The Great Depression had a wide-ranging effect on luxury car sales in America. Even those whose immense wealth had survived the stock market crash did not feel it appropriate to cruise past breadlines and tent cities in the massive cars of years past, and so there emerged a new trend for elegant custom coachwork on smaller, more practical chassis. Few executed the trend more beautifully than New York City’s finest coachbuilder, the Rollston Company, which began to specialize in small formal town cars on a wide variety of chassis, most frequently the “junior” Packard One Twenty.

This One Twenty, a 1937 15th Series model, is one of two known survivors with Rollston’s elegant all-weather cabriolet body, a chauffeur-driven model with an open driver’s compartment and an enclosed rear compartment with buttery soft broadcloth upholstery, jump seats, vanity compartments, and fine wood trim. It is testament to Rollston’s skill that they were able to “scale down” a large formal design to the One Twenty and still make it a beautiful, cohesive design.

Extensively restored for the present owner by John Greenleif after being found in upstate New York, with a Mrs. Bailinsky, the granddaughter of the original owner, the car was submitted to the Classic Car Club of America, which recognized and accepted it as a Full Classic. Accordingly, it was shown in CCCA National competition and eventually received Senior honors (badge no. 3067) with a perfect 100-point score at the 2012 New England Grand Classic, as well as Best in Show and the Mayor’s Award at a meet at the National Packard Museum in Warren, Ohio.

Desirable accessories for one’s driver include a large dash-mounted clock, heater, and intercom, while the exterior sports a very elegant leather-padded roof along with a rear-mounted spare. The restoration is still fresh in most every regard and is ready for continued showing with a new owner, who will enjoy owning a truly special and unique “junior Packard” and Full Classic.