PROVENANCE
Dr. Lawrence R. Davis, Ardmore, Pennsylvania (acquired new in 1937)
Elmer Hess, Cincinnati, Ohio (acquired circa mid-1950s)
O. William Perin, Cincinnati, Ohio (acquired from the above in 1959)
Current Owner (acquired from the above in 2014)

EXHIBITED
Dayton Concours d’Elegance at Carillon Park, Dayton, Ohio, September 2010 (Best of Show)
Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, Amelia Island, Florida, March 2011 (Best in Class)
Indianapolis Concours d’Elegance, Indianapolis, Indiana, May 2011 (Best in Class)
Cincinnati Concours d’Elegance, Cincinnati, Ohio, June 2011 (Best in Class)
Keeneland Concours d’Elegance, Lexington, Kentucky, July 2011 (Class Winner)
St. John’s Concours d’Elegance, Plymouth, Michigan, August 2011 (Class Winner)
Dayton Concours d’Elegance at Carillon Park, Dayton, Ohio, September 2011 (Best in Class)
CCCA Annual Meeting, Savannah, Georgia, March 2015 (Best in Class)
CCCA Chesapeake Grand Classic, July 2015 (Best in Class, Perfect 100-Point Score)
St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance, St. Michaels, Maryland, September 2015 (Best in Class, Director’s Award)
Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®, Pebble Beach, California, August 2016 (Second in Class)

THIS CAR
The 1937 Packard Twelve is considered by many to be the high-water mark for one of America’s most revered automakers. Packard’s largest and most expensive offering in 1937, the Model 1508 Convertible Sedan was the last to be built on its imposing 144" wheelbase. Packard Twelves were known for their unwavering quality, opulent appointments, striking bodies, and nearly silent 473 cid V-12 engine. Building upon that, Packard dramatically improved the 1937 edition through its introduction of the Safe-T-Flex front independent suspension, hydraulic braking, upgraded steering, and vacuum-assisted clutch.

Delivered to the Philadelphia Packard dealership in August 1937, this elegant Convertible Sedan was reportedly sold new to Dr. Lawrence R. Davis, a Philadelphia-area physician. After passing through the collection of Elmer Hess, a prominent Ohio businessman, the car was purchased by O. William “Bill” Perin in 1959. The Packard was Mr. Perin’s most prized automobile and remained in his family’s loving care for more than 50 years.

In 2005, Mr. Perin commissioned a thorough body-off restoration, but he passed away just after the project commenced. As a tribute to its patriarch, the Perin family chose to continue the comprehensive restoration of this extraordinary convertible sedan.

Upon completion of the 4 1/2-year effort, the Perin family took to the concours circuit. The Packard’s debut outing earned Best of Show at the 2010 Dayton Concours d’Elegance. It went on to collect impressive class wins at such marquee events as the 2011 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance and the 2011 St. John’s Concours d’Elegance.

In 2014, the Packard was sold to its current owner, who enlisted Al Prueitt and Sons of Glen Rock, Pennsylvania, to freshen the restoration. Since its completion, the car has continued to amass show victories, including a perfect 100-point score at the 2015 CCCA Chesapeake Grand Classic in the Mid-Atlantic region. It has also earned its CCCA Primary and CCCA Senior Badges. In 2016, the Packard Twelve was invited to compete at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®, where it was awarded Second in Class.

Presented in elegant Centennial Blue with covered side-mounted spare tires and accessory Trippe driving lights, this Packard Twelve 1508 Convertible Sedan exudes presence. Boasting an award-winning restoration and a well-documented provenance, this 1508 Convertible Sedan is poised for continued success on the show field and for grand open-air touring.