Packard No. 9641
Engine No. 9641
Body No. 9606
Packard introduced the ''Eighteen” in 1909 as a town-sized companion to the vaunted Thirty, built to the same standards but on more nimble proportions. As Packard's own sales literature proclaimed, the Eighteen was ''a town car, of exactly the same design, construction and general excellence as the well-known Packard 'Thirty,' but having smaller proportions to render it an extremely convenient, easily-handled, light car for all kinds of city and suburban driving.'' The model featured a 112-inch wheelbase and a 265.7 cu-in T-head four-cylinder engine, and was available as an Open Tourer, Limousine, Landaulet, or Runabout.
This particular Eighteen, Packard number 9641, began life as a Runabout with early ownership by William D. Heller of Weehawken, New Jersey. By mid-century, the car had passed to David Tunick of Greenwich, Connecticut, and in 1950, it came into the possession of automotive designer Richard ''Dick'' Teague of Franklin, Michigan. Working at General Motors at the time, Teague would later join Packard as their chief stylist. During his tenure, he uncovered drawings for an unrealized 1909 Eighteen body design that had remained on the drawing board. The design emphasized lighter, more sporting lines with Runabout-style extended front fenders, an elongated Thirty-inspired hood, and a rounded cowl.
Circa 1951, Teague sold both the car and the design blueprints to Packard specialist Leonard Davis of Pontiac, Michigan, who initiated the build according to the factory drawings. Bob Nydam of Crete, Illinois, acquired the car from Davis's widow in 1984 when it was partially finished. Nydam completed the build to Teague's discovered factory design, commissioning renowned upholsterer Leif Drexler to trim the cabin in button-tufted red leather with Wilton wool carpeting and period-correct details throughout. The beautifully restored steel-bodied Phaeton is finished in rich maroon with black accents and gold pinstriping-carried through to the chassis and chassis sprays-while Hartford friction shocks, cork runningboards and floorboards, and Dunlop cord tires complete its authentic Brass Era appearance. Ahead of the unmistakable Packard radiator, the Solar Packard headlamps have been discreetly electrified, and the dash is complemented by a Jones clock and 60-mph speedometer. Further touring-minded touches include magneto ignition with electric start, a runningboard toolbox, side-mounted spare with cover, and a rear-mounted trunk with a matching vinyl cover-complete with tools, wheel chocks, jack, and roadside kit-joined by well-concealed rear electric brake lamps and a traditional brass kerosene tail lamp.
Like all Eighteens, this Packard delivers the usability, reliability, and versatility that made these cars beloved in their day for journeys of any length. This 1909 Five-Passenger Phaeton offers exceptional touring capability wrapped in truly one-of-a-kind factory styling that would surely set it apart on the show field or on long-distance Brass-Era tours.
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- VIN Code9641
