1937 Packard Twelve Town Car

Chassis No. 1507211

Motor No. 905947

Series: Fifteenth 1508

Series 1508. 175 bhp, 473.3 cu. in. L-Head V-12 engine, three-speed manual transmission, independent coil-spring front suspension, live rear axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs, and four-wheel power-assisted hydraulic drum brakes. Wheelbase: 144 in

While the 1936 models had been virtually unchanged from previous years, Packard’s Fifteenth Series of 1937 brought a comprehensive series of mechanical improvements, especially to the top-of-the-line twelve-cylinder models. Most notable of these improvements was the introduction of “Safe-T-Flex” independent front suspension, which was based on the sound design of the junior One-Twenty and debuted on the “senior” Packard models. Other improvements included the adoption of hydraulic brakes and disc-type steel wheels and the elimination of the Bijur central-chassis lubrication system. This would be the final year that the Twelve was offered on the massive 144-inch wheelbase chassis, which would become a thing of the past for 1938, as all Twelves were “downsized.”

This Packard was owned by Don Girard from the Seattle area from the early 1970’s until mid-1980’s, when he sold it to Well-Known Packard Collector Tommy Crook.  Tommy sold it to Fred and Carol Mauck about 1986, they were influential in the Packards International Club.  Fred was doing a very long restoration.  He had E.C. “Charlie” Last, the famous Packard twelve engine builder, do the engine back in the 1980’s. After Fred passed in 2015, the car was sold to Rick Habicht, who proceeded to have the car finished as you see it today. Having just completed a recent paint job the car remains in excellent overall condition and would be a superb addition to collection.