Fresh from Shorpy’s wonderful archive of images comes this picture of a lady looking happy in a Packard. We think it’s a 1923 Phaeton Sports 126 with custom body by Pullman ( or do you know different?) and there are some interesting details to explore in the excellent quality of the 5 X 7 glass negative. We would expect the Packard to sit on its usual solid wheels, the original wheels stud holes are visible in the brake drums, but this car has Buffalo wire wheels – a conversion available at the time- and is shod with Kent Balloon Tyres. There would have been a motometer sitting on top of the radiator cap, but the owner of this car prefers the fabulous ‘Winged Sea Goddess’ usually found on 1920’s Hudsons.
The comments left on the Shorpy website are an encyclopedia of knowledge ( not always accurate) but one contributor identified the building across Jefferson Square Park in the picture’s background as the McKittrick Hotel which featured in Alfred Hitchcock’s film ‘Vertigo’ and was demolished two years after filming.
Last, but not least, who is the lovely lady I wonder?
(Text Robin Batchelor, pictures courtesy SHORPY)