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The coat of arms on the fender announced the Head of State. Francisco Franco Bahamonde ... 4 December 1892 – 20 November 1975, was a Spanish general and dictator who led the Nationalist forces in overthrowing the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War and thereafter ruled over Spain from 1939 to 1975, assuming the title Caudillo [source: Wikipedia].
The photos show his One-Eighty on May 20, 1947 during a visit to Manresa. The car looks armored to me. The center bar in the rear window, clearly visible in this video, illustrates this. What do you think?


image source: memoria.cat
Click to enlarge!

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Here is a latecomer photo of Franco's visit in Manresa. It shows another Packard (this time a One-Sixty?) from the final years of pre-war production (up to 1942), but with a non-split (presumably unarmored) rear window. Instead of a license plate, the Spanish flag (red-yellow-red) with an unidentified coat of arms appears to have been used. Maybe this one. But it could also be that it is just an empty license plate holder with screw holes that stimulates my imagination.
The reversing light is shown in the 1942 Accessories Data Book on page 22. The taillights don't seem to be the usual ones, but I've seen them on this One-Sixty, among others. Does anyone know what they're about?



image source: memoria.cat
Click to enlarge!

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