Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

When the Packard Request was built it cost $20,000 to build.
It took Creative Industries 90 days to complete the request. The hood was made from fiberglass and the front bumpers weighted over 400 pounds.

Teague took the third new Four Hundred coupe 5587-1003 off the assembly for the modification.

When the Packard factory was closed in 1956 it was reported that the Request was driven away in broad daylight, and given to a mistress of a Packard executive.

The Request was purchased in 1959 by Walter King of Portland Oregon, who owned the request until 1973. Larry Dopps purchased the Request in 1973 and still owned the Request in 1999.

I hope that someone can fill in the rest of the history on the Request.

John F. Shireman

As previously reported in the thread on the Monte Carlo, Request, etc., Dopps sold the car to a well-known New Jersey collector who owns almost all the postwar show cars, and the car is currently under restoration. The story of Dopps finding and restoring the car years back is covered in an old issue of The Packard Cormorant.

I'll be seeing the current owner on Sunday at a CCCA Christmas party. If you have any specific questions for him, let me know.

If he brings the car to the meet, get pictures that you can share.

PS. There was also an article on the Request in an early 80's COLLECTIBLE AUTOMOBILE issue 84 I think.

As promised, I did see the owner of the Request today at the CCCA's Metro Region Xmas party and asked him the questions some of you had requested. Even though most of the exchanges on the Request are in the "Monte Carlo" thread, I'm responding here to make it easier for future readers. As the car is in active restoration, there were no photo opportunities at this time.

Someone asked if the fenders were fiberglass. No, just the hood.

Someone (HH56?) asked if the hood/fender are still showed evidence of prior accident damage. Yes, and the door as well, but the car is undergoing a complete restoration which, knowning the owner, will be stunning and as authentic as possible.

Someone asked about the 400# front bumpers; they are pretty much beyond repair and new ones will be fabricated.

It's way off the topic, forgive me, but the Request owner came to the party in his 1939 1705 (Super 8) by Franay, pictured in Pfau's book and also as photographed at Pebble Beach at the December issue of Car Collector. This car has a fascinating history, if only it had a tape recorder in the back seat. Shortly after the original owner, a French aristocrat, took delivery, France fell to the Nazis and the car was taken over by the Military Governor. When the Germans vacated France, it was taken over by the U.S. military, again as a staff car. What conversations that back seat must have heard. It suffered extensive damage in an accident and was brought back to the US by a u.S. Master Sergeant about 1953. It was extensively restored some years back. I'll post a picture here when I get it. Small portions of the German and American "olive drab" paint were preserved on the cowl. (EDIT: looked closer, I don't believe the 39 Franay in Pfau's book is the same car).

BTW, the same issue of Car Collector (December) and a short little article on Packard trucks and buses including some I've not seen before.

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Thanks for the info. Sure would be interesting to see some of the restoration pictures he will hopefully take. Those new bumpers ought to be quite a project. I remember the owner I talked with back at the meet saying the broken bumper was a real challenge piecing and brazing together & just getting it to look as presentable as it did then.

Thanks to all for starting and contributing to this thread. As a V8 fan, The Request is one of my favorite concepts.

I'd heard that this car was purchased from the estate of Larry Dopps, whom I believe passed away just a few years ago. It's good to know that the car is undergoing a fresh restoration, and I look forward to hearing and seeing more.

I could never afford such a car, but took the plunge on one of the limited edition 1:43 models of The Request that was produced by MiniMarque back in 2000. It was only the second release in a (then) new series of show and dream cars - before the company founder, Richard Briggs, passed away.

BH:

Are any of the 1:43 scale units around and if so where can I get one??????

Al K.

Al -

MiniMarque's production run for The Requestwas limited to a few hundred and priced at about $225 each (then), IIRC. Unlike other Packards in scale, I don't see this one on eBay.

I acquired my 1:43 scale model of The Request from Bob Hooper at Dominion Models shortly after it became available, but I see nothing listed at all for MiniMarque at their website now.

While the MM43 brand has since been resurrected (under another manufacturer), the attention to detail seems to be lacking in some pieces.