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What a nice car! I am wondering what that object is on the right rear fender aimed at the running board, it that a courtesy light? Also, what are the locking doors just aft the passenger and driver's door?

Good job finding this car Skateboardgumby.

Yes, courtesy light. And the doors to the golf club compartment. These were pretty much standards features on higher end cars in coupe and convertible styles.

@BDC,

I knew the 1935 Twelves were longer than our Eights, so I incorrectly assumed they were still longer in 1939. Thanks for this useful snippet.

It's just been bumped above $40,000. It will be very interesting to see where it settles.

Cheers, J.

Thank you for sharing that interesting info. That is precisely why I thoroughly enjoy this forum--except on the rare occasion when someone is a jerk to me for no apparent reason.

kind regards
Garrett Meadows

Hi Garrett

That's one fine, rare Twelve! What nice original condition its in. The large luxury marque two passenger coupe was in its waning days then. Its main competitors sold similar small numbers of this configuration.

For perspective, the Lincoln Twelve Model K which were essentially all of a series from 1937-'39, sold four 1939's built by LeBaron. These shared the lower body with the convertible coupe of which two were 1939 titled. A handful of leftover Model K's were sold as 1940 models, though their production had already ceased.

The Cadillac Sixteen, which like the Lincoln can be grouped as a series for 1938-'40 on 141" wheelbase, sold six two passenger '39 Sport Coupes style 9057 by Fleetwood. The same body, equipped with jump seats was the five passenger Style 9057B of which five 1939's sold. Unlike both Lincoln Twelve Model K and Packard Twelve, these last Sixteen shared their Fleetwood bodies and 141" wheelbase chassis, except engine and frontal styling, with the V8 Model 75 which sold in greater numbers including the two and five passenger 75 coupes.

Regardless of marque, all three companies were moving on to production of luxury cars that shared much more with their lower-priced volume line mates. Truly the end of an era.

Steve

Hi Steve!

While my late father's parents were hardly of the financial means to buy a car of the caliber of those you referenced in your extremely informative response, they were still doing well enough in the late 1930s to buy an upper end car, but refused to do so.

My grandfather said he simply could not justify buying a nice car in the late 1930s when so many people were still in dire financial straights. Since they lived in a rather small town, a brand new upper end car would be very conspicuous and its owner open to censure by the community. My grandfather said people in general felt bad enough without being reminded that were people who had managed to come through the Depression fairly unscathed.

I don't really know why I told you that story other than your stats about the precipitous drop-off of luxury car sales in the late 1930s reminded me of why my grandparents wouldn't buy big luxury car during that time period.

Boy, I don't know of many people now-days who would deny themselves similarly.

kind regards
Garrett

Quote:


Done and Done.

Hi Garrett

"...they were still doing well enough in the late 1930s to buy an upper end car, but refused to do so."

Your grandfather's outlook was held by many in those difficult years. Especially in small towns, where it was considered unseemly to flaunt one's good fortune while so many neighbors struggled to make ends meet. As much as they might have enjoyed a nice new Packard Super Eight or Twelve, buying a 120 was more socially acceptable.

This change of attitude enforced by the economic realities forced many high quality luxury carmakers from business completely. Packard, as well as the Big Three luxury makes, changed their type of products in response. Its true they went down market in size and price but quality wasn't necessarily compromised. Progress in design, engineering and manufacturing throughout the decade was headed in the direction that rendered the large grandiose luxury cars irrelevant.

Steve

Hi Steve!

Yes, social attitudes have done a 180 since the desperate years of the 1930s relative to flaunting wealth or the appearance of having wealth. Contemporary America is extremely resistant to giving up its luxury cars.

Several years ago I went to visit my youngest son in Amsterdam where he was spending a year studying at the University of Amsterdam. That was my first trip to Europe and what an eye-opener it was, especially regarding transportation.

Steve, they ride bicycles like we drive cars, which are the exception. And, of the cars I did see, they were tiny. Rarely did I see an SUV or large luxury car. There were literally thousands of bicycles on the road. I saw many, many men in suits and ties on bicycles, obviously going to work. I nearly got run over several times trying to acclimate myself to be on the lookout for bikes, as opposed to cars.

Also, I guess a bi-product of riding bicycles everywhere, I seldom saw on overweight Dutch person.

Back to topic, my grandparents could have easily bought a Packard 120 back in 1937, but didn't because of the reasons you cited. Instead, they drove their old Buick and didn't get a new car until after WW II! Can you imagine financially able to buy a Packard 120 in those days and opting to go 10 years before buying a new car? Talk about an exercise in delayed gratification. That was really the Greatest Generation.

kind regards
Garrett M

Here is Lincoln's offering.

(o[]o)

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