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1929 Packard 640 Roadster


Matt Harwood

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*SOLD*

This Packard is every bit as stunning as it looks in photos. Even more remarkable is that the restoration is nearly 20 years old. Now, don't go thinking it's worn out, because it's been extremely well preserved, protected, and maintained during that time and it is still nice enough to be invited to last year's Amelia Island Concours. It showed a little over 100 miles back in March at the Amelia Island Concours, so it's definitely been a trailer queen, but the current owner, who insists on driving his cars, acquired it and went through the mechanicals to be sure it is in top condition and ready to tour, and has put a few more miles on it since then. Unfortunately, he doesn't fit in it very well at age 93 so he gave it to his wife, but it's just a weee bit too much for her to handle (ya think?). So here it is, beautiful, exceptional, and ready to go.

I don't call any car perfect, and this one isn't perfect, but it's incredibly nice, a very, very strong #2 or even a 2+. The only notable wear is on the chassis where there are some minor signs of use and some scuffing on the center of the front axle that I can't explain except that it came from being pulled into a trailer using a winch. The lovely paint scheme is a bit flashy, but it sure looks great on the big roadster body and seems period appropriate without excessive metallic in the paint. Fit and finish were done to the very highest standards and there's no appreciable wear, and all the chrome is simply brilliant and without a mark.

The sumptuous tan leather interior is gorgeous and it's not quite as orange as it appears in photos--it really works quite well with the exterior combination. There are matching carpets on the floor, beautifully restored woodgrain on the dash, and all the instruments have clear, bright markings. The rumble seat has been upholstered to match, with fold-out leather arm rests designed to both protect the paint and the passengers' elbows on hot days. The tan canvas top, you will note, is piped in matching tan/orange and includes little leather rub pads where it folds onto the chrome top rests on the rear deck, a nice touch.

The engine is, of course, Packard's mighty 385 cubic inch straight-8, appropriately called the Super 8. As you can see, it still looks remarkable with only the most minor signs of operation. There's often some seepage between the head and block, but not on this car. The porcelainized manifolds are still glossy and show no cracking or clouding, and the engine enamel is bright. All the cast aluminum pieces don't even show evidence of porosity, so there's no discoloration. There's a bit of wear around the side cover, which has been removed recently to adjust the valves, and maybe a bit of seepage around the radiator hoses, but it could probably be ready for show in a matter of minutes, not days or hours. The correct Detroit Lubricator carb, original distributor, factory generator, and other ancillary parts are all in excellent shape. It starts easily, runs beautifully with immense torque, and with the lightweight bodywork, it's impressively quick out on the road. The chassis is painted to match the fenders, which I'm not too keen on, but a lot of guys like it that way. Giant 20-inch chrome wire wheels wear a set of Denman wide whites with, oh, about 100 miles on them.

It's an AACA prizewinner, but has not been shown beyond that, so it's poised to collect more trophies and garner more invites to top events. The current owner is someone who knows old cars and has made sure this one is mechanically 100%, so it would also be a stunning tour candidate. No, it's not cheap, but nobody's going to argue it isn't worth the $169,900 asking price. Thanks for looking!

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Edited by Matt Harwood
SOLD (see edit history)
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