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1930 Packard 745 Convertible Victoria
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Views
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Date Posted
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1610
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Thu January 4, 2007
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Price
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Type Listing
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$269,500.00
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Description:
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1930 Packard 745 Convertible Victoria
106hp 385 cu. in. inline eight-cylinder engine with four-speed transmission, Bijur chassis lubrication, leaf spring solid front axle, leaf spring live rear axle and four-wheel mechanical drum brakes. Wheelbase: 145"
Although the selling price of this remarkable coachbuilt Packard is not known, its first owner could certainly afford to indulge himself. A long time Packard dealer, Alvan T. Fuller was also a highly successful politician, serving terms in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, as a U.S. Congressman, and finally as Governor of the state of Massachusetts from 1925 to 1929. It is interesting that according to the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, Fuller never accepted a dollar for his time in public service.
The Packard’s next owner is believed to have been a wealthy business man who drove the car to Florida for the winter in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Eventually, the car was discovered in a garage by Mr. and Mrs. Hubbard G. Clapper of Orlando, Florida. By 1997, the Packard was owned by Les Bowen, who commissioned acomplete professional restoration by Florida restorer Steve Cooley.
Following restoration, the car earned its CCCA Premier award in 1999 and 2001. It also scored a perfect 100 points at the 100th anniversary Packard National Meet and won a Best in Class award at the 2004 Meadow Brook Hall Concours d’ Elegance.
Notably, this remarkable coachbuilt Packard is documented by Ray Dietrich himself. In a letter to the Clappers dated July 4, 1974, he confirms the details of the car’s construction, along with its original VIN, engine number, cowl ID, and body numbers. According to Dietrich, “This letter will authenticate the 1930 Packard 745 Victoria Convertible which you own as having been designed by me and built under my supervision.”
This unique Dietrich design displays the master’s talent for line and proportion. Beginning with the 745’s long hood, the body is designed to end over the rear axle, emphasizing the body’s sporty close-coupled proportions. The beltline is unusual, extending from the grille shell to the rear of the body with cutouts below the windows first seen on Parisian designs by Hibbard & Darrin. The effect is to lend the car a distinctly European flavor.
Although the car’s original colors are not known, the body’s orange paint is typical of Packard’s advertising of the period. The cream beltline provides the perfect accent color, while complementing the flawless leather interior. Black fenders were, of course, common at the time, and combined with the black top give the car a pleasing contrast. Particularly attractive are the wheels, correctly finished with painted rims and stainless spokes.
Today, the car’s condition is essentially as restored, showing little or no deterioration of interior finishes, engine bay, and exterior trim and brightwork. There is some minor age-related deterioration of the paint finish along the hood and door moldings. The car is well equipped, including dual sidemounted spares with accessory rear view mirrors, a stone guard, Packard Custom hood ornament, and a correct painted trunk with additional rear mounted trunk rack.
Many experts consider the 745 series Packards to represent the pinnacle of the custom body era. While hundreds were built, few survive today. The Fuller car offered here combines many of the ultimate attributes sought by today’s collectors: a history of important owners, provenance and period documentation, and an exceptional quality of restoration. The result is a car fully suitable to show, while remaining quite capable of touring – where the sight of this majestic Packard on today’s roads is sure to create an indelible impression upon those fortunate enough to witness it.
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Keywords:
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1930 Packard 745 Convertible Victoria
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(2):
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RM, Meadow Brook
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(3):
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8/6/2005
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;)
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