1934 Packard 1104 Super Eight Coupe

This 1934 Packard Super Eight 2-Passenger Coupe is unique - believed to be the only known surviving example - built as a coupe with only two passenger seats. Most Packard Coupes of this era were built with a rumble seat, offering two additional seats. It is believed that this was a special-order feature either from the factory or a dealer, as the profile of the rear deck lid does not allow it simply to be reversed as on many other automobiles of the era. Like other Packard Coupes, this example has crank-down rear windows and golf bag doors on the side of the body.

This Packard Super Eight, the 33rd example built, was sold new by the Thompson Motor Company of Beverly Hills, California, on November 17, 1933. Legend states that the car was first sold to Clark Gable, 'the King of Hollywood,' although no documentary evidence exists to support this claim. In 1954, the car was registered to Malcolm Waring of Beverly Hills, California. Mr. Waring sold the Packard to George D. 'Don' Letson in 1958, who worked in Los Angeles but resided in Portland, Oregon. The Packard remained with Mr. Letson for the remainder of his life and was so highly prized that he restored it twice – the first time in the early 1960s, to the standards of the time, then again to a more professional standard in 1996.

After the second restoration, the car was judged First in Class at that year's Forest Grove Concours d'Elegance. Beyond just a static piece of art, Mr. Letson drove it often, enjoying it on national tours. After Mr. Letson's passing in 2011, the car was acquired privately for the Academy of Art University Automobile Collection, where it has been exhibited since.

Currently, this restored Packard is finished in Packard Maroon with red wire wheels and retains its original fabric-bound springs still visible under the black leather seat cushions. The engine is cooled by a modern radiator core, possibly installed during Mr. Letson's ownership to ensure durability on tours. There are dual side-mounted spares with hard covers and mirrors, chromed hood side doors, a single driving light, dual horns, and the classic Cormorant radiator mascot. Currently, it has recorded 69,775 miles.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2023