1938 Packard 1607 Twelve

Packard automobiles were among the most luxurious, most stylish, and highly competitive among the high-priced luxury American automobile segments, and was commonly referred to as being one of the 'Three Ps' of American motordom royalty, sharing this title with Peerless of Cleveland, Ohio, and Pierce-Arrow of Buffalo, New York. While rival Cadillac introduced a 314 cubic-inch V8 engine delivering 70 horsepower in 1915, considered to be the world's first mass-produced V8 engine, Packard introduced the 12-cylinder 'Twin Six.' Produced from 1915 to 1923, the 424.1 cubic-inch engine delivered nearly 90 horsepower at 2,600 RPM.

Cadillac's eight-cylinder line was joined by twelve- and sixteen-cylinders in the very late 1920s and early 1930s, further escalating the 'cylinder wars' that persisted throughout the industry. Packard's response revival of the Twin Six, introduced at the New York Auto Show in January of 1932 alongside the Light Eight. Both of these cars were intended to compete on two different fronts - the Light Eight was a lower-priced model intended to stimulate sales lost due to the Great Depression. The Twin Six was on the other side of the spectrum, catering to the elite in society, and were among the most expensive and exclusive vehicles in the industry. In 1933, it became known as the 'Twelve,' to align it with the rest of the Packard models.

The twelve-cylinder engine had cylinder blocks positioned at a 67-degree angle, built from cast iron with aluminum alloy pistons, four main bearings, zero lash automatic valve silencers, and a Bendix-Stromberg EE-3 carburetor with an automatic choke. It had a bore of 3 7⁄16-inches and a stroke of 4 inches resulting in 445.5 cubic inches of displacement. The engine was backed by a three-speed manual transmission with a single dry-plate clutch, floor-shift controls, and a one-piece driveshaft. Stopping power was provided by mechanical brakes on all four corners, and wheelbase sizes initially measured approximately 142- and 147-inches. Standard factory bodywork was applied to both wheelbase sizes, along with custom coachwork by several prominent coachbuilders including LeBaron and Deitrich.

A third wheelbase joined the Twelve in 1934, a shortened 135-inch platform of the Super Eight. The engine received aluminum heads and a slightly larger stroke for 1935, with displacement growing to 473.3 cubic inches. Horsepower was now rated at 175 hp at 3,200 rpm while the higher compression version delivered 180 hp. The mechanical brakes and clutch were given vacuum assist and the gearbox was now fully synchronized. Wheelbase sizes now measured 132.5-, 139.25-, and 144.25 inches. For 1936, the shortest wheelbase chassis was no longer offered, and the radiator was angled by five more degrees. In 1937, hydraulic brakes became standard and the suicide doors were now conventionally hinged from the front. This was the Packard Twelve's most successful year of production with approximately 1,300 examples built.

1938 Packard Twelve
The Sixteenth Series 1938 Packard Twelves received the chassis of the Super Eight including a 127.4-inch, 134.4-, and 139.4-inch wheelbase platform. The Model 1606 received the Super Eight's 127-inch wheelbase and the Model 1607 used the 134-inch wheelbase. The Model 1608 used the larger 139-inch version and included three factory body styles and three custom coachwork designs. The 473.3 cubic-inch twelve continued to develop 175 horsepower and used the three-speed selective synchromesh transmission.

Styling changes on the factory body styles were minimal, incorporating a rakish split vee'd windshield inspired by earlier Dietrich Individual Customs, a more formal, upright radiator, and higher front fenders 'wrapped' around the side-mounted spare wheels. Custom coachwork included an All-Weather Cabriolet and Touring Cabriolet by Brunn, and an All-Weather Cabriolet and All-Weather Town Car by Rollston. Factory bodies included a formal sedan, touring sedan, coupe, convertible coupe, sedan limousine, and convertible sedan.

The 1938 lineup was one of the most diverse lineups in its history, with models that included the Six (1600) powered by a 245 CID inline-6 with 100 hp, the Eight (1601, 1601D, and 1602) fitted with a 282 CID straight-8 with 120 hp (the One Twenty of the previous year was now the Packard Eight), and the Super Eight (1603, 1604, and 1605). The engine in the Super Eight displaced 320 cubic inches and delivered 130 horsepower. The Packard six was built on a 122-inch platform, the Eight used either a 127- or 148-inch platform, and the Twelve and Super Eight used the 127, 134, and 139-inch wheelbases. Prices ranged from $975 to nearly $9,000.

Packard's most popular 1938 model was the Six with over 30,000 examples sold, followed by 22,624 of the Eight. The Super Eight had 2,478 sales while the Twelve remained the most exclusive with 566 examples built. 446 examples were built the following year, its final year of production. During its six-year production lifespan, Packard built 5,262 examples of its range-topping twelve-cylinder model.

by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2021