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

I suspect that anyone from the Indiana Region, anyone who's been around for a while, would be able to help with the identify of the person who restored it 30 years ago. Gene Perkins certainly would know.

Dave,

See it has a Packard ID Plate. Just how would that fit into your database given the Graber body?

Sharp eyes Mal, and thanks for looking so closely. Unfortunately the data plate is a repro, probably done at the time of restoration and the info is essentially useless. I'd assume it was sold as a chassis and thus the VN would have been 1200-11 or higher. The current one is stamped as "12th" meaning series I presume, and a 8-digit number which may or may not be a Graber number, hence the interest if finding the Graber archives.

Since the factory cowl that would have come with a chassis-only sale is missing and the entire cowl is now a unique casting, no thief-proof number.

West, thanks for the Christies link; it is of course a different car as you already knew but may have served as the inspiration for this one. Most of Graber's work was on European chassis, I don't know how many Packards they did, but they sure seem to be coming out of the woodwork lately.

Hi Owen and all

Thanks for the posting here and on the PAC Forum, those are great pictures, love seeing them. Ralph Marano gets the most interesting cars.

Yes, it is an attractive design, not as Teutonically heavyhanded as Graber and contemporaries produced earlier in the period. This design is still in the vein of their earlier idiom, shortly to change to the streamlined, cleaner yet elegant style seen on the all-original '38 Eight that resurfaced recently. Personally, I prefer the later design idiom.

Surprising Graber would create an earlier style Packard radiator shell to replace the current unit. Those Werner Risch headlights, horns and wheels are interesting, very European features.

I'm sure when Ralph restores it, he'll select an appropriate, subtle color combination that enhances the design.

Steve

I have to agree with Eric on this one - I really like the style of this car, even with the paint scheme. It is definitely a different treatment to the US styles of the time, but I actually much prefer the lower slung look. I think that this is probably a result of the earlier stylings of companies such as Bugatti, Talbot, et al who so influenced the European scene following their Gp and road racing successes in the 1920's and early 1930's.