In 1900, the Ohio Automobile Company was founded to produce Packard automobiles and in 1902 the name was changed to the Packard Motor Car Company with James Packard as president. With regard to marketing, Packards were an automobile for the wealthy. By the 1920s, Packard was exporting more cars than any other make in the luxury class.
1928 was a record year for Packard, with the smaller Packards as the strongest sellers. To compete with Packard, Cadillac had introduced the LaSalle in 1927 to compete with the small Packards, but sale of the small Packards actually doubled in 1927 and 1928.
Shown below are some of the Packards of the 1920s displayed in the Packard Museum in Dayton, Ohio.
1924 Single Six Touring
This car featured a 268.4 cubic inch engine with a 3-speed manual transmission. At a time when most cars had only rear brakes, the Packard Six had front brakes as well. It sold for $2,585 new (note: at this time, a house cost $7,720, the average income was $2,196, gas was $0.11 per gallon, and the average new car cost $525).
1928 Custom Eight Convertible Sedan
This car featured a 364.8 cubic inch straight eight engine with a 3-speed manual transmission. It sold for $6,000 new (note: a house cost $4,250 at this time).
1928 Jesse Vincent Speedster
This car featured a 385 cubic inch straight eight engine with a 3-speed manual transmission. This was a special speedster built by Jesse Vincent, head of Packard engineering, to demonstrate the abilities on the new 2.5 mile banks oval. It was clocked at over 129 mph on this track.
1928 Six 526
This car featured a 288,6 cubic inch straight six engine with a 3-speed manual transmission. It sold for $2,425 new.
1928 Six Convertible Sedan
This car featured a 288,6 cubic inch straight six engine with a 3-speed manual transmission. It sold for $2,425 new.
More automobile photo tours
Packard Museum: Packard trucks (photo diary)
Packard Museum: Early Packards (photo diary)
WAAAM: Automobiles of the 1920s (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Early Fords in the Classic Auto Museum (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Automobiles of the 1920s (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Packards in America's Car Museum (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Automobiles of the 1920s in America's Car Museum (Photo Diary)
LeMay Family Collection: Cars before 1920 (Photo Diary)