1920 Packard Twin Six 3-35 Transformable Town Car

The Packard Twin Six was the first twelve-cylinder engine put into series production anywhere in the world. 35,000 were produced between its spring 1915 introduction and it being discontinued in June 1923. This special 12-cylinder Packard was reportedly built for A. Atwater Kent. Kent's excellent radios and automobile ignition components made he and his family a fortune. In the Winter 1927 issue of Packard's magazine, he was recounted as owning

'. . . probably the largest fleet of Packards, 19.' Bodied by Fleetwood, the Town Car rides a specially prepared chassis of 145 inches – 9 inches longer than standard; a raised hood, rubber-encased steel bumpers, a collapsible convertible roof, drum headlamps and disc wheels. Prior to delivery, the car is believed to have been featured at the 1920 New York Auto Salon, as seen by a virtually identical example pictured in that year's catalogue.

This 1920 Packard 3-35 Twin Six Transformable Town Car by Fleetwood was originally owned by A. Atwater Kent. He ordered it in 1919 and it was delivered the following year after it was displayed at the 1920 New York Auto Salon. It uses a 145-inch wheelbase platform which was nine inches longer than standard and also hood higher and longer than standard. The bumpers are steel with a rubber casing and there is a collapsible top, disc wheels, and drum headlamps.

The Packard was later acquired by Stanley Tarnopol of Philadelphia who kept it until at least 1975. It has remained part of the present collection for around three decades.

It is believed the car was given a restoration during the early 1960s. It wears rich black lacquer with red-orange wheels, wool cloth upholstery, and rich woodwork in the rear compartment.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2022