Once bitten, twice shy, the saying goes. The Packard Motor Car Company, however, ignored the old maxim, to a beneficial outcome. The firm’s first attempt at a smaller, lower-priced car, the 1932 Series 900 Light Eight, had proved a disappointment, but as the Depression deepened the need for a price leader became more acute. Thus was born the One Twenty, named for its wheelbase and introduced in January 1935.

Whereas the 900 had used the same engine as the full-size Standard Eight, the One Twenty had a new straight eight, four-fifths the displacement of the larger Eight, but making 85% of its power. The body was all new and the One Twenty pioneered two new features that were not yet seen on senior Packards: independent front suspension and hydraulic brakes. Popularity was immediate. Nearly 25,000 were sold in the first year, more than three times the volume of all other Packards combined. This one model ensured the survival of the company.

The convertible sedan offered here is a pristine example of the rarest, most prestigious One Twenty of 1936’s Fourteenth Series, the convertible sedan. It was fully restored for the current owner and close inspection shows that the work was beautifully done, including that the body, engine, and chassis were properly restored separately, with fine paintwork and a high standard of finish throughout. The interior is beautifully, correctly done in leather, with a fully restored dashboard and, over all, a well-fitted convertible top. In all the car would likely be quite successful at local and regional events.

This is a wonderful opportunity to understand just what all the One Twenty excitement was about.