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Last Sunday we found a 1930 model 726 in a garage where it has sat for around 25 years. It is amazingly straight, unmolested, atleast 95% complete with an interior trashed by age. The paint is origional and maybe about 50% there.
The soft part of the roof has collapsed and we don't know if the engine is stuck or not. Does any one have thoughts about its current value?

G'day viking,
to PackardInfo. I invite you to include your '30 726 in the Packard Owner's Registry. And sorry, I can't help with its value.

thank you. The car was just inherited by my girl friend. Sadly for me, she intends to sell it.

Why not persuade her to sell it to you?
Tom

Hi viking, If you haven't been already, keep an eye on Hemmings, Auto Trader Classics, PrewarCar, and the AACA classifieds. I only turned up a couple 726s for sale without pricing information, but those are common places to find valuation information.

As far as keeping realistic expectations, do keep in mind that, even in impeccable, documented condition, your girlfriend's 726 may have a price ceiling lower than you're hoping. It's an example of Packard's smallest (126" wheel base) production car (vs. a more valuable custom bodied car) for model year 1930. It also sounds like it's a sedan (if the top goes down, the value goes up). I can tell you all of this without sounding condescending because I own a 526 sedan ;) At least in your case you have a rarer car with an 8 instead of a 6!

I think you'll find that, regardless of what any publication or forum post may suggest, any such car is only worth what someone is willing to pay you for it, which may increase the longer you're willing to wait for the right buyer to turn up. Any valuation will be heavily dependent on condition, and even the suggested 5% incompleteness mentioned can end up costing a potential restorer many, many thousands of dollars tracking down and reconditioning the correct parts. Not to mention, of course, the hundreds of hours and many thousands of dollars the other 95% of the car is going to require in restoration.

Personally, I don't think the production cars get their due in the community, and I love the aesthetic of sedans, so I hope yours finds a loving home and sees the road once more. Too often though, given the cost / value proposition of a proper restoration, these cars remain as-is, or get really regrettable restorations (I can tell you all about a terribly "restored" 626 sedan I inspected last fall that didn't sell on eBay for $8K). The best case scenario for these cars is that someone elects to undertake a proper restoration as a labor of love, not based upon the profit potential.

That's probably not what you were hoping to hear given your intention to sell the car, so hopefully you can prove me wrong (these are, after all, just my observations). Good luck!

Thank you SLC, I've been out of town and unable to post.
Your thoughtful and in depth responce is most appreciated.

I had the pleasure of spending Saturday with the car.
The engine turns freely with out coaxing or adding top oil!
I am a little confused however, the vehicle number is 277678 while the engine number is 277764 and the frame number is 277744. Did they not "match" numbers in 1930?

"Did they not "match" numbers in 1930?"

No, but the numbers cited point to original components because of their closeness to each other.