1937 Packard One Twenty Convertible Coupe

In 1932, Packard introduced a smaller, lower-priced car called the Series 900 Light Eight. This had proved a disappointment, but as the Depression continued, the need for a price leader become more prevalent. Thus, the company introduced the One-Twenty, named for its wheelbase. The 120 was introduced in January 1935.

The 900 had used the same engine as the full-size Standard Eight, while the One-Twenty had a new straight eight, with a smaller displacement than the larger Eight, but making 85 percent of its power. The body was all new, and there were new features that were not yet seen on Senior Packards, such as an independent front suspension and hydraulic brakes.

The One-Twenty models were well received, and nearly 25,000 were sold in the first year, more than three times the volume of all other Packards combined.

This example is painted in maroon with a tan interior. It has a convertible coupe body style and was part of the Lewis Golub Collection for many years. The 282 cubic-inch, L-Head eight-cylinder engine produces 120 horsepower, and there are four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes and a three-speed manual gearbox.

In 2010, the car was offered for sale at the Vintage Motor Cars of Hershey auction presented by RM Auctions. The car was estimated to sell for $50,000-$70,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $96,250 including buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2010