In early 1929, the Packard executives in Detroit circulated a memo to their distributors describing a new, high-speed, sporting model to be built for the upcoming Seventh-Series lineup in extremely limited numbers, and available by special order only. Featuring a 134.5" wheelbase, the Seventh-Series 734 was a high-performance model that has since earned a reputation as one of the finest sporting automobiles built by an American manufacturer prior to WWII. The brainchild of Col. Jesse G. Vincent, Packard’s vice president of engineering, the 734 Speedster was in every way a factory hot rod, built on Packard’s shortest chassis and equipped with 19” wheels, high-speed rear end (3.31:1), finned brake drums, and a tuned DeLuxe Eight 385 cid straight eight with special manifolds. Featuring an exotic dual-throat Detroit Lubricator carburetor, hemispherical combustion chambers, a cutout-equipped exhaust system, and a high-compression cylinder head, the open Speedsters produced a stout 145 hp. After the Duesenberg Model J, it was the most powerful eight-cylinder American car available to the public in 1930.

The 734 Speedsters could reach 60 mph in second gear and had a top speed in excess of 110 mph – figures that were virtually unheard of for any production car in the period, let alone a well-appointed luxury car. Not only did these Packards offer impressive performance, these brilliantly engineered cars were pleasant to drive and elegantly designed. When new, they commanded more than $5,000 – at a time when a new Ford roadster cost just $460. Each one was extensively run at the Packard Proving Grounds and was stated to be capable of high-speed runs upon delivery.

Exclusive from the outset, and never advertised, the 734 Speedster was offered in five distinct body styles: boattail runabout, phaeton, two-door victoria, sedan, and the 2/4-place runabout roadster which followed soon after the initial announcement. Custom-tailored to the dimensions of the 734 chassis, the bodies were built in Packard’s in-house custom coachworks, where custom bodies were built six-inches narrower, and six inches lower than standard bodies. In addition, the cowl was moved rearward by six inches to create more sleek and striking proportions. While most body styles were more conservative, the runabout in particular, with its minimal top and staggered seating arrangement, was overtly sporting and proved to be the most popular variant. In all, just 113 examples of the 734 are estimated to have been built, just 39 of which were outfitted with the runabout boattail body, including the Packard offered here.

Nelson W. Brinckerhoff was orphaned at just two years of age, but adopted by his uncle, who was established in the high-society circles of the affluent enclave of Englewood, New Jersey. Living on a substantial inheritance, he purchased this 734 Speedster Runabout new when he was 21 years old and had it shipped to his home in Switzerland. One can easily imagine what an exotic sight the sleek Speedster was on the idyllic avenues and roads near his Alpine residence.

Around 1932, Mr. Brinckerhoff sold his 734, which may have coincided with his purchase of the Murphy-bodied Duesenberg Model J Dual-Cowl Phaeton, J-175. According to the Speedster Eight Register, Nat Weiss purchased the 734, likely directly from Mr. Brinckerhoff and possibly while the car was still in Europe. Mr. Weiss, had the 734 shipped back to the US, and maintained ownership for over 15 years. Beginning in about 1946, Mr. Weiss frequented a Shell service station in Hillsdale, New Jersey, owned by George Jepson, who was immediately smitten with the sleek Packard and attempted to buy the car on the spot from Mr. Weiss. With his offers rebuffed for years, the two men eventually fell out of touch. When Mr. Jepson was able to re-establish contact in 1951, Mr. Weiss informed him that he had sold the Speedster just two weeks prior. Fortunately, Mr. Jepson was able to make a deal with that buyer, Kermit Chandigian, after just two months of ownership.

With his prize finally in hand, Mr. Jepson commenced a substantial restoration of the Packard, and debuted it at the very first CCCA Grand Classic, where the car earned Senior award badge no. 5. Mr. Jepson, an avid Packard enthusiast, later became president of the CCCA, and he and his wife enjoyed numerous CCCA CARavans in the 734. In 1958, they were thrilled to have the Speedster Runabout featured in a Road & Track salon article. Several letters in the history file refer to the Jepsons becoming practically synonymous with the Speedster in classic car circles, adding some 50,000 miles to it during their 22-year stewardship.

Enter Donald R. Peterson of Atlanta, Georgia, who, in a repeat of the circumstances of the Packard’s previous change of ownership, first met Mr. Jepson and set eyes on his burgundy 734 in 1958 at the CCCA January Annual Meeting. Enchanted by its design, he too began a quest to be its next owner and was eventually granted the right of first refusal. His ongoing efforts were finally rewarded in late 1973, when Mr. Jepson, true to his word, offered the beguiling Runabout to Mr. Peterson, who had to part with a Bugatti, a Delahaye, and an early Rolls-Royce to complete the deal. Mr. Peterson and his family maintained and drove their cherished Packard on numerous CARavans, Glidden Tours, and even a turn on the Colorado Grand in 2004. However, by far the most epic excursion undertaken in the Packard was the Petersons’ 29-day excursion, traveling 9,638-miles, on a lap around the country with the CCCA in 1995, during which they logged mileage in each of the 48 contiguous states in the US, naming their adventure “One Lap of America.”

A “car guy” of the highest order, Don Peterson was the first recipient of the CCCA Distinguished Service Award, and was former owner and editor of *Car Collector *magazine. He also became known by his 734, and was always happy to regale any admirer of it with any of the hundreds of stories of his life with the car. His four sons have followed suit, exhibiting the humble pride that true gentleman portray, who happen to own a truly spectacular car. In the three years since Don Peterson’s passing, the decision has been made by his family to bid the Speedster farewell, ending their 50-year tenure with the car. In recent months, the Speedster has undergone a light restoration, renewing key items, including exhaust, electrical, and suspension components, and installing an extremely rare and correct pair of Packard-Lyon metal side-mount covers. Details of the work are contained in the 734’s 97-page historical dossier.

Over the decades, the beauty, performance, and radical proportions of the few surviving Packard 734s have earned them a mythical status among American classics, with the finest examples changing hands infrequently. Gooding & Company is honored to have been chosen by the Peterson family to present their car, revered in knowledgeable circles as one of the very best surviving Speedster Runabouts, and with a particularly limited roster of doting, long-term owners. The importance of this offering is self-evident and should be given utmost consideration.