1929 Packard 640 Custom Eight

Throughout most of the classic era, Packard outsold all of its competitors in the United States—including Lincoln, Cadillac and Pierce-Arrow. At its peak, in 1928, Packard built some of the most luxurious cars available anywhere in the world.

In 1929 Packard prices started at $2,600, while Henry Ford was producing vehicles that sold for $440. The Packard brothers offered a more refined automobile with an improved design and innovations like the modern steering wheel. Packard built vehicles were consistently considered the elite in luxury automobiles and developed a following not only in the United States, but also abroad. The company was commonly referred to as being one of the 'Three P's' of American motordom royalty, along with Pierce and Peerless. Packard's leadership of the luxury car field was supreme. Entering into the 1930s Packard attempted to beat the stock market crash and subsequent depression by manufacturing ever more opulent and expensive cars than it had prior to October 1929.

Model year 1929 was a big year for Packard, as all of their vehicles were now fitted with straight-eight engines. More than 54,000 vehicles were sold during the model year, marking 1929 as Packard's most successful year. It was the first year of production for the Standard Eight in-line engine, as Packard 8 began replacing the 6 in 1925 in larger vehicles. Displacement grew slightly over the next few years, but the basic layout remained unchanged, emphasizing smoothness and durability rather than sheer power. This is a series 633 Phaeton model.