1939 Packard 120

Description

You're likely looking at this 1939 Packard 120 convertible coupe because you already know what it is. And if that's the case, you also know that it's a bargain. Arguably the best-driving Packard of the late 1930s, the 120 was hardly a "bargain" Packard, because it's got all the big car charm and looks, and for the moment, it's the most affordable way to get an eight-cylinder Packard convertible of any kind.

Wearing proper Packard Cream paint, this handsome coupe gets just about everything right. Paint and bodywork are beautifully restored, which, again, makes the price seem almost comically low. It's not a "fixer-upper" it's ready to enjoy and while it's not perfect, it's awfully danged nice. The tall, narrow Packard grille is a trademark, as are the body side moldings with a small arrow on the leading edge, all highlighted by red pinstripes to make it look sporty. Sidemounts are a rather rare option on the 120 and give it a presence that rivals its larger siblings. In fact, the biggest problem with the 120 back when it was new is that it was simply too good and buyers figured why should they step up to a large-series car when this one was already excellent in every way? It shows in the detailing around the running boards, the hood vents, and the "donut pusher" hood ornament, which was very similar to the larger cars. The chrome details are just as impressive, with shiny bumpers, nice stainless details, and cleanly installed turn signals discreetly fitted to the bumpers. If you want a Packard to drive first and foremost, a 120 is what you should be seeking.

The black interior is a great contrast to the cream bodywork and uses period-correct vertical pleats on the wide bench seat. It seems roomy inside because Packard moved the shifter to the steering column, and with the disappearance of rumble seats a year earlier, there are two jump seats in back that fold out of the way for massive storage space. The steering wheel is nicely restored and perhaps showing some age, but the rest of the beautifully woodgrained dash and instruments are quite nice. This car includes optional dealer-installed heater and an in-dash radio, which was cutting edge tech at the time but sadly not functional today, which is hardly surprising. The lack of a rumble seat means there's a huge trunk, which carries a matching spare so you don't have to wrestle with the sidemount covers and risk damage if worse comes to worst. There's also a very nicely fitted black canvas top with a matching vinyl boot to give it a beautiful look, top up or down.

The 120 uses a 282 cubic inch straight-8, which makes, naturally, 120 horsepower. It's as smooth and torquey as you'd expect and moves the trim convertible with genuine enthusiasm. It's detailed with proper Packard olive green paint and we see no deviations from the original spec under the hood. There's an oil bath air cleaner, fabric-wrapped coolant hoses, and a single downdraft carburetor that offers great throttle response. The three-speed manual transmission shifts easily thanks to synchromesh on 2nd and 3rd gears and it's pretty happy at 55 MPH. The 120's innovative Safe-T-Flex independent front suspension was now standard across the line, but it was still a great handling car with a lot of confidence on the road. The brakes were similarly powerful and reliable for the period. Handsome steel wheels with more red pinstripes, trim rings, and Packard hubcaps are wrapped in 7.00-16 whitewall tires for the perfect period look.

If you know Packards, you know this is a special car. It's fully sorted and ready to enjoy, and if you haven't experienced the joy of a 120, this is probably your last chance to get a drop-top at anything approaching a reasonable price. Call now!