1914 Packard Model 1-38

The 1899 through 1902 Packards were powered solely by single-cylinder engines, with a four-cylinder option joining the lineup in 1903. From 1904 through 1911, Packard used four-cylinder power. The first Packard six-cylinder model was the Model 1-48 which was introduced in April 1911. It was a large, 525 cubic-inch unit with a T-head design backed by a three-speed manual transmission and employing two-wheel mechanical brakes. The Model 1-38 that followed in December of 1912 was a smaller six-cylinder unit with an L-head design with cylinders cast in pairs (in three blocks of two) and developed 60 horsepower from its 415 cubic inches. It had seven main bearings, mechanical valve lifters, a Packard carburetor, and a unique design with its valves located on the right and enclosed by aluminum covers.

The Model 1-38 was the first Packard with an electric starting and left-hand drive. The electric starting feature which used a control unit attached to the steering column was courtesy of a Delco starter-generator developed by Charles Kettering. The control unit was the brainchild of chief engineer Jesse Vincent, complete with switches for the ignition, lights, and horn, an ignition lock, and mixture control for the carburetor. Mr. Vincent would later design the Twin Six and Liberty aircraft engines.

A variety of body styles were offered with most resting on a 134-inch wheelbase with an overall length of 175.2 inches. The Phaeton and Brougham body styles were slightly larger at 138 inches for the wheelbase and an overall length of 179.25 inches. The Runabout was the shortest with its wheelbase measuring 115.5 inches and its length of 156.75 inches. The runabout was the least expensive at $4,050 and the coupe was priced at $4,500. The five-passenger touring and phaeton were both $4,150. The imperial coupe listed for $4,900, the Imperial limousine at $5,400, the limousine and brougham at $5,200, and the landaulet at $5,300. Packard's other 1913 model, the Series 2-48, had a 121.5-inch wheelbase, a T-head six-cylinder engine with 82 horsepower, and was priced from $4,650 to $6,050.

The 1-38 was produced in 1913 and continued into 1914 with approximately 1,618 examples built during that time. The popularity and potential of the six-cylinder engine convinced Packard to drop the four-cylinder engine entirely.

by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2021