1933 Packard survived 1960 garage fire
Before the garage fire was extinguished the dashboard, upholstery, paneling, convertible top, wiring, glass and steering wheel of the car inside were damaged or destroyed. A lesser car would have been dispatched to the junk yard, but this 1933 Packard 8 Coupe Roadster survived and was restored.
The fire occurred decades ago in the early 1960s. Scott Leaf, pediatric dentist in Virginia, bought the restored Packard in February 2013. “I like cars from the 1930s,” he said. The exquisite style from that era captivates him.
Leaf saw the Packard for sale in Florida. He learned the 320-cubic-inch, L-head, straight-eight cylinder engine had been rebuilt in July 2008 when the wiring had been replaced.
The 16-foot, 3.5-inch-long Packard wears a coat of cream-colored lacquer with its graceful lines accentuated with red pin striping.
The red upholstery in the front seat matches the upholstery in the rumble seat. Occupants of the rumble seat can rest their arms on the car’s body with no fear of hot metal or dirt because a leather flap can be flipped over the side for protection. Rumble seat access is via two step plates on the right rear fender.
Aglass rear window is secured in the tan canvas top. Apair of vacuum-operated wipers are suspended from the top of the windshield frame. The bottom of the windshield can be pushed open to admit fresh air. Additional air can be directed into the cabin through the cowl ventilator or through the two vents at ankle level.
To the rear of the passenger’s door is a small door with a lock where golf clubs can be stowed. The clubs share the stowage space with the feet of the rumble seat occupants.
The sleek Packard has dual side-mounted spare tires in the front fenders, each covered by a metal shroud. Both side mounts are capped with mirrors. Regarding the mirror on the passenger’s side, Leaf said from the driver’s seat, “I can see it but not well.”
Records indicate the 120-horsepower engine easily can propel the 4,200-pound car. The Packard 8 Coupe had a base price in 1933 of $2,160.
A gear shift lever sprouts from the floor. The threespeed manual transmission features synchronized gears in second and third gears to eliminate the need for double-clutching.
Although the speedometer shows an indicated top speed of 120 mph, the manufacturer claimed 85 mph. Zero-to-30 mph could be achieved in 10 seconds while zero-to-60 mph took 23 seconds.
Aluxurious ride in the 6-foot-wide Packard is produced by the lengthy 127.5-inch wheelbase supported by 7.00x17-inch tires on 40-spoke wire wheels. The Packard is equipped with a lever marked “Ride Control,” which can make a difference on rough roads. The brakes also have a four-level adjustment.
At the center of the three-spoke steering wheel, near the horn button, are two levers, one controls the lights and the other the throttle. “Driving this car gives a sense of being not found in a new car,” Leaf said. “It drives very, very nicely,” he said.
The silky smooth, but thirsty, engine is fed fuel via a two-barrel Stromberg carburetor. Of his Packard, Leaf said, “It has never passed a gas station where it didn’t want to stop.”
The odometer in the 5.5-foot-high Packard shows 56,000 miles which, Leaf said, could be accurate.
Packard always strove to be supreme in every way, which made them a joy to drive.
“I plan to use it,” Leaf said, “and have some fun.”