1939 Packard Series 1701 One-Twenty Darrin

This 1939 Packard Series 1701 One-Twenty Convertible Victoria by Darrin is an extremely rare Darrin that benefitted from an Award-Winning restoration by an esteemed Packard specialist. In hindsight, 1939 would serve as the end of an era for the luxury American automaker, Packard, at it was the final year of Packard's production of the Twelve and, some would argue, its true Senior cars. While 1938 was a disappointment for automobile sales, the industry was optimistic heading into 1939. For Packard, who was celebrating its 40th Anniversary in 1939, its Seventeenth Series was a much welcomed rebound with sales up approximately 50% from the previous year. Introduced on September 20, 1938, Packard's four model lines in 1939 were again divided into its Senior models consisting of the Super Eight and Twelve, and its Junior models consisting of the Six and One-Twenty. Of course, Packard aficionados know that Packard's foray into the upper-middle market of the automotive industry, with the introduction of the One Twenty and later the Six, likely saved the company during the tough years of the Great Depression. Perhaps the biggest change in 1939 was the relocation of the shifter lever from the floor to the steering column, which made the front seat roomier and thus more enjoyable to drive. 1939 also marked somewhat of a demise of the semi-custom bodied Packards, as they were no longer available in the Junior Six and 120 lines. Filling that gap was a small custom shop in Hollywood, California, owned by famed designer Howard Dutch Darrin. Darrin's Los Angeles-based shop was purchasing a small number of Packards and modified them for Hollywood's rich and famous. In 1939, it was said that Dutch Darrin produced between 15 and 20 1939 Packards by Darrin, many of which were owned by Hollywood celebrities. Of course, the most identifiable and iconic attribute of the Darrin-bodied cars was the so-called Darrin Dip where the doors taper down creating a slight dip from the back of the door to the rear quarter panel. Due to the Darrin cars' unrivaled beauty, Packard would end up contracting directly with Dutch Darrin to build the custom Packard bodies and would go on to sell them directly from Packard the following year in 1940. Because of the extraordinary small production numbers of the Darrin-bodied 1939 Packards, they are today considered one of the rarest and most desirable Packards and have thus been deemed Full Classics by the Classic Car Club of America. This particular example was restored a number of years ago and after its restoration by an esteemed marque specialist, it won Second in Class at the Amelia Island Concours D'Elegance. After the restoration, the car resided in the caring hands of several prominent collectors who took great care of this extremely rare automobile. Powering this '39 Darrin Victoria is a recently rebuilt 282 Cubic Inch L-Head Inline 8 cylinder engine fed by a single 2 barrel carburetor that together were said to have produced 120 horsepower when new. The 282 Straight 8 is mated to 3 speed manual transmission with Econo-Drive overdrive that is shifted via a Handishift column mounted shifter. Exhaust exits the 282 Packard powerplant via a single exhaust outlet. Riding on a set of wide whitewall bias-ply tires, accented with Packard hubcaps and beauty rings, this 1939 Packard 120 Darrin has a fantastic look whether parked at the car show or cruising down the road. The front and rear bumpers are in wonderful condition and both are outfitted with a pair of bumper guards. With a pair of outside chrome mirrors, maneuvering this 1939 Packard One-Twenty Convertible in and out of tight spaces is made much easier. An antenna is also correctly mounted on the front driver's side quarter panel to improve radio reception on long cruises. The remaining chrome and brightwork, including the special Darrin nameplates, is in fantastic shape and further adds to the luxurious look of this rare custom-bodied Pack