1941 Packard Super Eight 180 Convertible Victoria by Darrin

1941 Packard Super Eight 180 Convertible Victoria by Darrin
Sold for $286,000 Including Commission
RM Auction, Amelia Island, Florida 2014
Engine no. CD501695A
Series 1906. 160 bhp, 356 cu. in. L-head inline eight-cylinder engine, three-speed manual transmission, independent front suspension with coil springs, live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. Wheelbase: 127 in.

•Offered from the Pray Collection
•Authentically restored, with recent maintenance
•Past CCCA Senior award winner
•Formerly of the Tom Mix Collection


During its 58 years, Packard Motor Car Company was known as a firm of solid traditions and fine craftsmanship. It sold cars to a conservative clientele that appreciated quality and silent engineering above flash and dash. As a result, Packards were often beautiful cars, but they were not usually dramatic or seductive. That changed in the late 1930s, as management in Detroit took notice of the custom Packard convertibles being produced by coachbuilder Howard "Dutch" Darrin's Hollywood shop.

"Packard Darrins," as they were known, had become a favorite of celebrities who appreciated Packard's engineering but wanted something a bit more lightheartedly Californian. They featured the so-called Darrin "dip" in the doors and a vee'd windshield, which were both signatures of the designer. Aircraft-style padding wrapped around the dashboard and interior, and bucket seats were provided for the driver and front passenger—a very sporty touch for the late 1930s.

Sensing a market for the cars outside of California, Packard arranged to purchase rights to the design and put it into limited production themselves. An assembly line was set up, initially in the former Auburn-Cord body facilities at Connersville, Indiana, and later at the Sayers & Scovill's facility near Cincinnati, Ohio. Typical of Packard, construction of the cars was much improved upon for the slipshod "Hollywood Darrins." The model, sold as the Convertible Victoria by Darrin, continued to be offered in small, exclusive numbers through the end of pre-war Packard production in 1942.

Malcolm S. Pray Jr. was a great fan of this design, as he had picked up Darrin literature from his local Packard dealer as a boy. He owned two Darrins over the years, of which this was the second. This car, one of reportedly thirty-three built in 1941, was acquired several years ago, after it had spent time in a large collection in the American West. Previously, it had been owned by longtime CCCA member Bill Raithel, of Maine, who acquired it from Massachusetts collector Tom Mix in the mid-1990s.

Mr. Raithel had the engine and transmission fully rebuilt by Jack Dietz, the curator of the William Lassiter Jr. Collection. In the late 1990s, he commissioned a cosmetic refinishing by renowned restorer Chris Charlton; at which time, it was refinished in Packard Cream, all of the chrome was redone, and the interior was reupholstered in the present burnt orange leather. In a recent conversation, Mr. Charlton stated, "After our work, Raithel showed the car and did well in CCCA and some concours events. There is no question about it being a genuine Darrin, and the condition of the metal was very good. In fact, the car still has all of its original sheet metal."

Typical of Mr. Pray's thorough attention to his cars, the Packard was sorted by his favorite mechanic in Florida after his acquisition. The work included a replacement of the fuel hoses, a cleaning of the fuel tank, and an adjustment of the brakes, and receipts for all of these efforts are on file. The Packard then became one of Mr. Pray's final concours competitors, as it was shown in 2010 at the Concours d'Elegance of America at Meadow Brook and here at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance in 2012.

Today, the Darrin presents as a quality car that sports the wear of joyous use, with creasing and cracking to the front seats and moderate aging to the chrome. The engine bay, including its cloth wiring, appears correct in its fit and finish, and it has been detailed to a high driver quality. The inside of the trunk, which includes a spare that matches the Firestone DeLuxe Champion tires on the road wheels, has been fully restored. Noteworthy to the enthusiast, the car sports the original gas-welding lines under the hood from its creation, which have been carelessly restored away on many other Darrins.

All original Bakelite trim pieces are intact, and the shift knob has been repaired. Crowning touches to the car include a succession of original Packard accessories, such as a Packard radio, factory- or dealer-installed fog lights that are operated by a knob labeled "Road Lights," and front and rear bumper guards. The turn signals are aftermarket but of the period.
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Robert Myrick Photography