Packard’s Eighteenth Series was introduced to the public in August 1939 with ads telling buyers, “The more you look . . . the more you’ll want one.” Cars received a new face—the traditional Packard grille was flanked by two vertical side grilles, while sealed-beam headlights were fitted directly on the fenders with parking lights mounted on the fender crowns. Other changes were kept to a minimum; cylinder heads were redesigned for better intake gas flow, hood length was increased, allowing for easier mounting of side-mount spares for those who ordered them, and the options list grew longer than ever.

For 1940, the Super Eight line remained the only Senior Series on the books. Packard management dictated that the Super Eight line be divided into two: The One-Sixty Series (taking the place of the previous Super Eight) and the new Custom Super Eight or Series One Eighty (now the flagship in place of the discontinued V-12). Both featured a new engine, essentially a revised L-head straight-eight-cylinder of 356 cubic inches which developed 160 horsepower at 3,500 rpm. Senior Packards shared three chassis lengths, 127-, 138-, and 148-inch wheelbases, as well as optional air conditioning at $275.00—the first to be installed on production vehicles.

Times were changing, indeed, as the bulk of Packard production was now in the lower-priced Junior Series. Packard built 90,438 Junior models and only 7,562 Seniors including 5,662 Super Eights and 1,900 Custom Super Eights in 1940. The low production numbers add to their desirability today.

This stately Packard is the beneficiary of a no-expense spared restoration completed in spring 2007. The car was taken to bare metal and resprayed in classic Black. The original Budd all-steel doors and many original NOS parts were used during the restoration. The documented engine rebuild was completed by D&D Engine Service of Cincinnati, Ohio, and the silky-smooth Packard inline-eight is mated to an overdrive transmission for improved highway cruising. In addition, it is equipped with dual-sidemount spare tires, a trunk rack, and the optional two-tone Riviera cloth interior in Laidlaw Tan and Light Tan with twin burl walnut mirror sets fitted into the back seat. The lovely interior work was done by Bryant’s Upholstery in Ohio.

The car was shown at the Meadowbrook Concours, Keenland Concours, Dayton Concours, and the Cincinnati Concours, all in 2007, and is ready to once again grace concours show fields for its new owner.