Packard 115

Name: Packard 115
Item: Packard 115
Author: Classic Auto Mall

Listing ID: 74748

1937 Packard 115 Coupe

The new Packard Six of 1937, internally known as the 115-C, due to the wheelbase size, was the company’s first six-cylinder car since 1927. The 115-C was positioned as a low priced vehicle that could serve as a companion to the company’s very successful eight cylinder One Twenty. The six cylinder engine in the 115-C was essentially from the One Twenty but with two fewer cylinders. Both the six and the eight cylinder engines had similar bore and stroke sizes, resulting in similar displacements. The six has 237ci and the eight has 282ci. The Packard 115-C was designed to make the exclusive marque a little less exclusive, wearing hand-made bodies that were not usually part of the six cylinder value proposition. With attractive styling, a powerful engine, Packard craftsmanship, and affordable prices, the six cylinder Packard was popular with the buying community, and 30,050 examples were sold. The popularity of the One Twenty continued to be strong with 50,100 examples sold. Among the Senior Packard lines, the Super Eight had 5,793 sales and the Twelve had 1,300 sales. From the Packard Six to the Packard Twelve, the 1937 line offered something in nearly every price class.

For consignment, a car which approximately 13 years ago underwent a full rebuild and now is showing wonderfully in the form of a 1937 Packard 115 Coupe. This includes a rebuilt engine and all ancillary components, upholstery, headliner, new glass and surrounding moldings, a full paint job, restored running boards and all starting with a rust free body. 21,076 actual miles with Packard styling and looks, wrapped into a smaller more affordable car in this 115.

Exterior
With its tall vertical ribbed chromed grille, bullet style headlights and turn signal housings, Trippe fog lights, and wide bar bumper addition, the Goddess of Speed hood ornament leads the way on this clean and expensive looking automobile. All surfaces are very nicely preserved bathed in Continental Blue paint or chromed with a mirror like finish and all is good. A few slight areas of overzealous painting with some orange peel finish, cracks in the paint, and a small areas of touch up where the hood naturally rubs the body when opening and closing but overall paint is good. A long side chrome and body matching louvered trimmed hood sides makes its way back to 2 beautifully aligned doors with a standard rear latch pillar that floats above the running boards which are attached by front and rear bulbous and curved fenders. In keeping with the lines, all the windows are rounded as is the sloping trunk design which had a wonderful half crescent rounded rear glass just above. Small bullet style tail lights on stalks are on either side and just below is another fine curved bumper with small bumper guards just outboard of center. Wide whites wrap blue steel wheels that have a nicely preserved dish center covers and trim rings attached at the edges, appearing on all 4 corners.

Interior
A swing of the doors and all are covered nicely with smooth tan wool broadcloth which mixes with a lower panel of brown carpet. Shiny handles and cranks are mounted on these panels and they all have nicely chromed knobs. Inside, a big front split bench in more tan wool broadcloth for inserts and bolsters show little to no wear, and just a few very light creases. In back is a small storage area with an upper rear wool cushion that gives the entire interior a very open and airy feel. All seating floats in a sea of clean brown carpet, and is capped with tan wool headliner, nice and tightly preserved. Up front the original and restored dash, in all its art deco styling and black painted metal glory presents with a very convincing walnut burl woodgrain splendor with chrome trimmed bezels to frame the antique white face instruments. In the center is an original AM radio, a quadrant of supporting gauges and several more chrome knobs and buttons. In front of the passenger is a round clock sitting within the glovebox door. A Packard heater box is noted below the dash, and the original steering column and large recast and restored banjo style wheel is fronting the beautiful dash.

Drivetrain
Pulling upward on either side of the cowl, reveals the restored green painted 237ci inline 6-cylinder engine. A replacement 1-barrel downdraft carburetor is attached to the side, but the original unit is included, and a 3-speed manual transmission is on back. A 4.36 geared rear axle moves you down the road with vigor and enthusiasm. This is the original drivetrain that came with the car right from the factory and appears factory correct down to the olive green engine paint, black air cleaner assembly, hose clamps and acorn nuts.

Undercarriage
A big solid rust free X frame holds all the upper body and undercarriage working to it, and all is looking very structurally solid with no rust. Safe-T-Flex independent coil sprung front suspension with drum brakes are seen, and on back leaf springs with more drum brakes are strapped on. We note the flooring and frame have been left in a black painted finish to show off the factory supports and the fact that this chassis has never succumbed to invasive rust.

Drive-Ability
This quasi luxury car, (although just like its larger kin, is beautifully appointed just not as large!), started right up and accelerated, stopped, and handled nicely as a 1930’s Packard should. All functions, including the AM radio were operational at the time of my drive and this car can cruise at highway speeds easily and comfortably.

13+ years have gone by since the restoration, and it still shines and shows nicely. Runs like a well-cared for car and shows a minute amount of paint flaws on the body, but otherwise looking great. Interior is comfortable and the car drives very smoothly. As one would expect in a Packard. Allow the Goddess of Speed to lead the way!

Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special interest automobile showroom, featuring over 600 vehicles for sale with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle barn find collection is on display.
This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914. Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.

City: Morgantown, PA

Cars-On-Line.com

America’s most popular classic car website.

Packard 115

Packard 115

Login

Sign up for Cars-On-Line.com