1936 proved to be a tremendous year for Packard with the new 120 model providing a huge boost in sales. This pushed Packard to its largest production year thus far with nearly 81,000 cars leaving the Michigan facility during 1936. Despite the effects of the Great Depression, Packard had successfully rebranded its image from being exclusively a luxury marque to one that met the needs of the working middle class all the while still building models for the most elite of clientele. The Packard Twelve continued to be the gold standard of production with the massive 7.8 liter V12 engine producing 175hp. Only 682 Packard Twelve chassis would be built for 1936 and while a various number of bodies were available from the factory, a few were sent to coachbuilders such as LeBaron. One of the most striking designs was the 1407 Series All Weather Cabriolet that was built as a limited, special order only model. It was just as luxurious as it was stylish and had a pricetag to reflect this. It was one of Packard’s most expensive models and cost $6,290 new – the equivalent of over $110,000 today.

The 1936 Packard Twelve All Weather Cabriolet featured here, with a registration number of 188648, has some of the best provenance of any Packard Twelve that can be found on the market. This magnificent motorcar is one of very few Packard Twelve All Weather Cabriolets known to exist and comes finished in stunning Hunter Green over black with a beautiful green interior. It was sold new in Hollywood, California, and was eventually owned by iconic silent film star Charlie Chaplin during his ownership of Charlie Chaplin Studios before being acquired by a Southern California collector in 1971. The family would retain ownership until the fall of 2017. During its 45 plus years of collector ownership, this Packard was rented by several television and movie studios for use both on the big and small screen. Packard 188648 was famously used in the 1978 automotive industry drama “The Betsy” starring Academy Award winners Laurence Olivier, Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones. Additionally, it was later used in the second season of “Remington Steele” staring Pierce Brosnan. A truly unique Packard with incredible history, 188648 remains extremely well presentable to this day. Having previously undergone a light cosmetic restoration on the exterior, the automobile remains largely original on the inside showing just over 11,000 believed-to-be actual miles. The older cosmetic restoration is beginning to show its age with some patina and wear which only adds to the charm of this iconic motorcar. A largely complete example of an extremely rare coach built Packard, 188648 would make an excellent candidate for a full concours level restoration or to simply be enjoyed as is.

Don’t miss an incredible opportunity to own not just an extremely rare car, but a very historic one as well. We are proud to offer this Packard Twelve to the most astute collector or enthusiast who understands and appreciates the investment potential of this great American marque. Ready to make an investment that you can actually enjoy? Classic cars have proven to be among the most resilient and rewarding investments in recent years with the Historic Automobile Group Index (HAGI) jumping 39% in 2013, 16% in 2014 and 17% in 2015 while posting gains of 467% over the last 10 years. Please contact one of our expert sales consultants concerning pricing or for more information. They will be happy to give you a complete walk-around, supply you with a more detailed description and answer any questions you may have. Buy with confidence.