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I was watching a documentary on Youtube called "The Wheelchair President" and it showed film footage of visiting troups overseas. He was shown arriving in what appeared to be either a 1940 or 1941 Packard limo convertible. As an aside, FDR always rode in the right backseat passenger seat because it was easier for FDR to get in out of his parade cars.

I don't know if the Packard was FDR's personal parade car or if the Packard was locally provided.

Please post the link to the specific YouTube video you were watching since there are a number that show up when you search 'The Wheelchair President'. Thanks.

Will do. I'll go back and find the video, then list the time frame where FDR appears in the Packard.

youtube.com/watch?v=wmpWolAwRJg

Go to 6:20 when FDR's car swings into full view and the camera follows the car for a few second.

This is, what you get, if you are in Europe -> geo-blocking. Presumably this was the reason for naming the video "The Dark Secrets of FDR’s 4th Presidential Term".

The vehicle at about 6:20 appears to be a 1941 "160" convertible sedan, a 1477 or 1477DE.

Thank you for the clarification. I appreciate your time and effort to properly ID FDR's Packard.

Since he was on a tour, wonder if that was a special dignitary parade car taken from a motor pool. I believe there was some mention in the Ken Burns PBS special on Roosevelt that his last preferred cars were of Ford mfg and he even owned a 36 Ford personally for use at Hyde Park. His official car during the war was a custom 39 Lincoln convertible modified for easier access which he nicknamed the Sunshine Special. That car was in the White House fleet long enough for Truman to also use it before it was replaced by a 48 Lincoln.

This analysis by the Smithsonian shows which Packards were in the White House fleet and their time in service. Especially during the war FDR was very often filmed riding the in the 1939 Twelve convertible sedan.

The 1932 Twin Six phaeton he used when Governor of New York is still in the New York State Motor Pool fleet and was used rather recently in the opening of the new bridge over the Hudson at the Tappan Zee. Perhaps I have a pix of it.

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  Presidential Packards cr.jpg (134.06 KB)


  32 905 Gov FDR.jpg (94.36 KB)

A fair number of Packards but doesn't seem like some of them stayed in service all that long. -- 2 or 3 years for some. Wonder if they had a replacement or lease like schedule or maybe rotated mfgs every few years.

Makes sense he would travel a lot in a prestigious convertible sedan during the war in spite of his car preferences but also surprised he didn't use a closed car more. Believe it was mentioned in the Burns series that the secret service had serious issues with him wanting to use the Lincoln or any convertible on so many occasions because in one of his early terms he was riding in another convertible when someone took a shot at him.

In the series there was a car that might have been the Lincoln on a campaign tour when the skies opened up and he got soaked. Went on to say the tour continued in the rain for several miles with him as well as others in the car soaking wet. He finally got so cold the secret service was able to convince him to allow them to drive the car into a hotel garage so they could get him a room where he could change clothes. Begs the question of whether the convertible top worked or if being seen in a campaign appearance was so much more important.