1938 Packard 1601 Eight All-Weather Panel Brougham

Packard retained the struggling Rollston Company in 1936 to create a full line of custom-bodied cars. The following year, Rollston introduced an all-weather panel brougham (similar to a town car that was chauffeur driven and intended for use on day trips within the city). This was the most expensive of the custom body styles offered by Packard on the new Eight. It is believed that fewer than 20 examples of Rollston's all-weather panel brougham were produced (with the more accurate number probably closer to 12).

This example was purchased by the Pettit family in the early 1950s. It has a Packard DeLuxe hood mascot, chrome wheel-cover trim rings, a sliding-glass compartment divider, and coach lamps mounted to the B-pillars.

Just a few months after this example was produced, the Rollston Company went into receivership. A few examples of the panel brougham body style were made when the company briefly converted to the name Rollson.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company auction held in Pebble Beach, California. It was estimated to sell for $50,000 - $75,000 and offered without reserve. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $77,000, inclusive of the buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2012