1930 Packard Series 745 Deluxe Eight

The early 1930s were devastating for many marques, and for Packard, it was no different. The onset of the Great Depression meant that many manufacturers were left with few buyers, and as a result, many went out of business. The cars that Packard produced were positioned for the high to upper class who could afford these beautiful but expensive creations. During the 1920s, the company prospered, but as the 1930s came into sight, sales declined quickly.

The 1930 Packards were available in numerous body styles and could satisfy almost any buyer's specifications or desires. Coachbuilders could be commissioned to create unique creations. New for this year was a centralized chassis lubrication system, front-wheel brakes, four-speed transmission, shatter-proof laminated windows, and hypoid rear axle.

Packard had moved away from the annual model change adhered to by other manufacturers in 1923. Instead, they introduced the 'Series' concept, which did not necessarily follow the calendar year. This allowed the 'Series' to last for more than one year while others had a 'shelf life' of just seven months. For 1930, Packard automobiles are considered part of the Seventh Series. The Seventh Series was the last series to use piano-spoke wire wheels. They had a new fender line that ran from the crown of the fender to the running board. Other Seventh Series styling cues included fender-mounted parking lamps, three-lens tail lights, new rounded headlamps, an adjustable driver's seat, and dual glove compartments. They had Watson Stabilizer shock absorbers, thermostatic radiator shutters, a centralized Bijur chassis lubrication system, shatter-proof laminated windows, a hypoid rear axle, new gauges, and a four-speed transmission.

Engines
The Standard Eight models (726 and 733) were powered by an L-head, 319.2 cubic-inch straight eight engine with nine main bearings, solid valve lifters, a Detroit Lubricator carburetor, and delivered 90 horsepower at 3,200 RPM. The Eight (734 Speedster) on a 134.5-inch wheelbase and powered by a 384.7 cubic-inch, L-head, straight-8 with dual updraft Detroit Lubricator carburetors, nine main bearings, and delivered 145 horsepower at 3,400 RPM. The Custom Eight 740 and Deluxe Eight 745 received an L-head straight-8 engine with a 384.78 cubic-inch displacement size, a Single Throat Packard Detroit Lubricator Model 51 Updraft Carburetor, nine main bearings, mechanical valve lifters, and delivered 106 horsepower at 3,200 PRM.

The Seventh Series was available as the 726 and 733 Standard Eight with the former on a 127.5-inch wheelbase and the latter on a 134.5-inch platform. The Speedster 734 Eight was a modified version of the Standard Eight 134.5-inch chassis with a tuned version of the Deluxe Eight engine. The 740 Custom Eight and 745 Deluxe Eight were the top-of-the-line Packard models for 1930, with the 740 using a 140.5-inch wheelbase and the 745 on a 145.5-inch platform.

The suspension was comprised of a front beam axle, a live rear axle, and semi-elliptical leaf springs all round. Braking was handled by four-wheel mechanical drum brakes, and the transmission was a four-speed manual unit.

Body Styles, Production, and Pricing
Packard sold 28,386 cars in 1930, down dramatically from 1929. The long-wheelbase 745 Models accounted for just 3,007 of those sales. They were available in 11 semi-custom and Individual Custom factory bodies. Although the coachwork focused primarily on vast touring cars and limousines, sporty coachwork such as the two-passenger roadster body, the same design that was often applied to the shorter 740 frame, was available.

Prices for the Model 745 ranged from $4,585 to $5,350. Body styles included a phaeton and seven-passenger tourer were priced at $4585, a sport phaeton and convertible coupe at $4885, and a rumble seat coupe at $4785. The five-passenger coupe listed at $5,100, the club sedan was approximately $50 higher, the sedan at $4,985, and the seven-passenger sedan was $200 higher. The sedan limousine body with seating for seven was the most expensive Deluxe Eight body style with a price of $5,350. Only the Victoria and sedan body style of the 734 was higher (at $6,000).

by Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2019