One-off Packard fetches US$102k

By: Guy Allen, Unique Cars magazine

Date: 18.12.2017

Packard Hawk

Packard Hawk

Packard Hawk

Packard Hawk

Packard Hawk

Packard Hawk

Packard Hawk

Packard Hawk

Packard Hawk

Packard Hawk

Perfect car for the collector who wants something truly unique

Amid the local hype and soaring prices for desirable Aussie muscle cars, and the international rush for high-end machinery from major names such as Ferrari and Porsche, there is a sub-market that turns up occasional surprises.

This 1958 Packard Hawk is a great example. Packard's Hawk two-door hardtop was in fact a lightly-modified Studebaker Hawk with fiberglass nose cone, bonnet and boot lid. The company is said to have made 588 of them, which makes them quite a rare beast.

However there was no convertible in the line-up and company Chief Engineer Stanley Pridachuck pitched the idea of a soft-top to management. It didn't win approval, but Pridachuck carried a flame for his idea through to his retirement.

He subsequently built his own convertible in the early sixties, using factory-sourced parts.

Power is from a supercharged 289ci (4.8lt) V8, with three-speed manual transmission and overdrive.

The car was owned by the American Packard Museum for many years and was recently put up for online auction at Bring a Trailer, fetching US$102,000 (Au$133,000). We reckon that was a it of a bargain, given it is a one-off, built by someone with ample qualifications and a strong factory history.

See more of the car here.

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