The Packard

Our wedding vehicle is the pinnacle of mid-century opulence. Born in Detroit, Michigan, this sleek and sexy Super Eight touring sedan is part of Packard’s 23rd Series lineup which was released in celebration of the company’s Golden Anniversary in 1949. True to its status as an elite luxury brand, Packards of this era were ahead of their time in many ways. The vehicle boasts rock-solid stability and an ultra-smooth ride due in large part to the innovative swing arm suspension.

This particular car has a long and interesting history, which is exactly what you would expect out of a 75 year old machine. It was originally sold to a gentleman in Oklahoma and based on the production numbers this car would have been in one of the first groups of 1950 vehicles to roll off the production line. I have the original warranty ticket that the man purchased for the radio and it dates from November of 1949.  Believe it or not, the clock and the radio both still work! Whoever sold that warranty certainly walked away from the bargain as the winner.

It is said that this Packard was only on the road for approximately ten years before it was placed into a barn and forgotten. It sat there for 52 years before a couple on a motorcycle tour of the country stumbled upon it in 2012. They bought it and shipped it back to Pennsylvania where it underwent a complete restoration from the ground up. When it was found the interior was wiped and there wasn’t a square foot on the whole body that didn’t have of some kind of dent in it. Countless hours of painstaking work went into restoring this car back to the show-stopping condition that you see today.

We would like to take a moment to note that this vehicle has been restored to 1949 specifications as closely as possible. This means that the car lacks many of the modern safety features that we are used to today. There are no seatbelts, no airbags, and it still has drum brakes. Due to the potential increased risks these factors pose, a signed waiver of liability will be required from all passengers in order to book our services. Please note that we are unable to provide any chauffeur services before sunrise or after dusk. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Below are some photos and additional specifications for the car. A gallery containing additional photographs can be accessed by clicking the button at the bottom of this page. If you have any additional questions or concerns regarding this vehicle after reading through this page, please submit a contact form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

“Ask the Man Who Owns One”