Although Packard kept genuine phaetons—four-door open cars without side windows—in production through 1936, by then the convertible sedan had fairly well taken over the four-door open car market. Up until 1930 the convertible sedan had been catalogued as an “Individual Custom” that had been designed and built by the likes of Brewster or Dietrich. In 1931 it became a production style in the Standard Eight line and could be ordered, but it never appeared in the literature. For 1932 it was added to the Deluxe Eight and the new Twin Six lines. The design was from Dietrich, but Raymond Dietrich himself had moved on, and his small coachbuilding business was operating in the factory of Murray Body Corporation, which built most of Packard’s production models.

The convertible sedan was most expensive car in its respective series, and it continued to mature over the years. Until 1935 the rear doors opened in “suicide,” rear-hinged fashion, in contrast to the phaetons, which hinged on the B-pillar. Chassis refinements tracked those in other styles of the senior series, including independent front suspension and hydraulic brakes in 1937 and a vee’d windshield in 1938. Apart from catalogue customs from Brunn and Rollston, the Dietrich-designed convertible sedan was the most expensive eight-cylinder Packard, with a price of $3,970.

The current owner acquired this stunning Series 1605 Convertible Sedan in the early 2000s. He completed its restoration, doing most of the work himself, in 2005. During this time, he performed a full body-off restoration and left no screw unturned. The light yellow color is Packard’s Ivory White, and the interior is finished in maroon leather. The maroon accent elegantly repeats in the pinstriping and windlace on the black canvas top. Furthermore, it features a fully restored banjo-style steering wheel, restored instruments, and a working radio.

This car has been driven barely 200 miles since completion, and it has received a multitude of accolades. It began its ascent in AACA judging with a First Junior, progressing to First Senior and then Grand National First in 2007. It wears a Classic Car Club of America Premier medallion, and it has been named Best in Class at both the Glenmoor Gathering in Ohio and the Gilmore in Hickory Corners, Michigan. It has also received the Joseph Parkin Award from the AACA, which is in recognition of the most outstanding Packard in the eastern division. It has been honored by Packard Automobile Classics, aka The Packard Club, with the Alvan Macauley Award for Best in Show, and it was the cover car for the July/August issue of Torque, the magazine of the CCCA’s Michigan region.

This Packard is a Full Classic and then some. This car is concours ready, tour worthy, and at home in the winner’s circle, and it is ready to be enjoyed by any enthusiast.