The original Packard Twin Six was introduced for the 1916 model year and quickly became extremely popular with wealthy motorists. Though initially discontinued in 1922, Packard reintroduced the moniker for its new 12-cylinder engine. The Twin Six name proved short-lived, soon replaced by the more straightforward Twelve designation, which served to underscore substantive styling and engineering refinements. The Twelve’s 473-cubic-inch V-12 produced 175 horsepower, providing the effortless performance expected of a flagship Packard.

The Twelve would remain Packard’s most capable offering through 1939, when the model was discontinued for good. Along the way, it gradually adopted more streamlined styling with full pontoon fenders and bullet-shaped headlamps, making it a fine exercise in restrained Art Deco styling while maintaining the prominent and iconic “tombstone” radiator design. It continued to boldly remind drivers of other cars that they need only “Ask the Man Who Owns One”—as the long-running ad slogan urged—to understand why Packard was the choice of America’s wealthy elite. Those who could pay the asking price gained entry to an exclusive world of power, performance, and prestige.

Offered here is one of very few surviving examples of style number 1137, the “Coupe for Five Passengers” in Packard’s parlance, on the 139-inch-wheelbase 1607 Twelve chassis of 1938. A history document on file records its previous engine number as B602328, since replaced with the present engine, a 1935 unit. Restoration largely to a driver-quality standard was partially completed in prior ownership, with the body finished in a rich blue. Desirable equipment includes Trippe Speedlight fog lights, chrome wheel trim rings, and a Deluxe heater with windshield defroster.

At the time of cataloguing, the odometer recorded 76,262 miles. The car is sold as photographed, an unfinished project in need of further work. With a most unusual and sought-after design, it represents an uncommon opportunity for the enthusiast seeking a rare Packard Twelve body style.