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Tell us about the grey/blue 1931/32 roadster with the split windshield. Is that a custom body? I've never seen a split windshield on a Packard roadster. That must be a recently restored car as I've never seen it pictured anywhere before.

Actually it is a 1930 with a body by Rollston and it was finished the day before the show.

I know the owner and it is probably on of the best researched and documented Packards on the field that day. Attached is a scan of the build sheet from Rollston, showing the body number, color details, etc.

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I noticed the car is a hodge podge of accessorization. If the car was on a 7th chassis where did all the extra parts come from?

Based on the 1931 wheels and the late 1930 date on the Rollston papers, it appears to me to be a 1931 that received 1932 updates a year or so later.

I didn't speak with the owner but like West I assumed it to be a 1931 with the factory-offered 1932 update kit. The wheels are 8th series. Stunning car.

I wasn't present when the judging results were announced and I hope it was properly rewarded. I did hear that Judge Cassini's 34 Dietrich won top honors.

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Maybe I should stand back here. It was me (and not the owner) who said it was a 1930. This based on the photo I took of the Rollston letter in my previous post.

Notice the body style number of 430 - I assumed the 400 series of numbers related to 1930.

Notice the date of the letter as September 4, 1930. This was at the end of the 1930 build year and the very beginning of the 1931 build year. So there may be a number of overlapping parts and options. It is a custom-bodied car.

Again, the owner did a lot of research on this car and I will leave the details up to him to explain. If anyone wants to contact the owner I can put you in touch with him. Just PM me.

My brother's car was there: a 1929 645 phaeton.

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I guess it all comes down to the delivery date. The car appears to have the correct horns for the conversion, but it also needs to have a build date after July 1, 1931. I'm just curious because supposedly the kit was made up to help dealers move inventory and pay the bank. Packard was building two series at the same time which is rather weird and were building 9th series cars in 1931 and 8th series cars in 1932. So why Rollston would get the thing for a sold car has me scratching my head.

Rollston delivery times were generally 4-6 months after contract. If the car was contracted for around 9/4/30, I'm sure it was completed well before July 1931. I'll admit the pelican looks a little out of place on that car. I think a goddess of speed would look better.

I call that ornament a Swan. To me, it doesn't look anything like a Pelican or a Cormorant. I believe a Cormorant graces the coat of arms and a Swan is depicted in the ornaments. This topic has been discussed much in the past and I am not trying to get it going again. This is just my opinion.

And, yes, I agree a Goddess ornament would be more attractive on this car.

The main thing is O_D and Roger have taken time and efforts to post these wonderful photos. Thank you.

(o{}o)