1941 Packard Darrin 180 Convertible Victoria

Howard “Dutch” Darrin was already an accomplished automotive stylist when he arrived back in California in 1937 after a successful career in Europe. Having concluded that custom coachbuilding was declining on the Continent, he perceived opportunity in the California film industry’s star machine, and soon counted among his clients such household names as Errol Flynn, Clark Gable and Carole Lombard. Darrin’s success attracted the attention of Packard, and the company included two dramatic Darrin models in their 1940 catalog, a Convertible Sedan and a Convertible Victoria, the latter of which was advertised in the Saturday Evening Post with the headline "Glamour Car of the Year! (Of course, it's a Packard)."

Darrin eventually produced 35 Convertible Victoria models, the eleventh of which is offered here in this pristine 1941 example whose restoration was completed in 2000. Built on a 127-inch wheelbase and powered by Packard’s freshly-engineered 356/160 HP Custom Super-8 One-Eighty engine, this beauty is equipped with a three speed manual transmission and 4-wheel hydraulic brakes. It is superbly finished in its original color scheme of Sand Beige with Red leather interior and Black cloth top, and accessorized with radio, clock and heater, fender skirts, front and rear tri-bar bumpers, fog lights and a Packard exhaust tip.

Courtesy of Mecum


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