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1934 Packard Eight 4-door sedan 95% ORIGINAL!


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*SOLD*

Another remarkable survivor in superior condition, this 1934 Packard is only on its third owner. It's also the most heavily documented pre-war car I've ever seen, with complete service records, the original invoice, and all the original accessories such as the license plate frame (as shown in the 1934 Packard Accessories Brochure) and the ultra-rare Packard Handy Kit, which includes stuff like tar remover, body polish, spare light bulbs, and upholstery cleaner. It is known to the Packard 1100 Registry and is widely regarded as the nicest unrestored 1100 in existence.

It wears its original, Packard-applied code F Abington Blue paint, and while it's a bit thin in spots, it still looks decent. Not show quality anymore, but certainly nicer than 80-old-paint should look. There are quite a few amateurishly done touch-ups that could probably be improved upon, or just leave it as-is and enjoy without worries, which is what I would do. There's no rust and no signs of accidents, although I'm guessing the unusual front bumper guards were installed after one too many bumps to those big front fenders, which I believe were repainted many, many years ago. Chrome is quite good, with very minor pitting on the taillight housings and optional "lady with doughnut" hood ornament. Other accessories include dual sidemounts with metal covers. locking mirrors and trim rings on all six wire wheels.

The interior is extremely well-preserved save for some modest wear on the driver's seat. The carpets are a little threadbare, but things like the woodgrained dash and moldings are excellent, and the rear seat area looks practically new. It has been equipped with an optional Startix system, but was disconnected by the current owner for personal preference reasons, not functional ones, and the same is true of the Bijur system, which is complete but capped so it doesn't make a mess on your garage floor. Perhaps most shockingly, the accessory AM radio is still complete, as are all the gauges, which are simply gorgeous. It has been fitted with aftermarket turn signals for safety, and all the chrome interior fittings are excellent.

After several years in storage, it has been recently and extensively serviced by David Heinrichs of Heinrichs' Vintage Car Shop, including removing the cylinder head, new gaskets, rebuilt carburetor, new ignition components, and cleaning out the coolant passages. It starts almost instantly and drives beautifully, with typical Packard torque and performance, and never goes above 170 degrees indicated on the gauge. It is equipped with the optional high compression cylinder head on the 320 cubic inch straight-8, and with 4.69 gears it happily cruises at 45-50 MPH. The transmission shifts smoothly with no noises and excellent synchros, the brakes are astoundingly powerful (the adjustable power assist works as it should) and the ride is supple in a way that's hard to describe. It has a great grumbly exhaust note that is totally vintage, and newer Dayton blackwall tires have been fitted which suit it perfectly.

To be honest, if I hadn't purchased my 1929 Cadillac a few years ago, I would be all over this car in a heartbeat and I still haven't ruled out putting it in my own collection somehow. If you've never driven an all-original car, it will open your eyes as to how good these cars really were and how smooth, tight, and well-engineered they feel on the road. A stately Full Classic that represents arguably the best year of Packard design in a very road-worthy package. Thanks for looking!

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Edited by Matt Harwood
SOLD (see edit history)
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Matt,

I'm impressed that you continue to come up with these exceptional examples. My HPOF Original 1937 Buick Roadmaster Phaeton is yet another reminder of how special these all-original Classics really are, and my 1930 Packard 733 proves the special nature of the standard series Packard,

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Edited by Marty Roth (see edit history)
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Think an underpaid secretary, typing on her old Underwood typewriter (OK quick thought, how many on this forum learned to type without an electronic keyboard?), and she misses the last letter in the city name.......what the heck, she'll just let it ride.....

Great looking car...

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Now, this comment is off of the thread, but to the comments:

For a period of time during, and following World War I (The War to End All Wars), you know, the one before World War II, I've been told that a great many American cities whose names ended in the Germanic spelling "burgh" were advised to DROP the final "h", as the spelling was considered too "Germanic". The spelling noted upon the invoice for this Packard was considered correct during the period of the sale.

Pittsburg(h) , Pennsylvania has claimed to be the only city to re-adopt the "h". I've no idea if other cities have don this as well, but it makes an interesting story.

Oh, and as you suggest David, the secretary at Packard Headquarters in 1934 probably wasn't all that overpaid, but considering the depression years, she was likely happy to have a job.

Edited by Marty Roth (see edit history)
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Guest 37Packard
Now, this comment is off of the thread, but to the comments:

For a period of time during, and following World War I (The War to End All Wars), you know, the one before World War II, I've been told that a great many American cities whose names ended in the Germanic spelling "burgh" were advised to DROP the final "h", as the spelling was considered too "Germanic". The spelling noted upon the invoice for this Packard was considered correct during the period of the sale.

Pittsburg(h) , Pennsylvania has claimed to be the only city to re-adopt the "h". I've no idea if other cities have don this as well, but it makes an interesting story.

Oh, and as you suggest David, the secretary at Packard Headquarters in 1934 probably wasn't all that overpaid, but considering the depression years, she was likely happy to have a job.

I've never heard that before but it makes sense because it was spelled that way twice on the invoice. As usual, Wikipedia has their act together. Check out this list of other cities named Pittsburg. Thanks for the interesting comments....

Not to be confused with Pittsburgh (with an "h" on the end and most commonly used to refer to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) or with Pitsburg, Ohio (with one "t" and no "h").

Pittsburg may refer to:

In the United States:

Pittsburg, Alabama

Pittsburg Point, Arizona village that predates and was absorbed by Lake Havasu City, Arizona

Pittsburg, Arkansas

Pittsburg, California, a city in Contra Costa County named in 1911

Pittsburg, Nevada County, California, a former settlement

Pittsburg, Colorado

Pittsburg, Florida

Pittsburg, DeKalb County, Georgia

Pittsburg, Walker County, Georgia

Pittsburg Landing, Idaho

Pittsburg, Fayette County, Illinois

Pittsburg, Illinois, in Williamson County

Pittsburg, Indiana

Pittsburg, Montgomery County, Iowa

Pittsburg, Van Buren County, Iowa

Pittsburg, Kansas, Crawford County, founded 1876

Pittsburg State University, located in that town

Pittsburg Township, Mitchell County, Kansas

Pittsburg, Kentucky

Pittsburg, Michigan

Pittsburg, Mississippi

Pittsburg, Missouri

Pittsburg, Nebraska

Pittsburg, New Hampshire

Pittsburg, Nevada

Pittsburg, New Mexico

Pittsburg, North Carolina

Pittsburg, Oklahoma

Pittsburg County, Oklahoma

Pittsburg, Oregon

Pittsburg, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

West Pittsburg, Pennsylvania

Pittsburg, South Carolina

Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee

South Pittsburg, Tennessee

Pittsburg, Texas

Pittsburg, Utah

In Canada:

Pittsburg, Ontario

Pittsburg Island, Ontario

Pittsburg, British Columbia

Edited by 37Packard (see edit history)
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As the owner for 49 years of another mostly original 1934 Eight 1100 I can really appreciate this car. But I'd be real concerned about starving the engine bearings for oil with that bypass type oil filter with it's very small diameter lines inserted in what appears to be a series connection with the original full-flow oil system. It will certainly greatly reduce the volume of oil delivered to the engine. This was originally an external full-flow filter system with very large oil lines for a high volume of oil delivery.

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  • 3 months later...

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