Re: Actually hit 100 mph?

Posted by Don Shields On 2014/9/3 21:24:45

In the interests of accuracy, the Packard depicted in the pit stop photo above is a 1936 Packard Eight model 1402 seven-passenger sedan, not a One Twenty. The same photo can be found on page 348 of the Kimes "Packard: A History of the Motor Car and the Company" book. There are additional photos of the car on pages 348 and 349 along with written commentary on the endurance run. As with everything in that book, the segment makes for very interesting reading.

My first Packard was a low mileage original 1937 Packard One Twenty sedan that I purchased in 1974. Sometime I'd say in 1975 I took it on an expressway to see what it would do. I had it up to an indicated 85 MPH when I had to brake for slower-moving traffic ahead. The car suffered no ill effects from that run. I think it still had more in it to give at 85 MPH. Do I think it could do an indicated 100? Absolutely! Would I recommend to anyone to try this on an open road? Absolutely not!