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Here is a factory photo of an unknown and uncataloged Speedster coupe style 494-C. It does not appear in any factory publications or model lists. It is so ungainly that to preserve Packard's image for producing beautiful cars it would have been wise to scrap the body and put another Speedster body on the chassis.


Some unusual things to notice: The whitewalls are dirty and scuffed, hardly the look the factory would want for publicity photos. There are no parking lamps atop the front fenders??


Thoughts/Comments??

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Interesting photo to be sure, I don't believe I've ever seen that one before. I've tried to clean it up a bit in hopes of seeing a bit more detail. My comment would be the rather obvious (that doesn't make it correct) one - since a coupe was not among the offered 734 series body styles, it apparently was a prototype and the concept was abandoned.

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I actually like that body style, maybe if the hood was 3 or so inches longer it would look a little less ungainly for some folks?

One for the museum/archive people. Not many left that would have been around to know...

Notice that both tires have similar spots on the white walls. Could these be manufacturer symbols? Otherwise, the tires do not appear to be scuffed or dirty. This Packard would look great with a 3"-4" top chop. JWL

The tire is a Goodyear double-white with their logo. Pretty elegant tire!

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Jeeeez OD, you never cease to amaze me with your familiarity with ALL things Packard. ie., the picture of the Goodyear double white tires, case in point.

Jeeeez OD, you never cease to amaze me with your familiarity with ALL things Packard. ie., the picture of the Goodyear double white tires, case in point.

Steve, I appreciate the thought, but it's just an enlargement cropped from the photo of the coupe above.

Hi

The standard coupe top height is what spoils the looks of this prototype. The Speedster sedan and Victoria coupe both have roofs lowered by several inches, a factory 'chopped-top' if you will. Why they didn't build a coupe body with that feature to improve the profile is a mystery.

Better they should have created a lowered height convertible coupe. From those, stationary coupes as they did for the Light Eights, 9th through 11th Series by fitting a non-folding top to the coupe-roadster body.

Purely for publicity, they should have shipped a 734 Speedster chassis to each of the major custom coachbuilder, told them to build their wildest, most visual striking designs. Then, presented them at the Custom Salons as a special Packard and coachbuilder collaboration of the finest available luxury offerings.

Steve