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ebay.com/itm/Packard-Darrin-Roadster-/25 ... :SZYAAOSwZ1BXdvFx&item=252446351416


I just saw this 1940 Packard Darrin Roadster listed on eBay for a whopping $250,000. Just wondering if anyone might know its history.

as always
Garrett Meadows

Perhaps the best and simplest way to find out the history is to write the seller.

If the seller can't prove it's history and existence back to at least the 1960's, I'd say buyer beware.

If it won its class at Pebble Beach, there's a pretty good chance it's real. Plus, I believe most of the "fakes" were done as 180s rather than 120s.

To be pedantic, didn't Packard correctly call the 2 door Darrin convertible "Victoria," not "Roadster?"

If it's a Pebble winner, that part of the history should be easy to check.

....didn't Packard correctly call the 2 door Darrin convertible "Victoria," not "Roadster?

Yes.

Those with a back seat (not rumble) were Victorias, I believe!

Quote:

Why rely on a belief when BigKev has the specs online here:
packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/model ... php?mode=year&id=1940&ButtonYear=Go

Seems I've seen too many folks misusing the names body styles for the 1940 and 1941 model years. Can't tell you how many ads I've seen for the 2-door convertible coupes incorrectly labeled as a "victoria" body. BTW, neither the 1940 nor 1941 models had a rumble seat.

For those years Packard reserved the "victoria" designation for custom-bodied, 2-door convertibles, such as Darrin and Bohman & Schwartz, whether the car had the junior 120 engine or the senior 160/180 engine.

There is a distinct possibility the car was once owned by Louis Johnson. Louis owned the car in the late 1940's and owned it the rest of his life. The reason I say this is because the car has the hood louvers which are not original.

Originally the hood sides on Louis's car were cut down by Darrin and the louvers eliminated, but people (experts) kept telling Louis he should have a louvered hood so he had us make hood sides with the louvers. I thought the car looked better without them.

I like the 120 Darrins much better than the 180 Darrins. They drive better. The 180 Darrins have tremendous understeer and drive like land yachts. However, the 120 Darrins need some work to stabilize the cowl because the doors can fly open. Ken Hines had a seat belt connecting the two doors to prevent the problem. As well I think the car is better proportioned.

The pictures don't show the car with the top up. Louis's car had the original Darrin top bows which the experts always cut down. However, on this car the seats have been altered from the original so they probably butchered the Darrin top design as well. Louis's car had the original seating and top bows. So if there is a 120 Darrin with the correct seats and top bows and an extra pair of non-louvered hood sides then that is certainly Louis Johnson's car and not this one.

Are we talking about Lou Johnson (R.I.P.) from Hackettstown, N.J.?