1934 Packard 1106 Twelve Aero Sport Coupe

Count Alexis de Sakhnoffsky created bespoke, streamlined design for the twelve-cylinder 1106 chassis with coachwork by LeBaron. Aerodynamic styling elements included rounded pontoon fenders, tapered tails, and curved running boards that gracefully blended into the body. Two body styles were created - a runabout speedster and the sport coupe. The latter had a dramatic fastback roofline that mimicked Cadillac's Aerodynamic Coupe show car of 1933. Its design was also similar to the Mercedes-Benz 500 K Autobahnkurier that was introduced concurrently with the Packard, but this was coincidental.

This particular example was the first of the Sport Coupes by LeBaron and the fourth custom 1106 to be built for 1934. It was actually produced in 1933 and thus rested on a Standard Eight chassis from that year.

This Packard was photographed on the studio 'turntable' at the Packard factory, with these factory photographs inscribed 'engine no. 901-601.' This means it was the first Eleventh Series Twelve engine built and is the same engine currently residing in the engine bay. The photographs also describe this vehicle as the 1934 New York Auto Show car.

The Packard returned to the factory following its auto show display and was updated by their in-house custom coachbuilding shop with the Twelfth Series' new front-end sheet metal, including a leather-covered padded roof, and more angular grille and headlamps. After this work was completed, the car was photographed agin on the company's studio 'turntable.' These photographs were labeled with engine number 901-601.

The recently discovered Special Order tag under the passenger seat frame lists the customer as Packard, and includes the Special Order number as well as the date 2-21-35.

The car was originally owned by Mr. Braeburn of Pittsburgh around 1939. James Tagliabue of Houston, Texas, acquired the Packard in 1949 from its second owner (from Houston). At the time of purchase, the car wore a gun-metal gray paint scheme with a black leather padded top and Russian pony hide red leather interior with Burgundy carpeting. Mr. Tagliabue placed the car in storage in 1951 and eventually sold it in the early 1980s to Jerry J. Moore of Houston. Mr. Moore treated the car to a restoration by Steve Gunder of Topeka, Kansas, and then displayed it at numerous concours d'elegance events. It won an AACA National First Prize in 1983, and a CCCA National First Prize, shown by restorer Gunder.

The car's next owner was Arturo Keller who kept it for many years before trading it to David Kane of New Jersey for another Packard. It then passed to Carmine Zeccardi and then to the Andrews Collection of Texas, from which the present owner acquired it in 2015.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2023

One of four built with only three known to exist. Senior AACA National 1st Prize in 1983. CCCA National 1st Prize, badge #1049.

Of the four masterpieces that were built this particular car is the only one built with no rear quarter windows. Approved for construction in December of 1933, the Sport Coupe project, led by Packard's Head Stylist Edward Macauley, resulted in the creation of some of the most dramatic and dynamic Packards of the 1930s. The coachwork, designed by LeBaron, was crafted in the Packard Custom Body Shop and showcases several unusual features. Packard produced four similar, but not identical coupes, at an estimated cost of $18,000 each. Their purpose was to enthuse and excite the public, and thankfully, they continue to do so today. Considered to be one of the greatest styling exercises ever undertaken by Packard.