Packard - the history of the brand and the revival of the forgotten 526 Convertible Coupe

The Packard automobile brand fell into oblivion back in 1958. It’s not surprising that only fans of vintage cars and fans of classical literature know about it. It was the latter that immortalized these cars on its pages.


Nowadays you can meet Packard of at least some model mainly at exhibitions and in private collections. But sometimes these cars are found in abandoned garages. As a rule, the condition of such cars is deplorable.

But when you find rare examples like the Packard 526 Convertible Coupe, it makes sense to restore them. Yes, in some cases it is easier to make a replica than to tinker with an old, completely rotten car. But this is history, especially since such a Packard could be used by the “powers that be” from the past.


Today we will talk about the origins of the brand and the 526 Convertible Coupe model, found in an old barn. This car was lucky - it was restored. Now he brings joy to his owner and those around him.

Brand origin

Initially, Packard was not founded to produce cars. Brothers Ward and William Packard planned to engage in electrification. Beginning in 1890, the Packard Electric Company made light bulbs and other related products. James Packard later joined the cause.

The brothers' business was going well, they had enough money. Therefore, James could afford to buy a car. By the way, one of the first in the USA. It was in 1898 that the Winton company, the only automobile manufacturer on the continent, began operating in Cleveland.


By that time, James Packard had trained as a design engineer and even managed to purchase a De Dion trike. In general, the young businessman went to buy a Winton brand car.

According to legend, James was not satisfied with the purchased car for a number of reasons:

✅ It turned out to be slow
✅ Broke down several times while returning home and only had to travel 50 miles
✅ Comfort level was close to zero

And one more interesting fact - the car was purchased on the 13th. Plus, the car turned out to be the 13th copy in a row, which was overall unlucky.


The businessman was clearly counting on some kind of apology, perhaps that the low-quality car would be replaced or at least repaired. But that was not the case! The chief designer of the Winton Motor Carriage company was an emigrant from Scotland. The local residents have always been distinguished by their rebellious and violent disposition, and most importantly, stubbornness.


In addition, Alexander Winton was the first and so far the only automobile manufacturer in the United States. Accordingly, he was selling an exclusive and could afford to be arrogant. Despite the high cost, there were enough customers in the USA. Moreover, the cars were assembled by hand and the manufacturer could not ensure mass production.

In general, Alexander Winton pompously answered Packard that he had the best cars in the USA and that was true. And he advised critics to try to make a “self-propelled carriage” themselves. And he added that James definitely won’t succeed, he’s sure.

First prototype

Offended, Packard decided to punish Winton along with his brother William. He was insulted by a “techie,” a hired worker, not even the owner of the company, because it belonged to the Rockefeller family.

Rich businessmen lured over to their side one of the major shareholders of Winton Motor Cariage and the general manager of the same company. And they obtained all the necessary technical documentation before leaving for a new place of work.


And just a year later at the New York & Ohio Co. electrical plant. The first Packard automobile was created. The rights to it were divided between the Packard brothers and Winton's major shareholder, Weiss.

The car left the factory gates on November 6, 1899. It had a number of features:

✅ Single-cylinder petrol engine with a volume of 2,3 liters per 9 liters. With.
✅ Large wheels
✅ Control lever instead of a traditional steering wheel

The prototype turned out to be of higher quality and more reliable than Winton.

Brand development and participation in competitions

The first model was called Packard A. The fact that it was superior to its only competitor in the United States is evidenced by the fact that the first couple of cars were bought by William Rockefeller. And this, for a moment, is the then owner of Winton Motor Carriage.


Packard A was only produced for a year. We collected 5 cars. In 1900, the model was replaced by the Packard B. 49 copies of these cars were already produced. The car was almost no different from the previous one, only the wheelbase was increased by 130 mm.

Towards the end of 1900, the Packard C appeared. This car received a new engine with a displacement of 3,0 liters. Its power increased to 12 hp. With. Let us recall that the engine of the first Packard developed only 9 “horses”. It was this car that had the round steering wheel familiar to modern drivers.


Production volumes grew - in order to raise the prestige of the brand, Packard management began to participate in various competitions already in 1901. You just need to understand that the races of those years were more like rallies. The machines did not compete with each other, but simply carried themselves to the masses. As they say, “let’s hit sloppiness with a motor rally!”


In the first race from New York to Buffalo, the manufacturer Packard entered five of its cars. All of them were able to reach the finish line, which was already considered an achievement in those years, and they also took 2nd and 3rd places in the overall standings.

Packard Single Six

The Convertible Coupe model, which we will tell you about in more detail today, belongs to the Second Generation. These cars were produced from 1921 to 1928.


The Packard Single Six was assembled in different body types, ranging from a sedan to a pickup truck. The Convertible Coupe model belongs to the fifth series. Such cars were assembled from 1927 to 1929.

Packard Single Six differed not only in body types, but also in engine power. In total, more than 100 thousand cars belonging to this series were produced. One of the rarest models is the Packard Convertible Coupe.

A valuable find

This specimen was found in a barn in Texas. The rare car looked pitiful and could have been scrapped. It’s good that the new owner of the land on which the barn was located decided to call experts.

It turned out to be a 1928 Packard Convertible Coupe. They decided to restore the model a little and put it up for sale through auction.


A new owner was found quickly. He restored a rare car, although it was difficult to do. Finding original parts turned out to be almost impossible. We had to pick up something from other cars, but mostly the parts were made to order.

Now the 1928 Packard Convertible Coupe is running and making the owner happy. Of course, this car is not capable of surprising with its speed characteristics, but it invariably attracts the attention of others.

By the way, Packard brand cars are also rarely found on sale in Russia. For example, they currently offer one fully restored 1937 One-Twenty. The car is in perfect condition and is worth accordingly. They are asking 12 million rubles for the car.