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"You (Tim Cole) should get your facts straight"

I like that. Very funny.

My entire participation here is moderated via "vaugely remember", "realm of possibility", and "stranger things have happened". Also that the true story might be surprising.

Anyway, as to E.T. Gregorie and Puerto Rico, the facts are that he like boats, sailing, and the Caribbean. I don't remember where I first read this, but I vaugely recall it being in a book about the Ford Company.

As far as this car is concerned, the true story may come from an unexpected place.

Now for those fenders I recall once an order for a fender from Rolls-Royce. The part number was xxxxx and the fender was made up for us by hand at the factory. That's how custom fenders work except that unlike Rolls-Royce Packard would provide the fender fully finished and ready to mount. Pretty nice service.

Let's suppose this car is just another custom job. As long as it was done during the period it is legitimate. If you don't like the pontoons you can take them off and throw them away and it won't affect the value of the car. However, why bother? Just buy a different Custom Dietrich.

I just find the resemblance of this car to the Lincoln Continental uncanny as is the only period photograph of the car coming from Detroit.

Perhaps there are some more pictures floating around in Puerto Rico.

Se hable espanole?

Tim Cole: The car in question could have been shipped to Pittsburgh via one of three railroad companies at the time. These three were the New York Central, the Reading RR, or the Pennsy. If the car was being shipped for export there would have been more direct routes of shipment through northern Penna. or southern New York State

It was probably no accident that the car was shipped to Pittsburgh for the 34 car show. Pittsburgh was a major distribution point for Packard for western Penna. My late friend Brady Berry which owned a dealership in Jersey Shore, Penna. made a good many trips to Pittsburgh to bring back new Packard's to sell local.

I doubt very much that E.T. Gregori first saw this car in
Puerto Rico. The car was probably done by Murray as I have stated before. If that being the case and knowing the connection that Edsel had with Murray they at Ford knew about this car even before it makes it's way out of the Murray shops.

John F. Shireman

Well, I believe I have dispelled all question about the car's origin once and for all. I had the pleasure of talking to the original owner's grandson and daughter in law yesterday. They told me that the car was custom from Packard. LaCosta Jr. was a prominent lawyer, judge, farm land owner, and owned a few drug stores in Puerto Rico in the '30s. Apparently LaCosta Jr. had a penchant for custom cars!

Very nice people, I'm thrilled to be able to have spoken with them.

Here's another one for you guys...

The Packard Motors Export Corporation of 1861 Broadway in NYC apparently were the ones that shipped the car to Puerto Rico. Have any of you any history on this division of Packard?

West, here's a (not so great) image from that old slide of the 32 Twin Six w/dual rear spares from CT. It was taken at a VMCCA show in northern NJ in perhaps the late 60s.

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That's great, because it shows that the work on the Adams' 34 was a little more than just adding fenders. Note the belt line on the Adams' car now quits in the corner, whereas the original Dietrich went all the way around. Also note that the trunk is very different, as is the configuration of the twin rear spares.

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because it shows that the work on the Adams' 34 was a little more than just adding fenders. Note the belt line on the Adams' car now quits in the corner, whereas the original Dietrich went all the way around. Also note that the trunk is very different, as is the configuration of the twin rear spares.

Well, a LITTLE more than that! Significantly altered cowl structure and elongated and modified hood, kind of a Dietrich trademark. But you could say it's origins are apparent.

With regard to the Packard Export Dept. on Broadway in NYC, I don't know anything other than what's been published but I'd again recommend that Mr. Adams make contact with Jim Pearsall who, more than anyone I know, has studied all the Packard facilities in the area, especially Manhattan and Brooklyn.

The cowl and hood modifications were made for most of the 1934 V-windshield Dietrichs. I was referring to the modifications in the rear being unique to the other 1934 Dietrichs.

OK, understood.

Well, I've gone and found another 1934 Dietrich V-windshield convertible victoria, and now I need to correct my statement. The back end (meaning the trunk and belt line), with the exception of the rear spare tires, is the same.

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