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

This is a vintage photo said to be of Gertrude Olmstead's (an MGM actress) "new" Packard town car. Gertrude retired from acting in 1929 so likely this was taken before that. The bumper is clearly not stock Packard of any year. The wheels look like they're off pre-1928 as they're 6-bolt. The headlights appear to be 1929, but hard to tell. It has no cowl lamps.

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Thanks for posting, never seen that photo before. Check that extreme crown on the front fender. Coachbuilt?, if so by whom? Appears to be a rectangular body builders tag in the usual place.

PS: The shape and approximate size of the body tag in the photo conforms to Walter S. Murphy, not that there was much doubt.

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Looks like an Hispano-Suiza stork hood ornament

1927 Packard fenders

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Boy, that stork is magnificent artwork!!

The car is reminiscent of a 6-45 town car by Murphy that I last saw at the PAC national in Danvers (Boston) in 2005. Somewhere I have a poor photo of it, I'll try to find and post later.

Hi

Walter Murphy Co. is mostly likely the coachbuilder based on the raked, cast, chrome windshield, general cleanly styling and popularity of that coachbuilder with movie celebrities. A telltale it's a '26-'27 343 Eight series is the lack of 'cusp' on the inside of the radiator shell, also too long overall to be a Six. The parabolic headlights mounted on forks, replace the factory drum style, were also found on other upscale cars of the time. That 'cowcatcher' bumper should go back on the Kissel or Willys-Knight where it came from..

The Hispano-Suiza hood ornament was very popular, appeared on a variety of other luxury cars specified by the owners.

Steve

Maybe that triple bumper was needed as she liked to take it out herself now and then?

Here's some 645 Murphy Town Car photos, the first taken at the PAC National in Danvers MA in 2005, and the other at the Packard Centennial in 1999. That's noted prewar Classic Packard historian Jim Pearsall at the wheel in the first photo. The Murphy-trademark windshield casting and rake is unmistakable. Also note the dipped or lowered front door sills, not a feature on the car that started this thread. Whether these cars in the photos are in fact the same car, I don't know. Photos by this writer.

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This car looks very familiar to me. I recall seeing Bud Juneau photographing it out at the Timing Stand at the Packard Proving Grounds during one of the PAC National Meets - cannot remember which meet it was 2006 or 2013.

Several years after the meet that car was on the cover of The Cormorant, or was it the CNB? Believe there was an article about the car in that edition. If someone can look in their library, then maybe we could learn more.

Which car, Roger? The one in the B&W photo in post #1 that started this thread, or the one(s) in post #7?

Hello OD:

Sorry for the confusion. I am talking about the photos you posted in #7 - the Murphy-bodied car.

--Roger--