1937 Packard 120 Eight Touring Sedan

[petertom]

1937 Packard 120 Eight Touring Sedan On Ebay

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1937-Packard/133340397728?

 

[bryankazmer]

so would you turn it all black or all gray? ( 48 - 50 trunk trim).

[keiser31]

Gray. Too many black ones out there already.

[Matt Harwood]

Needs more lights.

[gossp]

20 minutes ago, Matt Harwood said:

Needs more lights.

I am fine with the quantity, but that’s about it. 
 

let’s replace the smallest pair with smaller amber lights under the bumper, the pair between them with something bigger and better looking, and the pair on the A pillars with flashlights in a tool box under the seat. 

[neil morse]

At least it's got new "dentists," according to the description.  What about the doctors?  Strange color scheme, that's for sure.

[ericmac]

"Car ships from Germany in Europe "

As opposed to...?

It is painted an unflattering, indeed rather bizarre color scheme. As Matt pointed out,  it has about 3x as many lights as it needs but otherwise doesn't look like it was a badly done restoration.

Getting a non-Classic four door here from Germany on top of an, um...shall we say optimistic price? Not so nuch.

[bryankazmer]

from some of the other posts here, some of those lights may be to comply with Germany's retroactive regulations

[Ed Luddy]

Here's another high priced 37 Packard. It's in Quebec Canada.

 

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/city-of-toronto/packard-touring-coupe-1937/1493379473

 

[Guest]

 

OK, OK.... in my defense, I've been "sheltering in place" for 4 days now......

[Steve_Mack_CT]

The Canadian car is overpriced but a really attractive car.  

[Ed Luddy]

41 minutes ago, Steve_Mack_CT said:

The Canadian car is overpriced but a really attractive car.  

Yes I thought the same! But with the Canadian dollar at a very low .67 cents USD, and a lowball cash offer it may be could be more reasonable?

[Steve_Mack_CT]

20 minutes ago, Ed Luddy said:

Yes I thought the same! But with the Canadian dollar at a very low .67 cents USD, and a lowball cash offer it may be could be more reasonable?

True.  We had a 39 120, cool cars but I might look at 36, 37 if we ever get another, just really like the styling.

[Matt Harwood]

I think the gray car could be significantly improved by simply painting the grille shell and trunk lid gray, and maybe the side window moldings. That wouldn't be a terribly expensive undertaking and would erase a lot of the eyebrow-raising details. 120s really are lovely to drive.

 

On the other hand, it's just a 120 sedan priced about 30% above market. I sold this rather nice dark green 1940 with a fresh engine a few years ago and felt lucky to get $25,000 for it. It was a far superior car.

 

[Ed Luddy]

4 hours ago, Matt Harwood said:

I think the gray car could be significantly improved by simply painting the grille shell and trunk lid gray, and maybe the side window moldings. That wouldn't be a terribly expensive undertaking and would erase a lot of the eyebrow-raising details. 120s really are lovely to drive.

 

On the other hand, it's just a 120 sedan priced about 30% above market. I sold this rather nice dark green 1940 with a fresh engine a few years ago and felt lucky to get $25,000 for it. It was a far superior car.

 

That seems more realistic! My friend sold their 38 convertible to a chap in Belgium. That was a few years ago and it was a lot more money.

[Hudsy Wudsy]

Clownish two-tone treatment, although that Dove grey color is beautiful. Over the years I've seen many other examples of how an owner thinks that they are adding beauty, interest or value by two-toning vintage cars, not realizing how much it halts the eye and disrupts the flow of the lines. 

[58L-Y8]

After the 1932 Graham 'Blue Streak' lead the way toward monochromatic paints without contrasting fenders, that combination became the norm for commercial vehicles.  Painting the fenders black was done because it was practical and easy to match if they got damaged or scraped, but the radiator shell, hood and body could be easily painted whatever color the customer wanted, especially if it helped identify their business.  The solid color for cars was to present a more unified, streamlined modern appearance.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

5 hours ago, Ed Luddy said:

That seems more realistic! My friend sold their 38 convertible to a chap in Belgium. That was a few years ago and it was a lot more money.

Ours went overseas as well, to a nice Packard guy in Switzerland.  I do miss this one!

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Hudsy Wudsy said:

Clownish two-tone treatment, although that Dove grey color is beautiful. Over the years I've seen many other examples of how an owner thinks that they are adding beauty, interest or value by two-toning vintage cars, not realizing how much it halts the eye and disrupts the flow of the lines. 

 

I agree.

The two toning is just too harsh in most cases on cars of this era.

I think the original designers had the right idea of accenting these great body lines with the much subtler pin striping.

[Hudsy Wudsy]

6 hours ago, 58L-Y8 said:

After the 1932 Graham 'Blue Streak' lead the way toward monochromatic paints without contrasting fenders, that combination became the norm for commercial vehicles.  Painting the fenders black was done because it was practical and easy to match if they got damaged or scraped, but the radiator shell, hood and body could be easily painted whatever color the customer wanted, especially if it helped identify their business.  The solid color for cars was to present a more unified, streamlined modern appearance.

I recall reading some years ago about '36 Plymouths, specifically, that black fenders were the default, but it only cost a few dollars to have them painted the body color. That statement was accompanied by a picture of a fleet of business coupes with black fenders, all bearing "Armour Meats" logos. That image seems to have stuck with me, because often when I see thirties cars with black fenders I think "cheap".

[58L-Y8]

6 hours ago, Hudsy Wudsy said:

I recall reading some years ago about '36 Plymouths, specifically, that black fenders were the default, but it only cost a few dollars to have them painted the body color. That statement was accompanied by a picture of a fleet of business coupes with black fenders, all bearing "Armour Meats" logos. That image seems to have stuck with me, because often when I see thirties cars with black fenders I think "cheap".

By the mid-'30's, black fenders with a body color other than black became synonymous with 'cheap' model or a truck or commercial vehicle because that was the default standard for low-priced cars and pretty much all trucks.  As body design became more integrated into the 1940's, cars with fenders painted a contrasting color look even worse.  Two-tone combinations moved up on the top and upper panels by the 1940's, were considered an extra luxury touch.

[bryankazmer]

The forties upper/lower versions also typically had the trim located so that the color divide was a natural one.