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Photograph credit: Lynne A. McCready
1930 PACKARD 734 'BOATTAIL' SPEEDSTER RUNABOUT
Details
1930 PACKARD 734 'BOATTAIL' SPEEDSTER RUNABOUT
CUSTOM COACHWORK BY PACKARD
Chassis No. 184084
Engine No. 184092
Body No. 442-23
Red with burgundy fenders, black leather interior and beige soft top
Engine: straight eight, water cooled side valves, Detroit Lubricator dual throat carburetor, 384ci., 145bhp at 3,400rpm with high compression head 6.0:1 compression; Gearbox: four-speed manual; Suspension: front and rear semi-elliptic leaf springs; Brakes: finned drums all around. Left hand drive.
In 1930 the Packard 734 'Boattail' Speedster Runabout was introduced to the American public. Within a short time, the car had become an ultimate classic and is now heralded by enthusiasts as one of the most valuable and special Packards ever built - a true classic American hot rod. It is believed that a mere thirty-nine of these high performance Runabouts were built. Today only eleven genuine examples remain. Coveted by their current owners for their stylish design, remarkable performance and limited number, they are well documented cars with clearly traced individual histories. A total of 113 Speedster chassis' were built, ranging in style from the sublime Phaetons, Sedans and Victorias to the racy Roadsters and Runabouts. The Speedster on offer here, as identified by its chassis and engine numbers, is one of the few genuine examples of the 734 Runabout production line.
Created by the head of Packard engineering, Colonel Jesse Vincent, the Packard 734 was developed based on its predecessor, the 626. The Packard 626 was piloted to fame by 1923 Indy winner, Tommy Milton. Milton drove from Miami to Los Angeles at an impressive average speed of 50mph. The short wheelbase 626 featured a highly modified Super Eight engine and a one-off body devoid of fenders, wings, a windshield and lights. On the oval, the 626 recorded multiple lap speeds of over 110mph and on a straightaway, the 626 was recorded as having a top speed of 125mph. Despite the 626's awesome speed capabilities, it was far from becoming a public production car. It lacked the characteristic styling that embodied Packard design.
Unhampered by any of this, Colonel Vincent, who was already known for his desire to propel his cars at almost ridiculous speeds, set out to put this car on the road any way he could. His uphill battle grew steeper with the introduction of the Cadillac V16 in 1930 because he knew he needed to introduce something as dynamic as the V16 to the buying public. With good perception and marketing savvy, he managed to convince the Packard executives that there was only one way to answer - with speed, and a whole lot of it. Satisfied with Vincent's proposal, the executives gave him the go-ahead and in 1930 the new 734 model line-up was introduced to the American public.
Vincent created the 734 by utilizing both pre-existing technology and new engineering developments as well. The entire motor in fact, had been redesigned. The first change occurred with the cylinder block; the inlet and exhaust manifold had been altered from the standard vertical plane to a more practical hemispherical shaped design set at a 45 degree angle. It was practical because it utilized and maximized the larger openings to the manifolds, while also separating the exhaust and inlet manifolds to create a faster, larger capacity and free flowing system. A Detroit Lubricator dual throat updraft carburetor was also installed, as was a foot controlled muffler cut-out. Together with a piston designed vacuum pump and the buyer's choice of compression ratios, the new Packard Speedster Runabout was a virtual powerhouse, tailored and engineered to the owner's personal driving style. The asking price for the Packard 734 line ranged from $5,500 to $6,000 when new.
Mr. Bruce Grinager has confirmed that the ancestry of this particular Speedster Runabout can be believably traced back to the 1930s. The first owner in 1930 was Halley McClure of Brooklyn, NY and there is a continued list of ownership history for the car that includes famous author and collector Ralph Stein of Westbrook, CT, as well as noted collector Mr. Barry Hon who owned it in 1977 among others. The front cover of The Classic Car Bulletin, September 1968 clearly shows a picture of this actual car with its boattail body in unrestored but roadworthy condition when it was owned by Bill Carney of Shawnee, KA who bought it in 1948 and kept it for twenty years. The present owner purchased the Packard in 1989 to add to his impressive collection of full classics and in 1990 at the Packard Grand Salon, the boattail became a member of Packard's International Circle Of Champions.
The car is in magnificent condition with its two-tone color scheme of red painted coachwork over burgundy fenders and black leather off-set seats and carpeting. The Packard has every conceivable option and the brightwork is magnificent throughout, from the intricate chromed radiator stoneguard to the 'Daphne at the Well' radiator cap on its correct triangular base. There are dual steering-operated Pilot Ray driving lights and very rare matching Woodlite head and parking lights. The interior is very well presented with flat black leather upholstery to the seats and door panels with black carpets. The Packard has both its soft top and fitted sidescreens. The engine bay is detailed and highly presentable and the engine has both its correct type Detroit Lubricator carburetor and ribbed exhaust manifold, both special to the Speedster.
The car has really been enjoyed during its present ownership, having been used on the 1994 California Mille and other touring events. Its racy looks and stunning visual appeal always capture the imagination and we thoroughly recommend close inspection, particularly to anyone who has never seen one of these great cars before.
As stated, research indicates that possibly just 113 Packard Model 734 Speedsters were built, of which 39 were designated Runabouts, as delineated by their 442 body numbers. Of those, just 11 are strongly believed to exist today as complete cars, thereby making this an exciting opportunity for a new owner to acquire a very rare car.
CUSTOM COACHWORK BY PACKARD
Chassis No. 184084
Engine No. 184092
Body No. 442-23
Red with burgundy fenders, black leather interior and beige soft top
Engine: straight eight, water cooled side valves, Detroit Lubricator dual throat carburetor, 384ci., 145bhp at 3,400rpm with high compression head 6.0:1 compression; Gearbox: four-speed manual; Suspension: front and rear semi-elliptic leaf springs; Brakes: finned drums all around. Left hand drive.
In 1930 the Packard 734 'Boattail' Speedster Runabout was introduced to the American public. Within a short time, the car had become an ultimate classic and is now heralded by enthusiasts as one of the most valuable and special Packards ever built - a true classic American hot rod. It is believed that a mere thirty-nine of these high performance Runabouts were built. Today only eleven genuine examples remain. Coveted by their current owners for their stylish design, remarkable performance and limited number, they are well documented cars with clearly traced individual histories. A total of 113 Speedster chassis' were built, ranging in style from the sublime Phaetons, Sedans and Victorias to the racy Roadsters and Runabouts. The Speedster on offer here, as identified by its chassis and engine numbers, is one of the few genuine examples of the 734 Runabout production line.
Created by the head of Packard engineering, Colonel Jesse Vincent, the Packard 734 was developed based on its predecessor, the 626. The Packard 626 was piloted to fame by 1923 Indy winner, Tommy Milton. Milton drove from Miami to Los Angeles at an impressive average speed of 50mph. The short wheelbase 626 featured a highly modified Super Eight engine and a one-off body devoid of fenders, wings, a windshield and lights. On the oval, the 626 recorded multiple lap speeds of over 110mph and on a straightaway, the 626 was recorded as having a top speed of 125mph. Despite the 626's awesome speed capabilities, it was far from becoming a public production car. It lacked the characteristic styling that embodied Packard design.
Unhampered by any of this, Colonel Vincent, who was already known for his desire to propel his cars at almost ridiculous speeds, set out to put this car on the road any way he could. His uphill battle grew steeper with the introduction of the Cadillac V16 in 1930 because he knew he needed to introduce something as dynamic as the V16 to the buying public. With good perception and marketing savvy, he managed to convince the Packard executives that there was only one way to answer - with speed, and a whole lot of it. Satisfied with Vincent's proposal, the executives gave him the go-ahead and in 1930 the new 734 model line-up was introduced to the American public.
Vincent created the 734 by utilizing both pre-existing technology and new engineering developments as well. The entire motor in fact, had been redesigned. The first change occurred with the cylinder block; the inlet and exhaust manifold had been altered from the standard vertical plane to a more practical hemispherical shaped design set at a 45 degree angle. It was practical because it utilized and maximized the larger openings to the manifolds, while also separating the exhaust and inlet manifolds to create a faster, larger capacity and free flowing system. A Detroit Lubricator dual throat updraft carburetor was also installed, as was a foot controlled muffler cut-out. Together with a piston designed vacuum pump and the buyer's choice of compression ratios, the new Packard Speedster Runabout was a virtual powerhouse, tailored and engineered to the owner's personal driving style. The asking price for the Packard 734 line ranged from $5,500 to $6,000 when new.
Mr. Bruce Grinager has confirmed that the ancestry of this particular Speedster Runabout can be believably traced back to the 1930s. The first owner in 1930 was Halley McClure of Brooklyn, NY and there is a continued list of ownership history for the car that includes famous author and collector Ralph Stein of Westbrook, CT, as well as noted collector Mr. Barry Hon who owned it in 1977 among others. The front cover of The Classic Car Bulletin, September 1968 clearly shows a picture of this actual car with its boattail body in unrestored but roadworthy condition when it was owned by Bill Carney of Shawnee, KA who bought it in 1948 and kept it for twenty years. The present owner purchased the Packard in 1989 to add to his impressive collection of full classics and in 1990 at the Packard Grand Salon, the boattail became a member of Packard's International Circle Of Champions.
The car is in magnificent condition with its two-tone color scheme of red painted coachwork over burgundy fenders and black leather off-set seats and carpeting. The Packard has every conceivable option and the brightwork is magnificent throughout, from the intricate chromed radiator stoneguard to the 'Daphne at the Well' radiator cap on its correct triangular base. There are dual steering-operated Pilot Ray driving lights and very rare matching Woodlite head and parking lights. The interior is very well presented with flat black leather upholstery to the seats and door panels with black carpets. The Packard has both its soft top and fitted sidescreens. The engine bay is detailed and highly presentable and the engine has both its correct type Detroit Lubricator carburetor and ribbed exhaust manifold, both special to the Speedster.
The car has really been enjoyed during its present ownership, having been used on the 1994 California Mille and other touring events. Its racy looks and stunning visual appeal always capture the imagination and we thoroughly recommend close inspection, particularly to anyone who has never seen one of these great cars before.
As stated, research indicates that possibly just 113 Packard Model 734 Speedsters were built, of which 39 were designated Runabouts, as delineated by their 442 body numbers. Of those, just 11 are strongly believed to exist today as complete cars, thereby making this an exciting opportunity for a new owner to acquire a very rare car.