 miles ago. The car comfortably completed the CCCA Independence CARavan with this car in 2008.
Of particular note is the rare rear mounted spare, which allows the eye to caress the sweep and flow of the front fenders. The golf doors on both the right and left are also an attractive design feature.
The 1938 has an imposing instrument panel, just loaded with switches and buttons, and knobs. The car sits on a 134” wheelbase, and weighs in at 4,580 pounds. It has been fitted with a high-speed rear axle ratio, which lets the engine loaf at 70 MPH. The car has the sporty rumble seat for extra passengers. Other features included the Packard De Luxe Radio, De Luxe Heater, and De Luxe Steering Wheel – new for 1938.
The 1938 Packard Model was noted for its fine ride and handling. Improved handling was a result of a reduction in wheelbase in the Sixteenth Series, which brought about a new weight distribution and steering geometry, giving this series much-improved handling. This car Scored 96 points in Judging at last summers Michigan Grand Classic garnering a First in Senior, and was featured as the cover car in the September issue of Torque- The Michigan Regions Award winning Magazine.
