Just a Story

Posted by doug madden On 2019/10/30 17:32:52

Let me take a minute to introduce myself. My name is Brenda and I am Paka40 (Doug's) partner in life. I can't think of a better place then on this forum to tell our story as I believe some of you will understand and enjoy this little tale of desertion, love and healing.
I will start with the bare facts as it is needed to make this all understandable and complete.

In January of this year, Doug asked me to find him a car. Stipulations were...pre-war, suicide doors, good body...a complete car. Running condition, make and model did not matter. Well, I'm fairly new to this relationship and had no knowledge or interest in old-classic cars. I've never been to a Car Show. Doug has been into cars (classics, antiquities, hot-rods) all his life!
Well, I found one!! A 1940 Packard 110 Sedan 1800 series. The ad said it "ran like a kitten". Sounds good, right?! Doug shied away from it. A Packard he has never had and has no experience with. Needless to say, he was not impressed. Over time, he agreed to call. Three times the man sold it and the deals fell through.
On February 14th we both lost our jobs as the company we worked for went into receivership. To perk up our spirits, we took a 4-hour drive to take a look at this Packard. It didn't "run like a kitten". It didn't start but something said: "take me home with you." Nothing was working bumper to bumper. On March 16th, Doug and a buddy made the drive again and trailered "the beast" home during a snow storm. Once home, we were able to go through paperwork and find one other previous owner. We found out the car was taken off the road in 1964, not running, and stored in quantums and barns every since.

Those are the facts...now the good stuff...

5 weeks later, she's up and running. On the road and certified.."The beast" as we call her, is 99 percent original, a true survivor! She is driven every day of the week now. Car Shows 4 - 5 days a week. She gets driven 1 - 2 hours at the end of the day. On the weekends our adventures take us 200 - 300 miles in and around Ontario. Doug tweaks her on the roadside and checks her over every night when we get home so she's ready for the next day. Doug is no mechanic, but he'll do preventative maintenance example, pulling off the brake drums every 2 weeks checking for leaks ect... She has never seen the inside of a mechanic's garage.

On May 1st this year, I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. I spent the entire summer having chemo treatments, the fall I had surgery and now starting radiation. This time capsule has been my saviour... Each and every time we are out in the Packard, my fears, my anxiety and my pain disappears. It has helped me heal beyond any explanation. In our travels throughout Ontario, we have never seen another pre-war Packard. When we are at car shows, people touch and feel the experiences we feel. They sit in the backseat and the joy I see on their faces is amazing. Old folks get in and you can see the memories coming back to them of "grandpa's old car". It is invigorating to see the excitement people get as much as we do. I smile, I laugh, I am healing...Our lifestyle allows us to venture out late at night to early morning with no traffic, listening to '40s/'50's country music and loving every minute of it.
Doug has developed a great respect for Packard by ride and handling. He has had 1930's up to 1980 vehicles over a 50-year span but, and these are his words, "this one, along with our adventures, has been the most memorable."

There are more adventures to come, with a deserted beast, a healing woman and a man who loves us both!!!


We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all at the Packard Forum once again for your guidance, various opinions and part. You are with us each and every time we are out. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.