While not everyone names their cars, those who do are invariably very fond of their automobiles and consider them members of the family. So it was for Elizabeth Allison Mullins Koos, who christened her Packard “Leslie Howard.”

Elizabeth (1899–1959) was the daughter of William J. Mullins, a chemist who had moved to Franklin, Pennsylvania, during the Keystone State’s oil boom. The Mullins family shared in that wealth and became benefactors of cultural and arts activities in Franklin. In 1923, Elizabeth married Edward Emile Koos Jr., the scion of a German family that had immigrated to Pennsylvania in the 1860s and had similarly benefited from the oil business. Mr. Koos died in 1926, just two years after the birth of their daughter, Caroline.

Their inherited wealth enabled the mother and daughter to live comfortably in the Mullins family home in Franklin, and on July 23, 1934, Elizabeth took delivery of a new Packard Eight Coupe Roadster from the Freeman Motor Company in neighboring Oil City.

The dealer allowed Elizabeth $144.02 on the trade-in of an unidentified vehicle against the $2,798 price of the Packard. Elizabeth, a poet who published several volumes of her verse, mentions the car in a 1938 compendium titled Lines from Lakeside: “My Leslie Howard (my Packard) is a dream / Of sky-blue, chromium, and cream.” Presumably, the car was named for the British stage and movie actor, born Leslie Howard Steiner, who was known for her work in the 1934 films Of Human Bondage and The Scarlet Pimpernel.

Elizabeth Koos kept the Packard for the rest of her life. After her passing in 1959, Caroline inherited the car, and although she never married and did not drive, she had it maintained and was driven in it whenever she ventured from the family home. The current owner purchased it from Caroline’s estate in 2013.

As presented, it bears paint that was redone some decades ago, as well as an interior that was replaced at the same time. It has been fully serviced and prepared for the road by Steve Babinsky’s Automotive Restorations in Lebanon, New Jersey. In addition to the requisite ignition, chassis, and brake services, the head and valves were reconditioned, and the car runs beautifully. It is accompanied by the original sales invoice and other documentation from the Koos family’s ownership.

Although the paint, upholstery, top, and brightwork all show the patina of age, the car is attractive in its understated elegance. Blemishes to the paint are few, and the interior shows virtually no wear. The odometer registers barely 70,000 miles, which are known to be correct, and a small plaque on the dashboard commemorates participation in Applefest ’87, the “1st Annual Car Show” in Franklin, Pennsylvania.

Eleventh Series Packards are among the most sought-after automobiles of the Classic Era today. This rare Coupe Roadster with full one-family-ownership history and low mileage represents a singular opportunity to acquire a CCCA Full Classic that is ready for extensive touring or simple enjoyment.