History
In June 1966 I bought this 1947 Packard Straight eight for 55 pounds ($110.00). It had been a J&A Brown company car. (This company owned 70% of the coal mines in NSW). The car was in good condition with the interior like new. I drove this car to work at BHP and to University of an evening and did my first long road trips in it including prospecting trips ( 2nd photo). On one trip it developed a very loud engine knock. The NRMA mechanic said he thought a big end bearing had collapsed. Rather than tow it which would be very expensive I decided to keep driving and see how far I could get - that would reduce the cost of the tow. Well I got all the way home and since I could not afford to repair it on my student income I drove it for several months. Although the engine sounded like someone was hitting the block with a hammer, it never actually failed. I later bought a 1949 RHD Cadillac Convertible and had to sell the Packard as I had no where to keep it. I had such great memories of driving the Packard that earlier this year I decided to try buy one again and in June this year exactly 50 years later I bought a RHD 1947 Packard eight with electric overdrive and drove it from Frankston in Victoria to my home near Lake Macquarie, NSW. ( 3rd and 4th photos) It was a great trip - the car drove like a dream and I had to keep backing of the accelerator on the freeway. My dream is to drive the car around Australia.
Modifications
None. The car has done just over 74,000 miles and has been restored close to original specification as practical. eg radial tyres fitted instead of cross-ply.
