Re: '37 Pack convertible on "Chasing Classic Cars"

Posted by John Harley On 2016/9/7 21:53:00

Friends

I may have posted this before, if I have you can skip it.

Johnny Peterson was the owner of the Twelve previous to Carrini handling it. I believe he was in a nursing home when Carinni got involved but he died before the show was aired ( I haven't seen that episode yet)

Johnny was a member of the late Eastern Packard Club. I was President on two different occasions for a total of 4 years. He had the car a very long time. I don't know when he bought it but he paid $900 in 1953 for a complete repaint and upholstery . This might make some of you feel better, or maybe worse. Johnny owned a gas station, I believe .When he crushed the grill on his 1948 Custom Eight he walked into his garage and unwrapped the complete NOS grille that he had and put it on his car.

Johnny caravaned with Jack Behn ("bean") and myself to the Packard Centennial in 1998 from Connecticut. Jack drove his 1941 180 formal ( dual sidemounts, division , padded roof, the whole nine yards) and John drove the Twelve. Jack's car had a regular rear end and an overdrive, and, as we used to say, he hammered it. John was behind him in the Twelve and I bought up the rear. I had my 1950 Eight at the time with overdrive. i would fall back going up the hills on Route 80 but would catch up after the crest.

We had co drivers so I was able to persuade Jack to let me drive his car for a while. It was absolute dead silent and smooth. The only way to judge speed was to look at the the speedometer. i had a 1980 BMW 528i at the time. It was a very hot car, but the 180 was much more peaceful and stabile at 75 mph. , I was very impressed.


The gas stops were pretty funny. Jack and Johnny couldn't understand why they were using so much gas. Johnny " I don't understand why gas mileage is so bad. I usually get 10 mpg and I'm getting only 9 !"

For some reason Johnny didn't have a hotel reservation so he stayed with me a few nights, n/c. of course. When he went to bed he would lay there for about a half hour and babble on about the cars before he fell asleep. He was like a five year old. At one point he had owned at least 6 or 7 of the classic era Packards that were on the field for the Magnum Opus.

The last time I saw John Peterson I had to remind him who I was. He's gone, Jack Behn is gone and so are Bob Skop, Neal Donovan, Doc Cresenzi , Nels Skog. and Jim McCoach. The Eastern Packard Club couldn't survive
their losses and now it is gone too.

"Those were the times my friend
We thought they'd never end"

Best

John Harley