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

Hi all!

Can someone clarify which one of these was actually the Darrin Sport Sedan?

1)https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=1940+packard+darrin+sport+sedan&fr=mcafee&imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm8.staticflickr.com%2F7053%2F6919542837_83f88c67cf_z.jpg#id=9&iurl=https%3A%2F%2Fs-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2F37%2F73%2Fbe%2F3773be829e29000ef88125b7432e4b94.jpg&action=click

2)https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=1940+packard+darrin+sport+sedan&fr=mcafee&imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm8.staticflickr.com%2F7053%2F6919542837_83f88c67cf_z.jpg#id=10&iurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chalkhillcommunications.com%2Fntrccca%2Fimages%2FAmes+Packard+Darrin.jpg&action=click

Thoughts and discussion welcome!

This might help
https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/modelinfo/viewmodel.php?model=386

Thanks, but it doesn't help..I know the basics about the Darrins, but was confused by what sources are referring to two Sport Sedan offerings by Darrin. Since only about 4 were made, only one could have been the "official" Darrin.

Both are Darrin sport sedans. The red one is a model 720, of which one was built. The green one is a model 730, of which two were built (one left, as far as I know).

Bobby, it may help to think of the one with the better, smoother lines as the 1st iteration which proved too complex and expensive for continued production, and the others as the production models. As West point out, they are both legitimate Darrin sport sedans.

There have been a couple of good articles about these over the years, IIRC one especially good one in PAC's quarterly some years back. I'll see if I can find you a reference and you can perhaps buy the back issue if still available.

I prefer the 2nd iteration. The first one looks "shade tree" to me.

Thanks, Guys, I appreciate it. Personally, I think Packard missed an important opportunity to make all the Darrins the basis for the senior line..but then again, i never understood why the lovely 734's weren't advertised and marketed more aggressively (or even, at all!) in '30, especially as they were a response to the V12 and V16 from across town.

I get that hindsight is 20/20, but isn't that supposed to be with the really hard stuff?

i never understood why the lovely 734's weren't advertised and marketed more aggressively (or even, at all!) in '30, especially as they were a response to the V12 and V16 from across town.


I never thought of it that way, or heard it discussed in that vein, never saw the speedsters as a response to the carriage trade cars from cross-town. IMO the 734s were the outgrowth of Jesse Vincent's love of speed and performance and his prior speedster, with disregard to what Cadillac and Lincoln were doing. At least that's how I view it.

Agreed. Timing of it all would have made it impossible to be a "response". I think that it's more possible that the V-16 introduction took the wind out of the sales of Packard's Speedster project, which was introduced in February 1930. Without the 16, the Packard would have been the most powerful production car available at the time. There was even talk of taking the car to Le Mans, which obviously never happened.

The 1940 Darrin Sport Sedan Model 720 is simply pure dramatic design at its best, done for maximum visual impact, an Art Fitzpatrick masterpiece. Essentially the same design as the Darrin convertible sedan Model 710 with a hardtop attached.

The Model 730 Sport Sedan, while still an appealing exercise in elegant design, contains compromises such as unmodified forward the cowl, no lowering or lengthening the hood, the cowl not moved rearward, retention of the running-boards all to reduce complexity and cost. Side-mounts were anathema to designers who wished to emphasize hood length, our eyes pause on the circular form momentarily spoiling the affect.

The '30 734 Speedster and Cadillac V16 were aimed at different affluent segments. Their appearance on the market at the same time was just coincidence, not a competitive response. For what could be a belated response to the 734, look at the spec's of the '32 Chrysler Imperial Eight Series CH, 135" wb, 125 hp, comparable weight for the closed styles. For an open roadster or convertible, one had to turn to a coachbuilder, nine chassis were custom bodied.

Steve