1929 Packard Roadster 640 & 1935 Lincoln

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The Walker ’29 Packard Roadster 640 (two tone blue) was updated and sold by Dragone’s Classic Motorcars, Orange, CT in January 2022, but I drove it for 25 years. Many photos in this video are of the cars in their showroom at that time. Also see a link to my video driving the car prior to the sale, for the last time, after 65 years in the family! https://youtu.be/bVbUXxSCwVc – As of November 2023 it is for sale again on Hemmings (having not met the reserve via auction). Additional family favorite recently restored and sold in Phoenix, 1935 Lincoln V-12. Incredible! (Scroll down also) https://classicpromenade.com/for-sale… The young man helping his father polish the car is yours truly!
At Hill-Stead Museum, Farmington, for special All-Packard show to benefit the Museum.
1929 Packard Roadster 640
In Avon, CT, where the family lived for six generations.

This 1929 Packard Roadster 640 custom was in in the Walker family about 65 years (Avon Ct).   It probably has less than 50,000 miles, and won a number of top trophies in Connecticut, including the Klingberg Family Centers Lou Biondi Concours, at the Connecticut Junior Republic (CJR) via the Litchfield Hills Historical Auto Club (Top 10), and the Dream Ride at the Farmington Polo Grounds (First Prize in Class). It has been featured at  a Great Gatsby party in New Canaan, and a Roaring ’20s benefit for CJR at the Torrington Country Club.  It is the same model as chosen car by Time-Life books (’69) in This Fabulous Century, to represent the Roaring ’20s.

It had been acquired around 1955 by “Charlie Walker” a sales engineer for Tel-Rad Inc. Hartford, CT and noted car collector.   Prior ownership unknown (though it was sold in Washington State). His son Rick (pictured, owner of this web site) inherited it and maintained it for 25 years. It got all new paint and top and was sold by Dragone’s Classic Motorcars, Orange, CT in January 2022 to a California buyer (selling it as of November 2023).

One of the last of the true open cars.  Production 9,801. Side valve straight 8, 384.8 ci, 105 bhp. Wheelbase 140”. Three gears + reverse (straight gears). Crankshaft in 9 main bearings. Bore & stroke 3 ½ x 5. Max speed 85 mph. Weight 4,285 lbs. Sold new for more than $3,175. Story that helped to sell the Packard:

SamCollinsDayPack640

At a benefit for Sam Collins Day, historic downtown Collinsville, CT, where my grandfather Fred Hutchins used to work for the railroad. He was a farmer on Huckleberry Hill Rd, and featured in Fran Mackie’s history of Avon for his generosity to others in the town. I’m a member of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Winning the Lou Biondi trophy at Klingberg Family Centers Concours. Mr. Biondi was an icon in Connecticut auto history and a friend of Charlie Walker.
The Goddess of Speed, cast in stainless as a better than new repro by Don Sommer when he first  started his castings using the lost wax process, in the ’60s (he is now deceased but his company American Arrow lives on
In resto above, for five months, winter 2019, including some (temporary) new paint while retaining 50-year-old body-side harbor blue lacquer. New wiring, front brake control arm parts, brake work, Rodtiques LED headlights, Brakelighter LED brakelight. Won first prize in class at Dream Ride, Farmington CT 2019. Top 10 out of 420 cars at the benefit show for the CT Junior Republic, Litchfield, CT, 2019.
Cigar lighter and all gauges functional except gas gauge. Clock rebuilt in 2019 by Standish Clock, West Hartford, CT.
Top bows were refinished by Charlie Walker in the ’60s. (Dragone’s in2021 did some very specialized woodwork on the bows.)
Just repainted March 2021. Had been painted by myself 25 years before. Horn recently made operational by mechanic Joe Latina. Features modern spin-on oil filter inside Burr Ripley designed canister. Uses modern detergent 20-50 oil. Starter rebuilt by Hartford Battery and Electric when it was in business. Top right oil tank for Bijur oil system, a network of copper tubing throughout the car so it can be entirely lubricated with the pull of a lever under the dash while driving down the road.
Manifold was redone by Prairie Auto Porcelain 25 years ago, and solved vapor lock problem. Carburetor is a rare Packard updraft version, and not a Detroit Lubricator. Generator rebuilt by Al’s Auto Electric, Canton. Owner must take up golf!
See the bright LED Brakelighter under the step plate. This and the Rodtiques stainless LED headlights (fog lights) use so little amperage that at night the battery is not drawn down. Runs with these and cowl lights, and main lights aren’t needed (though they are perfect, all original silvering.) Car is original six volts, positive ground. Never in an accident. Low mileage.
This rendering from the ’29 sales portfolio shows the car with rear-mounted spare, fairly unusual. Adds to clean look and streamlining, and makes this much easier to work on the engine!
It appears that Charlie Walker might have been influenced by this image in the original Packard sales portfolio, when choosing the light blue color.

When I was quite young in addition to the ’29 Packard Roadster my father’s favorite car was arguably the 1935 Lincoln K V-12. It recently got a concours level resto. Add to the “I wish I kept that car” list that we all have! But I could only maintain one car… A bargain at $68,000 with all that work… Probably a lot of fun to restore as already so perfect…. with such low mileage. Some good times for sister Anita and I… parking once in front of Gillette Castle…the Walker history is off a bit tho… It was just parked with the cracked head sometime in the1960s… I never drove it. — It has overdrive so if you want to save gas you disconnect the engine from the drive train with a lever under the dash and just coast up and down big hills! Of course then you’re relying totally on mechanical brakes!

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