1939 PACKARD SERIES 1701 4 DOOR SEDAN

Details

Packard Eight (120) 4 door sedan, series 1701. During 1939, Packard interchanged the nomenclature of their junior series 282cid Inline 8 cylinder cars, referring to them as both the Eight (in lieu of the senior series Super Eight, which shared this body and wheelbase) and the One Twenty. This example features factory installed overdrive and the rarest Packard option of all, a cable-driven tachometer. Mounted where the clock was usually located on the glove box door, the tach was only available

on overdrive-equipped cars for this inaugural year for Packard's overdrive unit. Other options fitted to the car are the Goddess of Speed hood ornament, 'banjo' steering wheel, and deluxe radio (which is currently not functional). The restoration was started 25 years ago in Arizona with a repaint in authentic French Blue, with the brunt of the work performed within the last decade. Three-year-old interior restoration, using Kanter components, plus all 17 pieces of woodgrain were redone using the authentic photo reproduction process. Four years ago, a valve job and a NOS 1938 manual-choke Stromberg carburetor was installed. All of the wiring harnesses were also replaced at that time, retaining the original 6-volt positive ground electrical system, updated with an Optima gel-cell battery along with electric windshield wipers, an electric fuel pump, turn signals, and halogen lighting. The car is also fitted with four Diamondback Classic wide white wall radial tires.