1939 Packard 1708 Sport Sedan

Body styles for the 1708 were often custom or semi-custom, with coachwork by Packard's own in-house design team or by esteemed custom builders like LeBaron, Rollston, or in this one-off case, Pasadena-based firm Bohman & Schwartz. Models ranged from elegant sedans and limousines to striking convertibles. But, despite its refined engineering and elegant styling, the 1708 was built in very limited numbers, and with financial troubles and wartime demands creeping in, 1939 would be the final full year of the twelve-cylinder Packard.

Noted in Packard authoritative book, The Packard Story; The Car and the Company by Robert E. Turnquist, this one-off example was reportedly the most expensive Packard built for the model year, priced at $9,000, and is considered one of the most elegant bodies to appear on a Senior Packard chassis. Beautifully presented today, this V-12's known history begins with Victoria, British Columbia collector and Banff hotel empire owner Murray Gammon. Known to be in his possession in the 1960s, Murray would open up an antique car museum in Victoria in the '70s and display this Sport Sedan among his other impressive automobiles. Murray would then sell this one-off beauty to well-known and noted West Coast Packard collector Tom Crook in the late '80s. As part of a package deal, this Packard was traded to Dick Gold for a Murphy-bodied Duesenberg Model J. Only maintaining this example for a short period of time, it then found a new home in the '90s in the noted Packard collection of the late Gene Perkins, who was regarded as one of the foremost authorities on Packards. Under Gene's watchful eye, he displayed this V-12 on the 18th green of the 1999 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. After its showing, this Packard was sent to noted Michigan-based restorer, the late Byron "Bud" Hicks, who performed a complete restoration and painted the car in its current lavish color scheme. The top and interior were done by Mark Larter at the same time.

Under Mr. Gene Perkins' care for over 25 years, this one-off Packard was shown at various shows like the 30th annual Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance, and numerous CCCA events where it garnered its Senior and Premier award badges. Mechanically dialed in and always stored in his impressive climate-controlled collection, the whisper quiet and incredibly smooth V-12 engine and desirable "high-speed" rear axle work in harmony and make for the perfect combination for future touring at noted events.

A singular masterpiece of pre-war American luxury, this 1939 Packard 1708 Sport Sedan stands as a testament to the height of custom coachbuilding and V-12 performance. With a provenance as distinguished as its design, which includes over 25 years in the esteemed collection of the late Gene Perkins, it represents a very rare opportunity to acquire a true jewel of the Classic Era. For the discerning collector seeking exclusivity, pedigree, and timeless elegance, look no further.