1929 Packard 640 Custom Eight Phaeton by Holbrook

This 1929 Packard 640 Custom Eight is a dual-cowl phaeton featuring bodywork by the Holbrook Company of Hudson, New York. It was purchased new by record-breaking aviator Roscoe Turner from Hollywood Motors in California. The car remained in his possession until his death in 1970 and was displayed at the Roscoe Turner Museum in Indianapolis, Indiana, before it was donated to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation by his widow in 1973. It was subsequently refurbished by IMS Museum staff in the early 1980s and has since participated in several IPL 500 Festival Parades, which are held annually the day before the Indianapolis 500. The car is finished in tan with brown fenders over tan upholstery, and power comes from a 384.8ci straight-eight paired with a three-speed manual transmission. Features include a tan soft top, dual side-mount spare wheels, a folding rear windscreen, and a folding luggage rack. This Custom Eight Phaeton is now offered by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation with a tool roll, refurbishment records, a pair of period AGA spotlights, two steel spare wheel side covers, and a clean Indiana title. Packard produced its sixth-series models from August 1, 1928, to August 20, 1929, and offered 18 body styles across its Custom and DeLuxe Eight lines. This example rides on a 140.5″ wheelbase and wears five-passenger dual-cowl phaeton bodywork by the Holbrook Company of Hudson, New York. The seller notes that the car was updated in 1932 with contemporary Packard styling pieces. The car is said to have received bodywork before a repaint in its current tan with brown fenders by IMS Museum staff in the 1980s. A crack in the right-front fender paint can be seen up close in the gallery below. The soft top is equipped with wood bows and a beveled glass rear window and can be seen raised and lowered in the gallery. Additional equipment includes polished bumpers, dual taillights, a fold-down luggage rack, a folding windscreen for rear-seat passengers, front wind wings, fender-mounted lights, a polished radiator surround, and dual horns. A hood ornament based on the Lockheed Air Express that Turner raced in the 1930s was installed during that decade and features a spinning propeller. A pair of period AGA 10″ diameter running-board-mounted spotlights are included in the sale and can be seen in the gallery. The tan-painted wire wheels feature polished Packard hubcaps with brown accents and are mounted with 7.00-20 Goodyear Hi-Miler whitewall bias-ply tires. Matching spare wheels are mounted on both front fenders, and a pair of steel side covers are included in the sale. Packard-designed shock absorbers were standard across the 1929 model lineup, and braking is handled by mechanical drums at all four corners. The front cabin features a split-bench seat upholstered in tan, along with color-matching door panels and brown carpets. A four-spoke steering wheel fronts a burl wood dash panel equipped with a barrel-type North East speedometer, a Waltham clock, an altimeter. Separate gauges monitor fuel level, oil pressure, water temperature, and amperage. Just under 53k miles are shown on the five-digit odometer. Total mileage is unknown. The rear cabin is trimmed in matching upholstery and is equipped with a rear bench seat, a center armrest, footrests, locking storage drawers, and lighting. The 384.8ci L-head straight-eight features an updraft carburetor as well as nine main bearings and was factory rated at 105 horsepower at 3,200 rpm. A crack in the cylinder head was discovered after the car was listed. According to the seller, the engine will be repaired by the IMS Museum staff at no additional cost to the buyer.  Power is sent to the rear wheels via a three-speed manual transmission with reverse. A tool roll and hand crank are included in the sale. Photos of the car participating in several IPL 500 Festival and F1 USGP pre-race vintage car parades can be seen in the gallery. Located inside the famed 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval, the IMS Museum is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that relies on the support of visitors, members, donors, and corporate partners to make possible their daily operations, exhibits, restoration and preservation initiatives, and educational programming. To learn more about the IMS Museum and the many ways you can show support, including their “Adopt-a-Car” program, please click here.