1929 Packard 626 Eight

Packard enjoyed a spectacular year in 1928 with 49,698 automobiles built earning them nearly $22 million. By 1932, sales had fallen over sixty percent to 16,613 units, and Packard lost $6 million. Despite the decline, the company still enjoyed nearly forty percent of the market for cars costing in excess of $2,000, greater than Cadillac, LaSalle, Duesenberg, and Lincoln combined.

The Packard straight-eight engine was introduced in 1924, with its design led by engineer Col. Jesse Vincent. It was powerful, durable, and nearly vibration-free. The refined engine was combined with svelt styling and elegant coachwork.

The 1929 Packard models were known as the Sixth Series with the entire lineup employing straight-eight engines, while the six-cylinder model was phased out with the Fifth Series. The 'Standard Eight' rested on a 126.5-inch wheelbase for the Series 626 and a 133.5-inch wheelbase for the Series 633. Power was from a 319.2 cubic-inch L-head straight-8 with nine main bearings, a Packard updraft carburetor, and delivering 90 horsepower. The engine was backed by a three-speed selective transmission with a single-plate clutch. The power provided by the straight-eight was nearly effortless, offering superb torque and uncannily smooth acceleration all the way up to a top speed of nearly 80 mph.

Super comfort and road-holding ability were provided by the live rear axle with semi-elliptical leaf spring suspension. The previous Packard-designed shock absorbers were replaced by Watson Stabilizers. The Bijur lubrication system made routine maintenance less of a chore. Standard equipment included the five-disc wheels, but the dual side-mounted spares were an additional $130. These were part of the Deluxe Equipment package, which also included the chrome plating on the cowl band and cowl lamps, as well as an accessory trunk rack. A temperature gauge on the dash replaced the previous Parabolic moto-meter, and the nickel-plated brightwork of previous models was replaced by chrome plating.

Standard equipment included roll-up side windows, parabolic headlamps, and a crank-out windshield. The convertible coupe had a golf-bag compartment, rumble seat, and a snug-fitting soft-top, complete with landau irons. Period accessories include Trippe lights, a radiator stone shield, dual covered side-mounted spares with side-view mirrors, and wide whitewall tires.

Body styles on the shorter Series 626 included a coupe, sedan, and convertible coupe. The sedan was priced at $2,285, the coupe at $2,350, and the convertible coupe at $2,430. The Speedster body patterned after a boat-tailed roadster built in 1928 by chief engineer Jesse Vincent, was also available on the 626. It was an early form of musclecar, combining the powerful Custom Eight engine and the shorter and lighter Standard Eight chassis. A production version was introduced in February 1929, first as a rumble seat roadster, later adding a four-passenger phaeton and a sedan. The Speedster Eights were priced at approximately $5,000, about twice the price of a Standard Eight. Packard built approximately 70 examples in 1929, with an additional 113 Speedster Eights produced in 1930.

To produce the Speedster, the standard 640 Custom Eight roadster was shortened by 14-inches to fit the smaller 126.5-inch wheelbase. The golf club door was eliminated but the rumble seat remained. Along with the more potent engine, the Speedsters had a four-speed manual transmission, high compression head, high-lift camshaft, metric plugs, a muffler cutout, and a high-speed vacuum pump.

Packard automobiles dominated the Classic Era, with period advertising suggesting, 'Ask the man who owns one.'

by Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2011