1941 Packard

ONE-OF-A-KIND, RARE BUILT TO MODERN STANDARD, 5.7L V8, AUTO, DISCS, A/C, LOADED!

Look, we understand that some purists may not be overjoyed with this probuilt 1941 Packard 160 convertible sedan, especially since it's one of perhaps two dozen in existence. But look closer and you'll see that this car keeps all the lovely pre-war styling and adds modern conveniences that make it today's equivalent of Packard's finest.

White wasn't on Packard's list of factory colors, but you could special order any color you wanted for a very modest additional charge, so there's no reason why this car couldn't have been built in this combination. It's remarkable how good it looks in bright white, which highlights the classic Packard lines, especially that long, long hood. Fit and finish are certainly up to Packard's high standards, with nary a mark on the all-steel bodywork. You'll have to be pretty picky to find faults with this car. And that's really as it should be, with only 1784 miles on the build. All four doors fit well, the butterfly hood latches in place without a fight, and the dual sidemounts (a relatively rare option in its final year in 1941) are snug in their wells. All the chrome and stainless was expensively restored to show condition, including the traditional Packard grille which must have cost a small fortune. No question that this is a very impressive car.

The interior is very skillfully done, blending old and new to create a vintage Packard ambiance with modern conveniences. Gorgeous red leather covers the original seats and door panels, all of which were carefully stitched to look authentic. The original dashboard was smoothed and filled, then fitted with a set of pretty Classic Instruments gauges with white faces. Underneath, a custom A/C system was neatly integrated and it was all artfully painted with a burled walnut pattern, which is actually how the factory did it in 1941. A modern tilt column with a shifter for the 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission carries a billet wheel wrapped in matching red leather and an AM/FM/CD stereo system provides adequate entertainment, top up or top down. And speaking of the top, it's beautifully tailored in black canvas and folds neatly into a surprisingly short stack behind the rear seat, although it's probably best to have a friend or two around when it's time to put it back up. The trunk is fully upholstered in matching red materials and includes an actual spare tire (the sidemounts are vulnerable to damage if you actually store tires there) with a custom Packard-logo cover.

A 5.7 liter Chevrolet V8 provides plenty of modern force, and although it's hard to replicate the smooth torque of Packard's 356 cubic inch straight-8, this powertrain certainly comes close with an updated twist. The Chevy V8 is a neat fit in the long, narrow engine bay thanks to an accessory drive that pulls everything in tight to the block and rather than going with a chrome show look, they instead chose to make it look as if this car were built by the factory just the way it is. The result is easy serviceability and an OEM look that reflects the expert engineering that went into the build. The aforementioned 700R4 4-speed automatic makes this a fantastic highway cruiser, even with 3.73 gears out back. Four-wheel disc brakes provide superlative stopping power for this heavyweight cruiser and the flashy chrome wire wheels are a great touch, especially wrapped in modern wide whitewall radials.

So don't sweat it, purists, this car was finished to standards worthy of the Packard name and they respected the original design. If you want to stand out at the next show, this car will do it better than just about anything else. Call today!