1912 Packard Model Eighteen

The Packard Model Eighteen was produced from 1909 through 1912 and was the company's first attempt to cater to a broader market segment by offering a more affordable model. Packard's history was a roller coaster ride of ultra-luxury and affordability. Packard's Twin Six of the mid-1910s was among the largest and most potent vehicles on the market. The Single Six followed in 1921 as a more affordable version of its twelve-cylinder sibling. The Light Eight of 1932 complemented the Senior Line of eight- and twelve-cylinder Packards of the early 1930s, but this attempt ultimately failed to achieve the intended quantity of sales as it had not moved far enough down market. Packard made another attempt in 1935 to appeal to a wider audience of buyers with the introduction of the One Twenty, and this time, Packard succeeded and sales increased significantly. The success of the lower-priced One Twenty convinced Packard to go even further, re-introducing a six-cylinder model that offered the same quality and attention to detail as the Senior Packards but at a more affordable price point.

The Packard Model Eighteen was built using the same craftsmanship, attention to detail, and quality as the Model Thirty, but priced at approximately $1,000 less. It rode on a 112-inch wheelbase (the runabout measured 102 inches at its wheelbase) while the Model Thirty had a 123.5-inch wheelbase (the runabout was shorter at 108 inches). The T-head four-cylinder engine powering the Model Eighteen displaced 265.7 cubic inches, had three main bearings, solid valve lifters, a float-feed carburetor, and delivered 18 horsepower at 650 RPM. Comparatively, the Model Thirty used a T-head, four-cylinder engine with three main bearings, mechanical valve lifters, and delivered 30 horsepower at 650 RPM. Both engines employed a three-speed sliding gear transmission on the rear axle with an expanding flywheel clutch. Mechanical brakes on the rear wheels provided the stopping power.

By 1912, Packard engineers had remounted the dry disc clutch directly behind the engine, and the clutch and flywheel were now a rigid extension of the crankcase. The headlights operated via gas, and oil and electric side and rear light combination were standard equipment. The wheelbase of the Runabout now measured 108 inches.

The 1912 Packard lineup of vehicles included the Eighteen, the Thirty, and a new car called the Series Six (retrospectively known as the 1-48). It had a 133-inch wheelbase (the Phaeton and Brougham were larger at 193 inches and the coupe and runabout measured 121.5 inches). The 525 cubic-inch T-head six-cylinder engine produced 74 horsepower and was backed by a three-speed sliding gear transmission. The prices of the Model Thirty ranged from $4,200 to $5,750 and the Packard Six was priced from $5,000 to $6,550.

Packard produced 350 examples of the Model Eighteen, 1,250 of the Model Thirty, and 1,329 of the Packard Six.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2021