Packard Six


The Packard Six was a series of luxury automobiles built over several generations by Packard from 1913 until 1947. The name was originally used to describe the car in general terms, while Series numbers were initially used and changed every year to denote wheelbases, then the number classification changed as market conditions changed so as to keep competitive with other luxury brands.
There are three generations that used a six-cylinder engine before World War II, with varying engine displacements and periodic mechanical changes.

First Generation (1912–1915)

The Packard Six was the first top level luxury platform built by the company to introduce a six-cylinder engine, and was offered in three wheelbase options of,, and. This was the last Packard to use the term "model" in its designation. Officially, the car was first introduced as the Packard Six Series 1-48. The car was described with varying marketing terms such as the Packard Six, the Packard Dominant Six, the Packard 'Six-48', '1248', and the Packard '48'. The '48' designation was assigned to T-head engines, while the Series 1-38 or '38' designation was used for L-head engines that used a different valve configuration. The transmission offered three forward gears and was installed at the rear axle. The Six was replaced in 1916 with the Packard Twin Six and was the only platform manufactured in two wheelbases. Retail price of an Imperial Landaulet 7-passenger sedan was US$6,550.
The line consisted of:
  • 1912: 1-48
  • 1913: 1-38
  • 1913: 2-48
  • 1914: 1-38
  • 1914: 2-38
  • 1914: 3-48
  • 1914: 4-48
  • 1915: 3-38
  • 1915: 5-48

    Second Generation (1921–1928)

Beginning in 1921, the L-head engine was once again the only engine offered with a 116" wheelbase. It was officially identified as the Packard Single Six until it was joined with the Packard Single Eight in 1924. Once the eight cylinder engine was introduced, the Six was repositioned as a mid-level luxury car competing with the Buick Master Six and later the Chrysler Six, with a retail price of a 1921 5-passenger sedan listed at US$4,940.
This generation introduced updated vehicle identification: 1st digit is series, 2nd and 3rd digits refer to wheelbase. F.e.: 233 is 2nd series Six, 133" wheelbase. 326 is 3rd series Six, 126" wheelbase.
The line consisted of:
  • 1st Series
  • * series 116, 116 in. wheelbase. This model was also designated the Single Six.
  • * series 126, 126 in. wheelbase. This model was also designated the Single Six.
  • * series 133, 133 in. wheelbase. This model was also designated the Single Six.
  • 2nd Series
  • * series 226, 126 in. wheelbase
  • * series 233, 133 in. wheelbase
  • 3rd Series
  • * series 326, 126 in. wheelbase
  • * series 333, 133 in. wheelbase
  • 4th Series
  • * series 426, 126 in. wheelbase
  • * series 433, 133 in. wheelbase
  • 5th Series
  • * series 526, 126 in. wheelbase
  • * series 533, 133 in. wheelbase
The Six was discontinued after the 5th series, and there was no Packard six cylinder car until the 1937 115-C. As the complicated naming system was revised for 1929, 626 and 633 refer to the new 1929 Packard Standard Eight in a similar way. 5th series Eight was omitted.

Third Generation (1937–1947)

Packard reintroduced the six cylinder model as the Packard Fifteenth Series Six Model 115-C, a lower priced companion to the One-Twenty. The first model year was 1937-1942 where it used a L-head engine, and was called the Packard One-Ten beginning in 1940. It was introduced as an affordable middle-class family car competing with the Oldsmobile L-Series and DeSoto sixes and the retail price for a 4-door sedan was US$895 while the station wagon was listed at US$1,295.
When production resumed after the war in the fall of 1945, the model year 1946 resumed with pre-war designs, and all models with the larger L-head engine were now called the Packard Clipper, with designations of Clipper Six. The listed retail price of the Clipper Series 2100 4-door Touring Sedan Model 1682 was US$1730.