Make: | Packard |
Model: | 180 Sport Brougham by Le Baron |
Year: | 1941 |
Mileage: | 80000 |
VIN: | 2071 |
Color: | Other |
Interior color: | Other |
Vehicle Title: | Clean |
Item location: | Indianapolis, Indiana, United States |
Packard was founded by brothers James Ward Packar, William Doud Packard and his partner George Lewis Weiss in the city of Warren OH. James Ward believed that they could build a better horseless carriage that the Winton cars owned by Weiss (An important Winton stockholder) and James Ward, himself a mechanical engineer, had some ideas how to improve on the designs of current automobiles. By 1899, they were building vehicles. The company, which they called the Ohio Automobile Company, quickly introduced a number of innovations in its designs, including the modern steering wheel and years later the first production 12-cylinder engine.
While Ford was producing cars that sold for $440, the Packards concentrated on more upscale cars that started at $2,600. Packard automobiles developed a following not only in the United States, but also abroad, with many heads of state owning them.
In need of more capital, the Packard brothers would find it when Henry Joy, a member of one of Detroit's oldest and wealthiest families, bought a Packard. Impressed by its reliability, he visited the Packards and soon enlisted a group of investors that included his brother-in-law, Truman Newberry. In 1902, Ohio Automobile Company became Packard Motor Car Company, with James as president. Packard moved its automobile operation to Detroit soon after and Joy became general manager and later chairman of the board. The Packard's factory on East Grand Boulevard in Detroit was designed by Albert Kahn, and included the first use of reinforced concrete for industrial construction in Detroit. When opened in 1903, it was considered the most modern automobile manufacturing facility in the world and its skilled craftsmen practiced over eighty trades.The 3.5 million ft plant covered over 35 acres and straddled East Grand Boulevard. It was later subdivided by eighty-seven different companies. Kahn also designed The Packard Proving Grounds at Utica, MI.
Throughout the nineteen-tens and twenties, Packard built vehicles consistently were among the elite in luxury automobiles. The company was commonly referred to as being one of the "Three P's" of American motordom royalty, along with Pierce and Peerless. Packard's leadership of the luxury car field was supreme.
This very rare LeBaron Sport Brougham is one of 99 produced originally. The car was completely mechanically restored a few years back by a gentleman in Tennessee who had a restoration shop and Magazine in which those efforts were documented. Our Client purchased the car pretty much as is with plans to restore the car but has now decided he has too many projects and wants to pass the car on to someone else to complete the job.
This is a running and driving car. As you can see it is nearly ready for new paint, interior and reassembly. Some of the plating is yet to be accomplished, but luckily these cars don't have a lot of chrome.
If you are a handy guy this could be a great project for you to end up with one of the most desirable Packards of the 40's.