1934 Packard 11th Series Eight Phaeton

• Built in Canada with right-hand drive
• Exported new to the UK
• An older restoration benefiting from considerable recent expenditure
• Formerly part of various important private collections

Beautifully presented in cream livery with brown coachlines and brown leather interior, this Packard Eight boasts factory-fitted Marchal lighting, Lucas trumpets horns, twin side-mounted spare wheels, rear view mirrors, and a useful rear luggage carrier. The car was built in Canada in right-hand drive form for export to the UK. It is, as far as is known, the only 711 Phaeton-bodied 11th series Packard Eight supplied in UK, and also the first 711 body to be produced in Canada.

This Packard was exported to London agents Leonard Williams and first registered with Middlesex County Council on 19th April 1934. Its early history is not recorded; however, it is believed to have been sold in the 1950s by Le Mans racer Duncan Hamilton to a Richard Walsh of Peaslake, Surrey, passing via R Burn of Woking into preservation with Harry Shell of Hertfordshire, Hon Sec of the Classic American Auto Club of GB. Shell sold the car to fellow American car aficionado, the late Colin Buckmaster of Suffolk, and it was he who commissioned the no-expense-spared restoration in the 1970s, much of the work being entrusted to respected restorer Arthur Archer. Many of the restoration bills are on file and are worthy of inspection, both Archer and Buckmaster being sticklers for detail.

In 1984 the car featured on the front cover and in editor Michael Brisby's road test in The Automobile magazine (August edition). Buckmaster was later to turn his attention to Stutz motor cars and in 1985 Jack Tattersall prised the Packard away from him. The car remained in the Tattersall motor house for some 25 years, an indication of the esteem in which it was held by its collector/connoisseur owner.

According to our vendor, the Packard moves smoothly and elegantly on the road, making close to no noise whatsoever; indeed, so quiet is the engine that one often doubts it is running. The accompanying documents file is massive; all invoices from 1971 to date are present and the amount of money spent on the Packard is simply eye-watering. In recent years, more than £40,000 has been spent on the car with marque specialists West Hoathly Garage to make it absolutely immaculate and in concours condition. It is reported as close to perfection, comparing very favourably with similar Rolls-Royce and Bentley tourers of the period having the refinement of the former and performance of the latter.