This was Packard’s top of the line, most expensive car available in 1940.  It had the most powerful engine, the 356 Cubic inch straight 8,  factory overdrive,  and luxurious wool broadcloth rear compartment with leather up front for the driver.   It’s equipped with Divider Window, Jump seats, radio, heater, Overdrive, sidemounts, bumperguards,  Cormorant mascot, and inner wheel beauty rings.  Offered by The Vault Classic Cars dealership, Fullerton, CA . 714-401-1047

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This car was sold new in Boston, Massachusetts.  It made its way to California by the 1960’s, when well known Packard Collector Duncan Langton bought it.  In 1972 he sold it to the next owner, who sold it to us just recently.  He had used it for club tours and events, but it went into garage storage in 1989,

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It’s always a great moment when a big classic is freed from storage!  It was stored inside, on jackstands, and those tires ( which look like they don’t have many miles on them, thick tread ) pumped up and held air!

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Although it’s a full size car, on the 148″ wheelbase, it’s only about 19 feet long, so if you have a normal sized 20 foot garage, it will fit!

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The paint is shiny, but it’s older and has a fair number of scratches and flaws.

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The Black license plates are included.  It might be possible for the new owner to get them re-assigned to the car based on the old registration slips that come with the car.  Of course it has a clean California title.

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The cloisonne emblem, the hubcap, the inner trim ring, and the outer trim ring all show here.

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More cloisonne – which is a red ceramic  on top of a chrome emblem.  The chrome on this car is all there but it’s likely all original and mostly very dull, with some pitting also.

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The right front fender has some problems & damage at the edge.

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Its up, running, and alive, and a worthy candidate for restoration.

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This is the actual original interior!  Still in pretty decent shape, with the front portion of the lambs wool carpet still intact.

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Overall still pretty good, but note the upper part of the rear seat upholstery has some tears.

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here’s a good view of the lambswool carpet.

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And the jumpseats and lap robe sash.

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Original doorpanel materials.

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Here’s a good view of the all plastic 180 dashboard, the radio speaker and heater.  The plastic is the original, and has significant warping.

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The leather front seat might be original, and you can see some age and cracking to the leather.

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The driver’s view.  The instruments work , as do the headlights, tail and brakelights.

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Here’s the mighty 356.  After an oil change and filter, fresh gas,  new fuel pump diaphragm, and some carburetor work,  we have an engine that starts right up, runs quietly with no lifter noise.   I bought the complete Kanter brake kit – Master, wheel cylinders, hoses, springs and shoes – and had it professionally installed.  So now it has brakes, too!

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All stock and original.  The wiring is the original cloth backed stuff.

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Here’s a look at the firewall, which is painted Inverness Green – which was the original color of this car!

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The original data plate, mounted to the cowl, shows the prefix 1350, which is the code for a 1940 180 limousine on the 148 inch wheelbase. Looks like it was sold July 11, 1940 in Boston.

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It’s been fun to liberate this fine old car from long term storage, and wake it up!  Now it’s time for the next owner to take it to the next level.