tbirdman

I agree that the Standard 8 from what I have found, even though it is a fine engine, does decrease a Packards desirability by collectors. Regarding muscle cars...I guess I'm at the age where I should be buying one. However I have no desire to have one and be one of the many owning one. I do own a 64 convertible T-Bird and the great thing about that car (besides what I consider it's beautiful lines", is it is not a common car you see every day like a Corvette, Camaro, Chevelle, Mustang etc. Unfortunately it doesn't have a hemi in it I have always liked the big classics and have settled on wanting a Packard of the 30s. Now there are other large classic cars I could also enjoy, but I'm limiting myself on purpose so that I can learn all about the the one make I have chosen to make a wise buying decision. I did read another article where even though muscles cars are going to the roof and other cars have stagnated, there will always be a demand for the large classics of the 30s. And as the article has said, what price can you put on fun that you have had.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">As the Swedes like to say, "oof dah!" But... it's still the right car. Paint mine dark (including the grille), or earth tones, and slap a set of agressive-looking black sidewall tires on it and I'd be about as happy as a ... well... nevermind. </div></div> West, So what is your opinion of a 34 standard 8 dual cowl Phaeton. From what I understand dual cowl phaetons are desireable but that could be the dealers talking. I find every dealer ad claims that the Packard they are selling is the most desirable. This 1934 dual cowl phaeton can be had for a substantial discount off the asking price.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The 32 903 is a florentine color. </div></div> What in heck is florentine!!! That one's not even in my dictionary. Though florin is in there as an Italian gold coin. Is the car gold? That's not terrible. At least it's not pink (or mint green ) </div></div> West, Do you mean mint green like this 903

Being new to this era of cars, it's hard me to determine price. I was estimating the car should be around $120-130K by trying to look at like sales. However there are few like sales around on these cars. A 32 903 was in the recent Hemmings issue. It was listed for for 92K and sold in lest than a week. The car needed some work like paint and upholstery. Being that it sold in less than a week, I would assume they got full price for it. Also at the recent Kruse Auburn auction it appears that a 43 Standard 8 roadster sold, but I don't the numbers for it yet.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The 32 903 is a florentine color. </div></div> What in heck is florentine!!! That one's not even in my dictionary. Though florin is in there as an Italian gold coin. Is the car gold? That's not terrible. At least it's not pink (or mint green ) </div></div> It's like a greenish brown. It's been a while since I've seen it so I forget exactly. It's not ugly but not my color choice. Do you think the asking price is reasonable $158K for the 903? given it's decent but not perfect condition?

The 32 903 is a florentine color. Paint is in great shape though. I would put the car at about 2-. A lot of the chrome is original in very presentable shape. The odometer reads 42K miles which may be correct. The asking price is 158K which I thought was high. I am finding that 32-34 for sale are not that common.

Great info. That V12 35 link was the car I was looking at. I also don't like the 38/39 as much because of the fenders. I was not aware of the 35 dislikes. The 37 Super 8 convertible sedan does have a roll up divider windshield. My preference would be a Super 8 32-34 coupe roadster but the 37 is a very nice 98 point car. I don't need the V12 and the additional $$$ to purchase. I have located as I mentioned before a 32 903 coupe roadster. It's nice low milage car but I could see myself dumping more money in to rechrome some items and reupholster the seats and add overdrive. I'm also not crazy for the paint scheme. Teh chase continues. Thanks for the inputs.

The 37 Super 8 Packard is with a local Packard expert so I do feel comfortable buying that car from him. His cars are maintained very well. It does have overdrive which is a plus. So I need to wrestle with the body style and motor size...maybe it doesn't make a difference. However I would think a coupe roadster would be more flash than a convertible sedan with the added sizzle of the V12 under the hood. I'm a member of Packards International and did have a member come with me to look at the 34 V12 I looked at. This 35 V12 is located in the midwest and I'm in Oregon. I was defintely going to either bring my local expert or get someone closer to the car location to look at it. I'm getting a video tape made of the car now. If I do look at the car closer, I will make sure I get a Packard expert recommendation from you all. A few hundred can save a lot. Now I was told a rebuild on a V12 was about $30K. Your $8K figure was a lot less.

So the $64K question is how do you know when a Twelve has been built correctly. If I do buy this car, I will be getting someone who knows about Twelve to look at it but for my ebnefit and knowledge...a lot of the ads I have seen for cars with Twelve in them indicated whisper quiet which doesn't tell half the story. Other than being smooth running at all speeds, no leaks, non smoking and the ability not to overheat when at slow speed in "parade" mode, and restarting when hot is there anything else I can look for.

You are right on the investment part. I didn't make myself clear on that subject...I need to to buy a classic car because I want to and don't think about an investment. The 37 I have located is owned by a person who is considered very knowledgable about Packards inthis area. If I got the car from him, I would be assured it was a very sound car and had been very well maintained. He does drive his cars. Other than the asking price being steep, I was concerned about the desirability of the 37 Packard vs the earlier years along with the body style.

Thanks to all of you for my previous question about a classic car as an investment. I have taken to heart the advice that I need to buy the car that moves me. However I want to make sure that I pick a car style and year that is desired by collectors in case I want to sell some day. I once owned a 55 chevy truck that was very nice but I had a hard time selling it because it was a long bed and most collectors (i.e. buyers) wanted a short bed. To me, I liked the long bed, but it proved to be an anchor when I went to sell. So I want to see what collectors think when they look at the different open body styles. I want a convertible body (prefer 32-34 but could go 35-37)style and the Packard body styles are... Convertible Victoria (2 door- 5 passengers), Coupe Roadster (2 door, 2 passenger plus rumble seat) Convertible Sedan (4 door, 5 passenger) There are more body styles but these are the main ones I have seen for sale. Are any of these styles more desirable then others. For example a 2 door 57 Chevy is much more desirable than a 4 door. I have found a very nice 1937 super eight convertible sedan. However even though the 37 Packards have the best ride compared to the earlier Packards because of IFS and hydraulic brakes, the Super Eight designation for that year is actual a Standard Eight motor as they did away with the Standard Eight model. How does that affect the value of the 37 Super Eight Packards to earlier years? Are the convertible sedans body style also valued by collectors? I also have found a nice 35 V12 Coupe Roadster and I'm fully aware of the challenges a V12 poses thanks to your inputs.

I went to look at the car yesterday with a person who knows these Packards. Cosmetically not a bad car and mostly correct. But the steering was tight and squirrely. Very hard to drive. I did not know how they should drive so I had this person drive it. He agreed with me. Also the cltch didn't engage until the pedal was let out almost all the way. That seemed like an adjustment was needed there.Brakes did pull on hard stops. Biggest issue was the engine. It smoked, had some noises that sounded like lifter issues, and it ran rough. It did start quickly. The owner claimed it smoked because he had added some marvel mystery oil. I'm walking away from this deal. Thanks for your advice.

I do have a name that has been recommended to me. Would it be proper to ask about this person in this forum as his compentency?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> In terms of a driving experience that will give you a great deal of pleasure, I dont think you will go wrong in the purchase of ANY big-engined classic car, provided it was properly maintained. This is where "expert" advice is called for. I again suggest (again, AFTER you have re read Chuck's comments !) that you hire an appraiser FAMILIAR with technical aspects of the particular make and model you are familiar with, BEFORE buying!. As an "investment", well...some years ago, in one of our hobby publications, someone did a graph showing the comparison between just sticking the same amount of money into a bank Certificate Of Deposit, and maintaining a "collectable" car. You guessed it - the car "investment" came out a poor second best. So - there you are - KNOWLEDGE is the key. Are you lucky enough to live out in the country, where there is the kind of driving experience that will permit you to enjoy the superior performance (especially in the upper speed ranges) that a twelve cylinder Packard offers over and above the eight cylinder cars? Or do you live in one of our metropolitan areas, where road speeds are limited by horrid traffic ( when they are not flying bumper to bumper at speeds insane for the road and traffic conditions..)? These are all questions that KNOWLEDGE will help you make a wise decision for your particular needs. GOOD LUCK ! </div></div> I will definitely get a knowledgeable appraiser before I buy any car. The one thing you have to factor in whether it was a good investment, is the pleasure you receive from owning one of these cars. That cannot be measured in $. However I understand that from the $ ROI, stocks would be better. However last time I checked, it was hard to drive a stock portfolio no matter what engine you had Howevr I have recalibrated my thoughts of what type of investment this will be.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have never run into a 1932 Packard without synchromesh in the top two gears. All writers agree that in early 1932 Packard used a four speed transmission. Some say it was the same as the previous year, i.e.: no synchromesh. Others say it had synchromesh. The fourth gear is useless it's lower than first gear. The answer to your question is yes. If there is such a thing as a 903 without synchromesh you will not like it if you intend to drive the car. By the way, Packard paid General Motors $1.25 royalty per transmission to use their patented synchromesh system. </div></div> Thanks. This is a priceless wealth of information as I continue my search for "My" Packard. Definitely finding a Packard is not as easy as finding a muscle car for sale. I've met quite of few nice Packard folks in my searches. Ken

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I own a 1933 Twelve Convertible Sedan. I have driven and ridden in several '32 through '34 Eights, Super Eights and Twelves. For driving, the Twelve is superior in smoothness (make that silky smooth) and acceleration. Also you can drive your Packard and still maintain it in perfect condition if you are willing to spend the time, effort and money to do so. Packards built prior to 1932 are not fun to drive. You will find that almost all have terrible transmissions that take forever to shift and when you do shift it's at slow speeds. This means no acceleration. The Twelve can easily be shifted from 1st to 2nd at 35MPH and 2nd to 3rd at 50MPH almost as quickly as a modern vehicle. Also, beware, most sellers claim they're car is perfect when it may only be cosmeticly restored. Most "trailer queens" cannot be driven safely. A Packard has excellant brakes and is easy to handle. Good luck in your quest. </div></div> Ed, I also looking at a 903. It a has a 4 speed without the synchromesh? Would I have the same problems with the transmission. I know later on in 32 Packard went to a syncromesh transmission. Thanks, Ken

Thanks for all of the replies. I think I understand the V12 argument thanks to all of your replies. Most of the replies from the Packard meeting I attended was if you plan to drive it, the Super 8 is a better way to go though nothing like the looks of a V12 when you open the hood. The other issue is that the V12 will stretch me even further than I had intended. Of course the Super 8 will stretch me further then I had intended, but that's the nature of when I go looking for something. The otehr argumnet is that the V12 may hold it's value better then a Super 8, but that's hard to tell. So I guess I'm back to looking for a Super 32-34 convertible.

Bill, Thanks for the advice. I've am joining my second Packard club tonight. The Packard owners I have talked with have been wonderful. I love it when they invite me over to their place for an "education". Besides the determining the originality and the quality of restoration plus the fair price, I need to figure if I want to dig deeper into my pockets for the V12 vs the Super 8. That difference is very significant ~$100K. As you pointed out both were very fine cars. I've also been advised that the S8 would be a much better car to enjoy if I drove it as it us easier to maintain. At least if I buy a fully restored classic, I avoid the $80k invested, asking $40K problem you see so often.

Bill and Chuck, Thanks for the advice. Well, as a owner of a 64 T-Bird convertible, I'm waiting for the remake of Thelma and Louise. The reason I like the T-bird, is it not a car you see everyday. T-bird I struggle with whether to spend the extra $$$ on a V-12 or go with a Super Eight from 32-34. From what I understand, the V-12s are more desirable from a collector standpoint, but the Super 8 is a more desirable car if you drive it. The difference in price is very signficant. As far as researching, I am doing the leg work and definitely won't buy without sound advice from someone who knows Packards. I also struggle with "fair price" because these cars don't trade hands that often to create a market price. Also it appears that the old car price guides are way off on prices on these. So I'm struggling to try and figure what the fair price is.

I wanted to gather thoughts on my possible purchase of a 1934 Convertible Victoria Packard V12 that from what I can gather, a small step below a concours car in quality. I started a few months ago deciding I wanted a Packard and of course have migrated to one of the more expensive models. As you know these cars are not inexpensive but represent one of the more desirable Packards (V12, 1934 and convertible). I'm looking at the car as an investment that I hope will increase in value over time. I'm 49 so I should be looking at muscle cars, but I have little interest in them. Do you think that these high end cars will continue to increase in value even as those that have the most interest in them pass on? I'm planning to finance about half of this purchase with a home equity loan or would it be wiser to step down to amore reasonable Super 8 model. I plan to drive it proably about a 1K miles per year.