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

FOOD FOR THOUGHT
-Long door on the 2nd car makes me think its a 4 Place Drop Head.
-Windshield frames on both cars look like a very close design if not the same.
-Clois on the fender skit has the forward and rear spears that u c on the LeBaron's. If a manufactured custom u would think they would b missing along with the Clois
-Clois is down to the edge like on the Phaetons & Runabout

Correct for 1934 LeBarons only?

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I suspect, based the "not quite right" LeBaron-style fenders, and the wheels, which appear to have lock rings, that this could be the lost Macauley Speedster... or, what happened to it, anyway. The "production" LeBaron cars from 1934 utilized drop-center rims.

Thoughts??

West

Did the last iteration of the Macauley Speedster have the slightly sloped radiator shell front similar to the 1935 production models?

Steve

I don't know. But I'm pretty sure that the 1935 grille shell is pretty much vertical... no slant whatsoever.

1935 introduced a slight slant to the radiator shell, increased again for 1936. The 1935 factory shell is NOT vertical.

Yes, The 1935 Seniors radiator and shell have a subtle slant, maybe between 5-10 degrees. This mystery Packard has that shell and the Twelve hood side panels.

Its possible that once Ed Macauley was finished with his Speedster, it was sold complete or chassis with fenders to an export customer. The company would be nervous about a highly modified, non-standard chassis being released to an American buyer which could turn into a liability. One possible scenario how this car came to be.

Many of the Chrysler Ghia concept cars of the '50's were sold offshore for that same reason.

Steve

I've heard that a lot of pre-production Packards left the country, and even a few early custom cars that were going to be built in series, but I had never heard a reason for it. I was unaware that there were liability concerns in the 1930s.

West

Liability concerns may not have been as common in the 1930's as they are now but still a consideration. The opportunity to sell a concept custom or group of pre-production cars where if later problems arose were less likely to be a direct headache to management was enough motivation to ship them elsewhere.

Steve

Looking at photos of the final 1935/37 version of Macauley's Packard Custom Speedster I noticed the resemblance between the fenders on the Packard in your photo and the fenders on this last incarnation of the Speedster. Doesn't mean they are the same car, but food for thought.

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