Re: So you drove your Packard home

Posted by David Baird On 2010/8/18 22:37:48

I've done it twice. My first adventure was with a 1934 Plymouth, PE Business Coupe way back in 1964. Every collector in town had tried to buy the car with no success. I decided one day to try my luck. I stopped and knocked on the owner's door and was greeted by a man, not the lady who owned the car. I asked it it was for sale and he said yes. It seems he was the owners son and she had passed away. I asked him how much he needed for it and he said just look it over and make an offer. I did and told him the car was probably worth between $90.00 and $100.00. He said that's what he thought. So we agreed on $95.00. I intended to come back on the weekend and haul it home. The gentleman called a couple of days later and said that his mother's attorney had sold the car for $2,500.00. But I could still have it if I would match the price. I said no. A week later, He called again and wanted to know if I wanted the car. I said yes at my price not his. He said OK.
I immediately called a buddy of mine and we loaded up his car with tow chains, oil, etc to make sure we could pull it to my house. When we got there we looked the car over carefully and got the chain out and were about to pull the car backwards out of the garage when the owner's son asked "Why don't you just drive it". Sure enough it started right up and I drove it home. Just a mile or so. I don't know if anyone even took notice of our drive home. I probably couldn't see them past my big grin.