Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

Over the holiday, I got to thinking about an unusual pre-war custom coachwork Packard. Here are the results of my efforts.

Attached are photos of the 1938 Packard 1608 Kellner Torpedo-Cabriolet currently being exhibited at the Blackhawk Automotive Museum in Danville, California. It is interesting because the body is from a mid-1930s Renault Suprastella Torpedo by Kellner of Paris, France.

The story goes the owner felt the need for a new automobile as her Renault was beginning to show its age. However, she had become fond of the Renault's body and interior, and did not want to part with them. She satisfied both needs by having the Renault body and the Packard chassis married. The Packard photos do not do justice to the wrap around green house of the passenger compartment. There are windows with narrow frames on the front and sides. The photo of a Renault similar to the donor car show this feature better. This design does not provide the most privacy. The interior is gorgeous, with brocade fabric and burled wood for the hard surfaces. The interior of the exterior mounted trunk is also finished with the same material as the passenger compartment.

A Rene Lalique "Vicorie" radiator grill ornament is a stunning feature. I have not seen this Packard featured in any of the books I have read covering the marque. The big Renault is not widely known.

Enjoy.

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Thanks for posting. I too have a keen interest in the prewar customs and have posted more than a few here, the last being a 1939 Su8 Franay. I've only seen one or two of the large Renaults, the last at Draggones in CT undergoing restoration some years back, forget for the moment who it was built for. Your comments remind me of two photos I've posted here recently, both new Packard chassis where the owner didn't want to part with the older coachwork. One was the Hutton Brewster from an older R-R mounted on a 35 or 35 Packard Twelve, and the other was the better known 1917 Pierce Arrow coachwork mounted on a 1937 Twelve chassis. Both these cars still exist. I think I posted these photos individually, though they are also in some thread we had going, don't recall which one.

EDIT: Just remembered who the large Renault was built for that was being restored at Dragonnes, Coco Chanel.

Just a personal opinion, I admire the Lalique as pieces of art but think they look absolutely garish on cars.

I don't know about garish, as I'd like to have this one for the Speedster: Vitesse

This car is most beautiful because it is oldest car

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Owen, I believe that it was your posting of the two rebodied Packards that got my idle mind to thinking about the Packard-Renault. Just another example of how this website is valuable for the exchange of information. We are fortunate to have it available to us. Thanks BigKev and to all who contribute. Happy New Year!

Edit: The Renault is a Reinstella, not a Suprastella. Apologies.

"Gordy" Hormel used to own the Renault/Packard before selling to Harrah (along with a 1934 LeBaron boattail speedster --- the one that is now currently blue). Hormel was heir to the meat-packing fortune in southern Minnesota, and was a car fanatic.

Recently, within the past year I believe, a whole cache of vintage cars were pulled out of a barn in the east. Featured in Old Cars Weekly if I remember correctly. One of the cars was a Reanault with this same body. Does anyone remember the story?

I'm with Owen on the garishness of most Laliques. The two nudes are okay, in my opinion, because they're not so huge, but the eagles head, rooster and the one on this Kellner Packard are just too large.