Topic: Solved - NEH 1225: Thompson Special / Glasscock Speedster - based on 1929 Packard

[Carnut]

What's this car and what is it based on?
For 1 point.

[Carnut]

Rookies don't seem to know; do the Experts?

[mymokke]

I like the Ruxton Style headlights. Bodied to mimmic an early Indi racer?

[roger]

Radiator looks like a 1923 Miller

[Carnut]

I like the Ruxton Style headlights. Bodied to mimmic an early Indi racer?

I would say it was influenced by them, yes.

Radiator looks like a 1923 Miller

Don't think there's any connection though.

[SACO]

Packard 1929 Glasscock speedster ( Thomson special )

[Carnut]

Packard 1929 Glasscock speedster ( Thomson special )

That is indeed the car!
Well done.

[Otto Puzzell]

Save for the grille, it look a lot like the 1929 Ruxton "Alligator". I wonder if one inspired the other?

[Carnut]

There are certain similarities.
I like the long bonnet (sorry, hood!) of the puzzle car though..

[Ray B.]

I find the puzzle car truly (and much more) beautiful. The wheels are obviously Packard.
The headlights were not exclusive to Ruxton. They were an aftermarket item, called Woodlite, and can be seen on many other cars too. But Ruxton, as  a few other makes, had them factory mounted.

[Allemano]

Let's give this beauty a larger size:

[Ray B.]

I want one!

[Allemano]

Usually I'm not the biggest fan of that era, but this car is a stunner!

[Otto Puzzell]

I think both are desirable. The Ruxton's appeal, to me, is it's compactness. It was a one-off, with front-wheel drive and a supercharged V8 (hence the shorter bonnet). It was positioned by William Muller, designer of the Ruxton as a 'little, sporty supercharged roadster for fellows....who enjoyed fast road cars.' I don't think he wanted to build a bridge-girder Packard competitor.

FWIW, I didn't suggest the Packard was not as ID'd, nor that the Ruxton's lights were unique to their cars (the cars were series built for less than 6 months!) I just felt the  similarities worth noting, as car guys are wont to do. 

Here's a wide-screen 'glamour' shot.

[Carnut]

Usually I'm not the biggest fan of that era, but this car is a stunner!

I agree!
If I'd been born in a different era this is just the sort of car I'm sure I would have lusted after endlessly!

[Otto Puzzell]

Side view

[Otto Puzzell]

And the back

[sixtee5cuda]

Built for J.R. Glasscock on a 1929 Packard 626 chassis by the Thompson Products Company, now TRW Inc.

The car currently lives in the Automobile Driving Museum in El Segundo, California.  Recent images, including a sign (probably incorrect) showing it as being from 1928.

Information from the museum indicates, it has a 1953 Packard engine, and mentions a 533 chassis instead of 626.  Looking at current images and black and white images, there are numerous differences.  Features included on the museum car not seen on the original: left side gas filler (previously on top of the boat tail), doors, additional brake lever mechanism (probably relocated because of the doors). 

The deck lid (trunk/boot) area previously included the gas filler.  The rebuild relocated the filler, so they extended the deck lid.  If the museum car contains parts of the original speedster, there may not be a lot of them.