From the Estate of Andrew W. Edmonds
1931 Packard Deluxe Eight 845 Convertible Victoria

385ci Sidevalve Inline 8-Cylinder Engine
Single Carburetor
120bhp at 3,200rpm
4-Speed Manual Transmission
4-Wheel Mechanical Drum Brakes
Live Axle Suspension with Semi-Elliptical Leaf Springs

*Rare Rollston Convertible Victoria on a Packard chassis
*In the current ownership since 1986
*Comprehensively refurbished and subsequently maintained
*Former CCCA Senior Award Winner

THE PACKARD DELUXE EIGHT

Packard was not bound by the conventions of the auto industry. It, with great justification, set its own standards both in its automobiles and in the way it presented them.

Packard didn't have model years, that was for the mass market manufacturers hoping to entice car owners to trade up for the newest, if little different, models to keep production lines running. Packard presented its cars in Series instead. It created the impression that Packard made changes to its prestigious automobiles only when Packard thought they were important enough to be warranted.

By the late Twenties, however, Packard was making annual changes. They were still presented as new Packard series but they came annually. It did preserve the illusion, however, by choosing its own introduction dates, usually in summer. That had the advantage of giving the new Packard series a period without competition from other marques' new models. In 1929 for the introduction of the Seventh Series it had one further advantage. The August 20 formal introduction gave Packard's Seventh Series models two months more time in the market before the stock market crashed in October and the new car market, even for luxury cars like Packards, began its Depression plunge.

Some measure of the effect of this comes directly from Packard's production figures between these two years: 36,364 units had been supplied in the Seventh Series, whereas the company could report 15,450 units for the same period just a year later. Tellingly, as is always said of the Depression, the most luxurious models were the least affected.

For that trying year, Packard's Eighth Series comprised four models: the 826 Standard Eight, the 833 Standard Eight on a longer 134 ½ inch wheelbase with a variety of catalog coachwork, the 840 Custom Eight with a 140 ½ inch wheelbase, and the 845 Deluxe Eight which topped the line with 145 ½ inches between the axle centerlines. Both 840 and 845 had 385 cubic inch 120hp inline eight-cylinder engines and a 4-speed transmission with an extra-low first gear.

As well as the nine catalog bodies offered on the 833 and 840 models, all designed by Raymond Dietrich and built in Packard's own coachworks which turned out coachwork equal to or better than that of the prestige custom coachbuilders, there were of course those who elected to choose coachwork by one of the well-established houses such as LeBaron, Brewster, Rollston, and Dietrich.

THE CAR OFFERED

Generally it was Cadillac that Andrew Edmonds patronized, as evidenced by the variety models charting the journey of that famed luxury brand, and so among the collection this is something of an anomaly. It is only an anomaly by maker though, for in every other regard it reflects his great eye for quality and design, being the top of the range that Packard would offer in this season. Not only is the car a Deluxe Eight, but more than that it is one bodied by the esteemed house of Rollston.

New York coachbuilder Rollston produced some of the most exquisite coachwork on American 'Classic Era' automobiles, most notably for Packard and Duesenberg. They excelled in a wide variety of styles and configurations, all built with their trademark superb proportions and outstanding body engineering. It can be fairly argued that they were most highly regarded for their Convertible Victoria, a lush four-passenger model with a convertible top that folded virtually flush with the car's beltline when lowered—a touch inspired by Rollston's Massachusetts-based competitor, Waterhouse. The result was a crisp, clean appearance that emphasized a car's sporting potential, while also enabling weathertight comfort in less pleasant circumstances.

According to the information on its chassis plate, Packard 845-94 was delivered in January 1931, likely to the coachbuilder, before being supplied to its original owner who is unknown but assumed to have resided in the New York area. Subsequent ownerships were not known to Mr. Edmonds according to the extensive file with the car, however we do know that he was alerted to its availability in the middle of 1986 in an advertisement by William G. Lassiter proclaiming a need to downsize his collection (to make room for new cars already purchased!). Shortly after, this the car was sold to him on May 15, 1986.

Immediately after this transaction a succession of bills followed over the course of the next two or more years while the car was clearly refurbished to Mr. Edmonds' high standards. Awards would follow, a First Place at the 1993 Spring Classic in Boca Raton, and receipt therefore of its Senior Award that May. Later, other displays include at the Ocean Reef Vintage Weekend in 2016. Its appreciation by judges and peers is entirely understandable; the choice of colors with its distinct black bodywork offset by a silver waistline molding and plethora of chrome is undeniably a winning combination. Despite its slightly sinister low-slung exterior, the interior is lightened by the choice of light blue leather and carpeting making piloting and touring in the car all the more enjoyable.

In this present ownership for 37 years, and with a restoration dating from that period, its consistent maintenance and repair by Andrew's preferred company Harbor Auto Restoration of Pompano Beach has ensured that the car still presents well today. A highlight of the collection, its stunning looks reflect its top tier maker and coachbuilder at the zenith of their powers.