Ask the Man Who Drives One
The Seventh Series Packards went on sale in August 1929. That autumn, the stock market crashed, setting in motion the worst economic crisis of the 20th century. Come Monday, June 16, 1930, a day that saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average fall yet again, to its lowest point since the start of the year, this stunningly beautiful Packard was delivered to its new owner in New Haven, Connecticut. We can only wonder what this Packard’s first owner may have felt about these developments and whether it affected the decision to purchase a car at all.
As a Standard Eight, this 7-33 phaeton was among the more affordable offerings from Packard for the 1930 model year. In fact, Packard’s advertising touted the value of a Standard Eight over time, comparing its high quality and low cost of ownership with the false economy of cheaper cars not built to the same standard. How many prospective purchasers may have turned away from a $1,600 to $1,700 car “of Packard size” and to a $2,425 Standard Eight
