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Right now I'm reading " A Question of Loyalty" about the court-martial of Col. Billy Mitchell.

The author stated that while stationed at Ft. Sam Houston, MItchell drove a Packard he "got a deal on." The author didn't elaborate on the "deal," or what model Packard Mitchell drove. Perhaps a forum member might know.

kind regards
Garrett Meadows

while stationed at Ft. Sam Houston,

Would that have been in 1925 or 26?

Here's a pic of Mitchell at the Packard plant. According to the information provided by the Detroit Public Library, the car is:

Packard 236, second series eight (produced 2/2/1925-8/1/1926), 8-cylinder, 85-horsepower, 136-inch wheelbase, 4-person sport model (body type #246),

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One of the very rare Sport models. Basically, this car was the predecessor to the Speedster models. It had a a shortened and narrowed body.

They were all painted the same color (unless, of course, someone custom ordered something different). This is the factory supplied color combination.

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Right you are West, those 236 Sports are just the absolute pinnacle of Packard's open models of that era. And we're so lucky to have at least two of these left to see, one was at the Pontiac National and the other (photo) owned by Steve Babinsky. In this photo Steve's Cadillac doctor's coupe is behind, his all-original LaSalle phaeton alongside, and the fabric-bodied (by D'Ieteren) Minerva behind.

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And below is a photo of the one owned by Roy Margenau - he is a member of Motor City Packards and had it at the 2013 PAC National in Pontiac. It is an original survivor.

Roy is very generous with his time and with this car. Last year he took part in a youth program called Operation Ignite (sponsored by Hagerty Insurance) that taught kids how to drive a stick shift car. Not many folks can say their first drive in a stick shift car was a 1925 Sport Phaeton.

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Roger, thanks for that picture. I took several photos of it at Pontiac but was unable to find where I had them filed.

It is certainly a beautiful automobile! and thanks to all for the info and expertise. Does anyone know the weight of this vehicle?

Shipping weight 4023# according to Turnquist's book.

You know your history. It was 1925.