Topic: Fun #143 - Packard Phantom, circa 1948

[Otto Puzzell]

For 1 point, tell us three things about this car - which is not a repost:

Only a complete answer will earn a point!

Identify the the year and make of this special car, and the borrowed name with which it was christened.  

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[Otto Puzzell]

Up

[tonyola]

This is the Packard Phantom - a one-off special by Ed Macauley first built in the 1930s as the Brown Bomber and updated several times over the years. The photo is of the final 1946 incarnation.

[Otto Puzzell]

You're in the right general area, but night quite correct.

[fyreline]

Kind of tough to nail down an exact year on the version of Ed Macauley's 1941-1950 Packard Phantom shown in your photograph. This car was also known as the Brown Bomber (it was actually the second Packard concept car of this name - the first was built in 1933) or even internally as "Macauley's Folly". The car started life in late 1940 as a Darrin Coupe de Ville. It then went through a series of modifications either following or preceeding the design evolution of the 1941-47 Clipper (depending on your view of this bit of history), which would eventually become the 1948 22nd Series Packard. Most pictures of the car are of one of five versions:

1-The original light colored car as delivered to Macauley at the Packard factory.
2-Painted dark brown with some minor alterations in 1941.
3-With its new 22nd Series-looking grill work and big white wheel rings of 1944.
4-With new fenders which went through the door and joined front and back fender.
5-Its last modification of about 1949 with four little round tail lights and a 22nd Series dash.
 
Your photo appears to show either version 4 or 5 . . . can't really see enough of the dashboard (or any of the rear of the car) to tell for sure - but since this exact photograph appeared in the December 8, 1947 issue of LIFE magazine, I'll say it's Version #4 and place the date as early postwar, but before 1949. The Phantom started as a 1940, and was scrapped in 1950. Too bad, it was kind of a neat car.

[Otto Puzzell]

I don't know the version number (did Packard assign those?)

I have two sources of information (both in books about Packard). Your information jibes with the book that seems better-researched. The caption that appears with a different photo (which shown no more of the detail you mentioned, and which is smaller, to boot) says:

As Clipper styling evolved in the postwar era, Ed Macauley's personal car, call the Phantom, was used to test new ideas. This photograph was taken in August 1948 and shows a 1944 experimental front end combined with the 1948 style fender treatment. The Darrin-style door was still being used, as was the special roof that had been with the car since 1941.

A well-earned point for you.

[fyreline]

It's always interesting to compare the information available from different sources concerning the same subject.  For Packards, the best source is the company's own archives.  Fortunately for me, the entire collection of the Studebaker-Packard Archives was once donated to Syracuse University, where I had (through a friend-of-a-friend type of arrangement) access to it for nearly a year. Great stuff, but it all rightly belonged in either the National Packard Museum in Warren, Ohio or the Studebaker Museum in South Bend, Indiana . . . and as I understand it, it did in fact eventually end up at one of those institutions.

No, Packard never assigned the "version" numbers to the Phantom . . . those are simply a way to differentiate between obvious differences in the photographic record of the car. I came across them in one of the many online resources about the car and its history, and they match up well with different pictures of the car I have seen at various stages during its life. The Phantom was always a "work in progress", not unlike some contemporary (and slightly later) GM concept cars.

[grobmotorix]

This is a 1944 pic:

[Otto Puzzell]

. . . and as I understand it, it did in fact eventually end up at one of those institutions.

I've been to the Studebaker museum, which has an extensive library (as I recall, by appointment only. Since my visit was limited to one day, I didn't partake of the research materials. Maybe next time!

I hope to get to the Packard Museum some day; this year's trip is to the Gilmore museum.

[Otto Puzzell]

This is a 1944 pic:

That was an earlier puzzle of mine. 

http://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/index.php?topic=4322

[fyreline]

Did a little checking, and it is in fact the Studebaker Museum in South Bend that now has the archives of the Studebaker-Packard Corporation. The photograph collection alone is pretty impressive as I recall.