The 1949 Packard Monte Carlo

1 The 1949 Packard Monte Carlo The Start of Something Special

3 Geoffrey R. Hacker, Ph.D. — Undiscovered Classics — The 1949 Packard Monte Carlo The Start of Something Special

4 The 1949 Packard Monte Carlo The Start of Something Special PUBLISHED BY: Undiscovered Classics 6306 Memorial Highway Tampa, Florida 33615-4538 UndiscoveredClassics.com PRODUCTION Authorship, Layout, and Design: Geoffrey R. Hacker, Ph.D. Artwork: Dan Palatnik PHOTO CREDITS Photography: George Hamlin, Leon Dixon, Blake Johnson (Savoy) and Geoff Hacker Cover Art: Dan Palatnik © 2025 BY UNDISCOVERED CLASSICS PRINTED IN THE USA All rights reserved for all countries, including the right of translation. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photography, recording, xerography, computer scanning or any information or storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without permission in writing from the publisher, except where one wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review written for inclusion in a magazine, newspaper, or broadcast.

5 Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................. i PART I— INTRODUCING THE MONTE CARLO Streamlining: A New Style For Postwar Automobiles ......... 1 An All New Packard Design for 1948 ................................. 3 The Monte Carlo Coupe: 127 Inch Wheelbase .................. 5 The Monte Carlo Convertible: 120 Inch Wheelbase ........... 7 Henney Motor Company, Richard Arbib & Packard Show Cars ................................. 9 PART II— PACKARD MONTE CARLO: ART & PHOTOGRAPHY Dan Palatnik Studios ......................................................... 11 Vintage Photography ......................................................... 17 PART III— THE BIRTH OF POSTWAR SHOW CARS 1940s Postwar Show Cars................................................. 21 1940s Postwar Automobile Shows .................................... 25 Postwar Automobile Magazines and Publicity .................... 27 PART IV— HAGERTY’S BARN FIND HUNTER: 2018 Visit to Undiscovered Classics ................................................ 29 PART V— THE SAVOY AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM: 2025 Preservation / Barn Find Exhibit .............................................. 31 Savoy Museum Photos ........................................................... 33 Savoy Social Media ............................................................... 43 PART VI— OLD CARS MAGAZINE: 2019--2025 Overview ............................................................................ 45 Part 1: Old Cars Magazine: January 10, 2019 .................... 47 Part 2: Old Cars Magazine: October 15, 2024 .................... 51 Part 3: Old Cars Magazine: December 15, 2024 ................ 59 Part 4: Old Cars Magazine: May 15, 2025.......................... 65 APPENDIX CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

6 PART VII— APPENDIX Specifications: 1949 Monte Carlo Convertible ................................... 81 Richard Arbib: A Car Is Born—The Pan American Debuts ................ 83 Photos: Peter Krell Collection ........................................................... 87 Photos: 1993 Texas Auction ............................................................. 89 Photos: Pick Up Day February 16th 2018 ......................................... 91 References ....................................................................................... 93 George Hamlin ............................................................................ 95 Leon Dixon .................................................................................. 101 Robert Neal ................................................................................. 105 John Jacobus .............................................................................. 109 Thomas McPherson .................................................................... 111 Additional References ................................................................. 113 About Us ........................................................................................... 115 Geoffrey R. Hacker Ph.D. ............................................................ 115 Social Media ................................................................................ 117 Richard Arbib Artwork: 1953

7 Acknowledgements So many questions…but what an adventure this has been and the best news yet - the journey’s not over. We’ve been doing our due diligence to put together a research team as well as get the Packard Monte Carlo ready for its’ debut at the Savoy Automobile Museum in Cartersville, Georgia in the Spring of 2025. We couldn’t ask for better people that have joined us on this quest as follows: • Leon Dixon and George Hamlin—Packard historians who are decades deep in their knowledge and well-respected for their expertise—especially concerning Richard Arbib, his Packard show cars and the history of the Packard Monte Carlo • Stuart and Stella Blond—Packard historians and shared their expertise on the 22nd and 23rd Series Packards • Robin James—Second generation Packard owner, restorer and mechanic – a one man powerhouse with nearly 50 years of mechanical and restoration experience who is resurrecting the Monte Carlo • Alden Jewell—Automobile historian and literature collector extraordinaire who helped us more closely understand the innovative styling characteristics of the late 1940s and how this quickly evolved to a new style taking root in the 1950s • Bud Juneau—Packard historian, researcher, writer, author and great friend to so many people across the hobby • Mike Grimes— Packard Historian who works for Max Merritt Packard Parts who has been our “go to” guy for hard to get parts to make our Monte Carlo complete • Dan Palatnik—Dan’s artistic talent in rendering both the coupe and convertible versions of the Monte Carlo—and stock Packards—allows us to see the original design intentions of Richard Arbib for Henney Motor Company • Alice Horner—Alice’s father was a Henney Executive from 1927-1954. She has been consistently supportive of our questions and interest, and has helped us understand more closely the relationship between Henney and Packard Dealerships in Freeport Illinois. • Paul Sable, Mike Puma and Craig Johnson—Part of our own Undiscovered Classics team who have delved into the history of the Monte Carlo and helped us review copious amounts of information for detail in our research • Joel Driskill and Mike Puma—Supreme researchers who did a deep digital dive on archive newspapers for Freeport Garage— one of the Freeport Dealers that may have commissioned and/or owned the Packard Monte Carlo • Robert Neal—Although we never had a chance to meet Robert who passed away in 2015, his book titled “Packard 1948-1950” has a section on the Packard Monte Carlo which provided key details of the Monte Carlo’s history So… as with any significant project, we’ve assembled a stellar research team and have been honored by their insights, participation, contributions and friendship. Great thanks to each of them as well as those not mentioned in the above list for helping us put the lost pieces together and learn about the history of Packard, Henney, Richard Arbib and the birth of the Packard Monte Carlos. Geoff Hacker Undiscovered Classics

8 1949 Packard Monte Carlo Hardtop; Designed by Richard Arbib and Built by Henney Motor Company

1 PART I—INTRODUCING THE PACKARD MONTE CARLO Streamlining: A New Style For Postwar Automobiles Few historians focus on the simple, clean styling that was popular in the late 1940s. This new styling evolved from the streamlining principles of the 1930s where side body panels were kept smooth and flat to evoke the appearance and excitement of speed. Longer, lower, wider….these were the dominant characteristics that drove the design of these cars into the early 1950s. This futuristic new “look” was exciting—and in many ways it predicted how styling was going to change in postwar America. This design was first seen by the public just before World War II. One of the first cars to embody this style was the 1937 Phantom Corsair—designed by Rust Heinz and built by Bohman and Schwartz. Next, Chrysler launched two concept cars that also emphasized this new streamlined look - the 1941 Thunderbolt and the 1941 Newport. After World War II, the slab-sided styling continued to be popularized and was adopted by several American postwar manufacturers including: • Kaiser-Frazer (47-50) • Hudson (48-53) • Ford and Mercury (49-51) • Nash (49-51) • Kurtis Sports Cars (49-50) European manufacturers also embraced this style including: • Cisitalia 202 coupe (47-52) • Jaguar with their slab-sided XK120 (48-54) • Porsche 356/1 and 356/2 (48-51)

2 1948 Packard Sales Advertising for the Custom 8 Convertible (Left) and the Super 8 Convertible (Right)

3 An All New Packard Design For 1948 After World War II, Packard wanted a fresh, new look and body re-design began immediately. This change would embrace automotive industry trends and emphasize smooth contours, minimal chrome and a long flowing roofline. This new shape would define all Packard automobiles from 1948 through 1950. The first Packard automobiles with this new design were convertibles – the Super 8 and the Custom 8. The 1948 Super 8 convertible debuted in August 1947 and quickly made an impact. This stylish, streamlined car was recognized as “Car of the Year” by the New York Fashion Academy – an influential organization tied to automobile manufacturers across the world. But by early 1949 (two years after this styling appeared) this streamlined look—often referred to as “bathtub styling" - started to lose its’ appeal. Manufacturers knew they were going to have to change. But in what direction? Fortunately, one of Packard’s business partners, Henney Motor Company, had an answer. Henney was a coachbuilder from Freeport Illinois and worked exclusively with Packard in the pre and postwar years. They focused on designing and building “professional” cars for Packard which included ambulances, hearses, flower cars and limousines. After World War II, they saw an opportunity to expand their work with Packard by designing a specialty car—something that would get the attention of the elite Packard customer. Something they could build exclusively for Packard. To this end, in early 1949 Henney added an industrial designer to their team - Richard Arbib. To showcase his talents for Packard, Arbib was tasked with enhancing the styling of the 1948 Packard in small ways that could make a big difference. Ultimately, Arbib created his first Packard design for Henney and named his design the “Monte Carlo.” This was the first car designed by Richard Arbib that took “full form”. Design work began in the spring of 1949 when the 22nd Series Packards were still being sold. Two donor 22nd Series cars were acquired from Packard – a 1948 Super 8 convertible (120” wheelbase). and a 1948 Packard Custom 8 convertible (127” wheelbase).

4 1949 Packard Monte Carlo Hardtop Coupe by Richard Arbib; Built by Henney Motor Company. Dan Palatnik Rendering.

5 The Packard Monte Carlo Hardtop Coupe: 127 inch wheelbase The first car built would be the Monte Carlo Hardtop Coupe based on the longer wheelbase Custom 8 Convertible. The Monte Carlo Hardtop showcased several unique features: • The exterior stock badging was removed and a signature “Monte Carlo” script was added on each front fender • A newly styled Packard emblem was affixed to the front grille, the trunk and on each front fender • A stylish new hardtop was fitted • The rear of the car was redesigned with unique taillights and styling • The front wheel well openings were dropped approximately 6 inches to give the entire car a lower more sleek appearance • Two-tone paint was used to making the car appear more sleek and speedy in design • This look was magnified with a series of horizonal chrome trim added to each side of the car • The front grille was shortened and lowered and inset fog lights were added • The hood was reshaped to fit the new lower grille • Arbib added a subtle element of design to the Monte Carlo—a custom Cormorant hood ornament that was comprised of both clear acrylic and steel. This design was only seen on the Monte Carlo Packard. The Monte Carlo Hardtop Coupe was a stylish Packard that made an immediate impression to anyone who saw the car. This full-form hardtop coupe design was built using clay as a mock-up—a car that could be seen but not driven. It was shown to Packard as a possible way to move forward with a new model for their 1949-1950 line-up.

6 1949 Packard Monte Carlo Super 8 Convertible by Richard Arbib; Built by Henney Motor Company. Dan Palatnik Rendering.

7 The Packard Monte Carlo Convertible: 120 inch wheelbase For years, researchers heard rumors of a second Packard Monte Carlo that had been built—one that was a running/driving model. But no evidence of it had ever been found. That changed in 1989 when Peter Krell of Texas, a car enthusiast and prolific car collector and seller found the Monte Carlo Super 8 Convertible near Houston Texas and made it available for sale. Since then, the car has changed hands twice until being acquired in 2018 by Geoffrey Hacker of Undiscovered Classics in Tampa, Florida. The design changes to the Monte Carlo Convertible were less radical than that of the hardtop but still significant enough to retain the more sleek and lean look that Arbib originally attempted. As with the hardtop, the Monte Carlo convertible also showcased several unique features: • The exterior stock badging was removed and a signature “Monte Carlo” script was added on each front fender • The rear of the car was restyled including an update to 23rd series taillights, deleting the trunk handle and Packard script to smooth out the trunk and adding a hidden wire was used behind the fuel door to open the trunk. In addition, rear grillwork from a Custom 8 Convertible was added, modified and reversed to fit the rear of the Monte Carlo Convertible. • The front wheel openings were lowered by 3.5 to 4 inches giving the Monte Carlo Convertible a lower and a faster look without making chassis or drivetrain modifications • Two tone paint was used in the same way as shown on the Monte Carlo Hardtop • As with the Monte Carlo Hardtop, the convertible also utilized long, low horizonal chrome strips which made it look fast and lean • The grille was modified to include the egg-crate design that was unique to Custom 8 Packards and mirrored the use of the same grille in the Monte Carlo Hardtop. Additional custom-built grille pieces were cast in bronze and chromed-plated for the side of the grille to accommodate a different front wheel well design. • Exterior trim was updated from the 22nd Series 1948 Packard to the 23rd Series 1949 Packard. This made it easier to anyone viewing the car to see how the 1949 and 1950 23rd Series Packards would look like with the Monte Carlo features. • As with the Monte Carlo Hardtop, Arbib’s finishing touch on the Monte Carlo Convertible was a custom Packard Cormorant hood ornament that was comprised of both acrylic and steel —but with a slight twist. On the Monte Carlo Convertible, Arbib color matched the acrylic part of the hood ornament to the red paint on the car. This customization added another subtle element of distinction to the Henney/Arbib Packard Monte Carlo.

8 1952 Packard Pan American by Richard Arbib; Built by Henney Motor Company. Photo Shows Debut in March 1952.

9 Henney Motor Company, Richard Arbib & Packard Show Cars Richard Arbib’s career in automobile design was launched with Henney in 1949 with the design and build of the Packard Monte Carlo Hardtop and Convertible. Happily, the 1949 Monte Carlo Super 8 Convertible survives today to help celebrate what would turn out to be the beginning of a successful collaboration of show cars between Packard, Henney and Richard Arbib. Richard Arbib continued with Henney and Packard after this 1949 project, and successfully designed Packard show cars with Henney including the Pan American in 1952 (left) and another named Monte Carlo in 1953 (below). 1953 Packard Monte Carlo by Richard Arbib; Built by Henney Motor Company.

11 PART II—PACKARD MONTE CARLO—ART & PHOTOGRAPHY Dan Palatnik Studios Dan Palatnik has been our artist of choice who has helped recapture the beauty of cars long thought lost and gone forever. We rely on Dan to evoke the design of past automotive treasures and we have consistently used his artwork with our restoration teams here at Undiscovered Classics to bring back the excitement of seeing the best of what a car has to offer to our team and the public who follow our work. In this section of the book, we showcase Dan’s art around both Packard Monte Carlo automobiles as well as renderings of the original stock Packard cars from which each Monte Carlo was derived. Facing Page and Above: Original Packard Monte Carlo Artwork: Dan Palatnik, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: 2025

12 On This Page: A Stock Example of a 1948 Packard Custom 8 Convertible Artwork by Dan Palatnik

13 On This Page: The 1949 Packard Monte Hardtop Coupe Showing Coachwork by Henney Motor Company Artwork by Dan Palatnik

14 On This Page: A Stock Example of a 1948 Packard Super 8 Convertible Artwork by Dan Palatnik

15 On This Page: The 1949 Packard Monte Carlo Super 8 Convertible Showing Coachwork by Henney Motor Company Artwork by Dan Palatnik

16 Photos From The Richard Arbib Archives via George Hamlin

17 Vintage Photography Vintage photos in this section are from the collections of George Hamlin and Richard Arbib. While vintages photos of the 1949 Monte Carlo Coupe have been found, the search continues for the vintage photos of the Monte Carlo convertible. Photos From The Richard Arbib Archives via George Hamlin

18 Photos From The Richard Arbib Archives via George Hamlin

19 Photos From The Richard Arbib Archives via George Hamlin

20 Above: 1938 Buick Y-Job Right: 1937 Phantom Corsair

21 PART III—THE BIRTH OF POSTWAR SHOW CARS 1940s Postwar Show Cars The show car explosion in the 1950s had its roots in the waning years of the 1930s when the Phantom Corsair and the Buick Y-Job first appeared. The 1937 Phantom Corsair, designed by Rust Heinz, was first displayed to the local press in Pasadena California in July 1937. It was then publicly exhibited at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on February 15, 1938. The car was later featured in Esquire magazine and immortalized in the film "The Young at Heart". It was also shown at the New York World's Fair and featured in a segment of the Popular Science magazine film series. Often referred to as the industry’s first concept car, General Motor’s Buick Y-Job was first shown to the public in 1938. Later, it appeared in a parade in Flint Michigan and then at the 1940 New York Auto Show. Soon after in 1941, Chrysler displayed their Thunderbolt and Newport show cars. Revolutionary in design, both were sleek, streamlined automobiles. But when the war started in December 1941, it’s often thought that concept and show cars came to a halt until they reappeared on the scene in 1951 with the GM Le Sabre and the Buick XP-300. Or did they? Above Left: 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt / Above Right: 1941 Chrysler Newport

22 Above Left: 1941 Packard Phantom Center: 1945 Cadillac Interceptor Left: 1946 Darrin

23 During the 1940s, a limited number of innovative designs were built and shown to manufacturers – but these were shown privately and were rarely shown to the public. Examples of such include: • The 1945 Cadillac Interceptor – an in-house design project • Edward Macauley’s Packard Phantom in 1941, 1944 and 1946 - also known as the “Brown Bomber”. (Macauley had a long career at Packard as the director of the new styling department). • Kaiser’ fiberglass prototypes and test cars developed in 1944 and 1945. • Separately, Howard “Dutch” Darrin’s who was a consultant to Kaiser developed a fiberglass car which was the 1946 Darrin. The design of this car strongly predicted the styling of the first Kaiser and Frazer automobiles in 1947 and the later use of fiberglass in the 1954 Kaiser Darrin. The limited number of cars discussed above demonstrate that show cars of the 1940s, as we know them today, were in their infancy. What’s missing from the list above is the work of Henney Motor Company and their designer – Richard Arbib – the 1949 Packard Monte Carlos. 1951 GM LeSabre 1951 Buick XP-300

24 Above: 1950 Chicago Auto Show Program - one of the first new car auto shows after World War II Left and Right: First Year Program Covers of Hot Rod and Custom Car Shows in America

25 1940s Postwar Automobile Shows Another factor that kept the 1940s innovative automobile designs from getting wide-spread attention was the absence of the premier show for the debut of new cars — the Chicago Auto Show (CAS). Manufacturers showcased their cars at the CAS and for some it was the only event they attended. But because of WWII, the Chicago Auto Show was shut down from 1941 thru 1949. While the New York Auto Show and Detroit Auto Show returned in 1947, these shows didn’t carry the weight and reputation of Chicago. General Motors did begin their Motorama shows in 1949 and showcased their own cars, but these shows were not for other manufacturers such as Packard. There were other car shows in the 1940s and these shows marked the beginning of the hot rod, custom and race car age and included: • In 1948 and 1949 Hot Rod Expositions were held at the Armory in Los Angeles California • In 1950 five events were held including the Petersen Motorama in California, Detroit Custom Car Show in Michigan, the Hot Rod & Motor Sports Show in Los Angeles California, the Indianapolis Custom Auto Show in Indiana and the National Roadster Show in Oakland, California. Packard Brought on Stage a Striking 1950 Packard Custom 8 Convertible at the 1950 Chicago Auto Show

26 On This Page: First Issues of Four Automotive Enthusiast Magazines: Throttle: January 1941 Speed Age: May 1947 Road & Track: June 1947 Motor Trend: September 1949

27 Postwar Automobile Magazines and Publicity Research has revealed that the Packard Monte Carlos did not appear in any professional, trade or enthusiast automobile magazines. The answer as to “why” might surprise you. Car magazines for automotive enthusiasts mostly began after World War II. Road & Track started in May 1947 and Speed Age started in June 1947. Motor Trend began in 1948 and Hot Rod followed in 1949. Prior to WWII, car magazines were more professional types of “journals” for people in the automobile industry. Interestingly, stories about cars that appealed to the public were published in magazines such as Popular Science, Popular Mechanics, Mechanix Illustrated and other types of enthusiast magazines which discussed cars but included a greater variety of topics that were not car-related. Many of the car stories that occur before 1950 come from these magazines. Automobile Trade magazines for professionals in the industry did cover topics relevant for automobile manufacturers and “behind the scenes” activity. But again, research has shown that the Packard Monte Carlos didn’t appear in these journals and magazines either—perhaps because it was an “in-house” project by Henney that served only as a demonstration to Packard of the skill and artistry of their new designer—Richard Arbib.

29 PART IV—HAGERTY’S BARN FIND HUNTER: 2018 Visit to Undiscovered Classics Back in March 2018, Hagerty’s “Barn Find Hunter”, Tom Cotter, visited us in Tampa, Florida. The first day we traveled to “Fiberglass Farms” to check out over 50 rare cars in our collection. The second day we discussed two cars stored near my home: the 1959 Cheetah “Moon” Transporter and the 1949 Packard Monte Carlo Convertible. This two day visit turned into two episodes that were released later that year by Hagerty. Combined, these two episodes have been viewed nearly 1,000,000 times since their release. Click Here To View The Episode Featuring The Packard Monte Carlo The video above (episode #43 of Hagerty’s Barn Find Hunter) starts with a discussion of the Moon Transporter. Then, six minutes into the video the segment on the Packard Monte Carlo begins.

31 PART V—THE SAVOY AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM: 2025 Preservation / Barn Find Exhibit In 2025, the Savoy Automobile Museum in Cartersville Georgia held an exhibit featuring important “Barn Find” cars found across America. The “guest curator” for the exhibit and forum was Hagerty’s legendary Barn Find Hunter “Tom Cotter.” Five significant cars were chosen for this display with the 1949 Packard Monte Carlo convertible being one of the cars in the exhibit. Recognizing cars in their “as-found” condition with patina has been a growing trend. In 2001, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance was the first to establish a separate category of these cars. Since then, cars have begun to appear in concours that are in “Preservation” or “Barn Find” condition, and most recently classes have formed around these categories. In 2023 the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance held their first class of “Barn Find Cars” and in 2024 the Hilton Head Concours d’Elegance followed suit. Recently, the preservation / barn find movement gained more significance at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. In 2024, the “Best of Show” award—the most prestigious concours award in the world—was awarded to a preservation car—a 1934 Bugatti Type 59 sports car in “as found” condition. The Savoy Automobile Museum is recognized as hosting the first museum exhibit of “Preservation / Barn Finds cars” held across the world. We’re honored that our 1949 Packard Monte Carlo convertible was chosen as one of the five cars to be included in the exhibit for the public to enjoy. The “Best of Show” Winner at the 2024 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance was a Preservation / Barn Find Car

33 Savoy Museum Photos

42 On This Page: The Savoy Museum Posts About the Packard Monte Carlo on their Facebook Page

43 Savoy Social Media The Packard Monte Carlo Packard Proudly Advertised the Barn Finds Exhibit at the Savoy on Their Web Page: Summer 2025

45 PART VI—OLD CARS MAGAZINE: 2019-2025 Overview Since we acquired the Packard Monte Carlo in early 2018, we’ve been fortunate for the support of people and organizations who have both helped us research the car as well as share the story for the public to enjoy. Angelo Van Bogart of Old Cars Magazine has been with us each step of the way, and helped us bring the Monte Carlo story forward to the public in a series of articles from 2019 thru 2025. In these articles we articulated what was known about the car and what was not known, including each of the steps in our research process and the people participating. In this section of the book, we are sharing reprints of each of the four articles about the Packard Monte Carlo along with additional photos to expand the discussion. Also, shown on the left page is a poster that Old Cars Magazine created for our use when the car is on display in a museum or when it appears at a concours or exhibition. When a person uses their phone and scans the QR Code at the bottom right of the poster, the phone automatically brings up the first article on the Monte Carlo with links below the article to the remaining parts 2, 3 and 4. Here is the link that is scanned by the phone which brings the first article on the phone screen: https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/the-mysterious-packard-monte-carlo-part-i Old Cars Magazine Also Promoted The Monte Carlo in a Series of E-mails to Their Subscribers And Social Media Posts in the Summer of 2025

47 Part 1: Old Cars Magazine—January 10, 2019 The Mysterious Packard Monte Carlo Was There More Than One of the Interesting Henney-Designed Concepts? Maybe! I love research – or at least I think I continue to do so. Our team continues to look at the periphery of the auto hobby – primarily in the early postwar years with our focus on handcrafted cars from across America. I first learned of the 1949 Packard Monte Carlo around 2011 when I was searching late one night for lost cars and other interesting postwar handcrafted mysteries. It showed up (and still is posted) on the site collectorsweekly.com (see image at right), and looked different to me than other Packard bathtubs I’d seen before. Growing up in my teenage years, I had bought my first “old car” in 1976 which was a 1955 Cadillac Fleetwood. While there was great car interest in my family, there was no one mechanically inclined so at the age of 14 I went out and found a mentor where I lived – Paul Terhorst of Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Paul was and still is a Packard guy with a great family….a wife, 3 daughters and no sons. So he put me to work and I learned about Cadillacs, Packards and other cars in my high school years. And….the first Packard I drove of his was a 1949 anniversary model with a gas tank that whistled when you filled it up. Still a fun memory driving that car nearly 40 years later. Over the years Paul continued to press me to buy a Packard and each year I digressed more into unusual and hand built postwar cars – until the Packard Monte Carlo caught my eye. Unrestored cars don’t bother me. Built by men and women….they can be fixed by men and women too. And over the years we have brought back a number of cars from the brink of extinction as part of what we do at Undiscovered Classics. And I loved the fluted sides of the Packard Monte Carlo that I had seen on the internet. Maybe Paul was right – maybe it was time to go get a Packard, so in late 2017 I started researching the Monte Carlo again – surely it had been bought by someone some 7 years later. Website Where I Found the Packard Monte Carlo Posted For All To See

48 Digital tools are great – but there are so many ways to use them and find the information needed. A few hours of searching revealed the name of the owner, but the information was many years old. And repeated attempts to reach the owner were unsuccessful. Every time I got a phone number or address, the information turned out to be old and out of date. Perseverance turns out to be the key to most research out there in the world as it would on this car too. So I jumped out of the track I had been taking and into social media – Facebook, LinkedIn and others websites. I felt like a stalker, but I was persistent, and I left messages for the owner again with all my contact information. I heard nothing back. Three months later a message appeared in my Facebook account that said…..”Yes I still have the Monte Carlo.” Within a few weeks we had a deal and in spring of 2018 good friend Craig Johnson and I hit the interstate and were off to Texas to retrieve the Packard Monte Carlo. But just what had I found? That’s certainly is the right question for this story. Richard Arbib was the talented design hand behind the 1949 Packard Monte Carlo – the one that was a documented car in stories about his years with Packard. In fact, it was his first project for Henney – one that was used to help showcase what Henney and their designers could do to enhance and stimulate sales with the current Packard model. As reported in the 2011 book “Packard 1948 to 1950” by Robert J. Neal, the author felt it was a reasonable possibility that Packard might pick up the Monte Carlo design for Henney production as a specialty car. Production of the first Monte Carlo began at Henney and they acquired a 22nd Series Custom Eight convertible which was built at Henney under Richard Arbib’s supervision. This was then modified to be a 2 door hardtop with several body modifications which included: Pick Up Day: February 16, 2018 John (left) and Harlen (Right) Neagle had purchased the Packard Monte Carlo at Auction in the Early 1990s

49 • Changing trim level from 22 nd to 23rd series Packard. Effectively making it look like a 1950 Packard. • A series of 4 horizonal chrome trim pieces installed from front to rear of car. • Two tone paint • Front wheel well opening lowered by 4 or more inches to make the car look closer to the ground than it was. • Addition of a hardtop • Packard insignias above each front wheel well opening • Larger than normal Packard insignia on front grille • Modification to front of body to include foglights and shrouds around the front bumperettes • Lowered front Packard grille and changed the upper shape of the grille opening. This involved bringing the hood farther down to meet the lowered grille too – about 3 inches. • Modifications to rear of car removing the Packard name, adding fins to the rear fenders that housed taillights, and creating shrouds for two of the bumperettes in a similar fashion to those at the front of the car. Robert Neal went on to share that no mention of the car had been found in Packard archival material, and assumed it must have been shown to them as a proposal and rejected. “It was certainly a stunning car,” Neal commented. But it was most likely too close to the upcoming new styling change which would occur in 1951. I contacted others about what I had found which was apparently an undocumented Packard Monte Carlo – if in name alone. One of these folks, Alden Jewell (automotive researcher, historian and literature collector) provided another short article on the 1949 Packard Monte Carlo. This one appeared in the Spring 1975 issue of the Packard Cormorant, and reiterated much of the information that was in the later Robert Neal Packard book. So where do you go when information seems non -existent in researching an undocumented car? That’s what we’ll discuss in the next article. 1949 Packard Monte Carlo Hardtop: George Hamlin Collection

51 Part 2: Old Cars Magazine—October 15, 2024 THE MYSTERIOUS PACKARD MONTE CARLO The last time I wrote about our 1949 Packard Monte Carlo in Old Cars was back in early 2019 – over 5 years ago. Well… much has happened to all of us since then, and it’s time to get back on track. In introducing this article I feel a bit like Jon Stewart of “The Daily Show” coming back on air after a 10-year hiatus. His opening line on his first show was… ”It’s great to be back….now where was I?” That opening line of his is exactly how I feel in sharing the second part of the Monte Carlo story with you today. Who Doesn’t Like A Good Mystery? Of late, I’ve enjoyed the works of Agatha Christie and her master sleuth Hercule Poirot. And I guess in a small way we’ve had our share of mysteries and intrigue in researching some of the conundrums we have here – and by “conundrums” I mean “cars.” We’re surrounded by them here at Undiscovered Classics. In the past, we’ve gotten to the bottom of many of the mysteries that have faced us – some large… some small. Here are some examples: Solving the riddle of a car we called the “Californian” took us more than 10 years – a car whose true history is far more interesting than anything we could conjure up (see 1955 LeGene for the full story on our Undiscovered Classics Website). The family that built six of these cars contacted us after a lucky appearance on Ray Evernham’s “AmeriCarna” on the Speed Channel – Thanks, Ray! 1955 Californian—Now Identified as the “LeGene Special” Wins Award at the 2014 Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance

52 Another car we’ve researched has garnered much attention of late – the 1966 Cannara. When I first saw photos of the car, it gently called to me that it had a special history based on some of the features of the car. It turned out we were right on target. After appearing in one of Tom Cotter’s Barnfind books (Motorcity Barnfinds – thanks, Tom!), we fully identified its history and relevance to the wedge car movement that started in the 1960s. Just last month, the fully restored car was unveiled at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and won the coveted Dean Batchelor award to boot. Mysteries are fun to solve, gang! Most recently, my partner’s (Mike Puma) deep dive into a car and its history pivoted on one piece of paper – a name that ultimately revealed a treasure trove of information and involved skipping across several states to find the family and the car’s heritage. Ultimately, Mike was able to reunite the family that built it with their long-lost car - long live the 1956 Edgar Smith Special – a sports / race car that was the final car built by a family of race-car enthusiasts. And we are still working on other mysteries and readers such as yourself may be able to help. One such example is our 1937 Cord phaeton – lengthened at the cowl by nearly two feet with beautiful photos from the early ’50s showing the car in pristine shape. The workmanship in how the car was lengthened and the body altered is exquisite. But who commissioned this phaeton? Our only clue is the location of the car in the original photos – an upscale area of Boston. Research continues. We’re Still Researching This One—a 1937 Cord Supercharged Phaeton Stretched Nearly 2 Feet at the Cowl 1966 Cannara Won The Dean Batchelor Award at the 2024 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

53 Our 1949 Panache is another example without its history. We call it the “Panache” because it is built on a Nash chassis with a modified Plymouth/Nash body. Beautifully designed and built in the style of a late 1940s Alfa Romeo coupe, but no results yet on who built such a striking car. When America was building hot rods, someone painstakingly created an homage to a European car – not often done during those times. Research continues. Mysteries abound in what we do and the cars we find, but as I said earlier…”who doesn’t like a good mystery?” Such a mystery was at stake when we decided to pull the trigger, find the elusive Packard Monte Carlo that we had glimpsed in a single online photo and bring it home to Tampa, Florida. As my friend Rollie Langston often says about Undiscovered Classics and what we do… “The Adventure Continues….” Craig Johnson (left) and Richard Brown (right) Pose Next to Monte Carlo on Trip From Houston, Texas to Tampa, Florida

55 LET’S DIG IN! In the ensuing years, I was able to dig into the research of the Monte Carlo and locate three individuals who had shared their knowledge on the story of the Packard Monte Carlo: George Hamlin, Leon Dixon and Robert Neal – each is a Packard Historian and expert in the Packard marque. The reference for their articles appears at the end of this story. Here are the main points about what they had to share about the Monte Carlo: • The Monte Carlo hardtop was the first project that Richard Arbib completed for Packard. It resulted in both a mock-up (hardtop Monte Carlo) and a running, driving convertible (Monte Carlo Super 8 convertible) • Both Monte Carlos were based on 22 nd series Packards that were late in production. • The hardtop coupe mock-up used a Custom 8 convertible with a 127-inch wheelbase. • The convertible used a Super 8 convertible chassis with a 120-inch wheelbase. • This was a mid-year 1949 project for Henney, so the look for both Monte Carlos was designed to incorporate the 23 rd Series Packards which would be available in the latter half of 1949 and the full 1950 year. It appears that Henney wanted to show what was possible in the last one-and-one-half years that the 22nd-23rd styling would be available to the public. • The creation of the mock-up and the convertible tested the waters with the new Henney owner (Charles Russell Feldmann bought Henney in 1946) and the new Packard president (Hugh Ferry was promoted to Packard President in 1949). • The Monte Carlo project was successful in terms of showcasing the creativity of Henney’s new designer Richard Arbib and proved that Henney could take on additional work beyond their professional cars. The collaboration ultimately led to the creation of two sets of Packard show cars among Henney, Arbib and Packard: The Pan American in 1952 and the Monte Carlo in 1953. • One author, Leon Dixon, felt that the introduction of the Monte Carlo as an “image” or “halo” car might have helped restore Packard’s place in the upper hierarchy of luxury cars. It might have also been marketed as a separate line in a sports / luxury vein. • The consensus from authors who have researched the 1949 Monte Carlos is that the new model might have worked if presented to Packard in June 1947. However, by June 1949 when it was presented, it was too close to the new Packard models which would introduce an entirely new body style in 1951. • After the project ended, Henney gave the Monte Carlo convertible to a local dealer in Freeport, Illinois to use for publicity purposes. The ownership history of the convertible after it was given to the dealer is unknown until 1988 when the car was discovered.

56 SO WHAT DO WE HAVE? So what exactly is sitting in my garage? Several intriguing and entertaining possibilities exist. Is it… • A lost Packard show car? • A one-off ordered from Henney by a dealer for personal use? • A dealer-commissioned Monte Carlo convertible for publicity purposes? • Perhaps it was a prototype of a “halo” model which is designed to have a “halo effect” of making customers think more highly of the whole product line - even if they couldn’t afford the flagship car. Examples of such halo cars include the Studebaker Speedster, the ’53 Cadillac Eldorado, the ’57-’58 Eldorado Brougham, the ’56-’57 Continental, the ’53 Buick Skylark, the ’53 Oldsmobile Fiesta, the ’53 Kaiser Dragon, the ’54 Hudson Italia, the ’55 Chrysler 300, and so on. • Was the Monte Carlo a first postwar attempt at an automaker creating a new brand from their existing marque such as Imperial, Continental, Edsel and Valiant that followed later in time? • Or, was it the first postwar attempt of a Packard dealer modifying an existing car in their showroom to create a car that only they can offer to the public? This was something that was later done by at least one Packard dealer – Harry DuBois. In 1956, DuBois created the Packard “Esquire” using the Four Hundred as a basis for customization to a Caribbean-looking hardtop (and a few sedans), because he could not get enough Caribbeans to fill orders. • Maybe the simplest explanation will prevail. Perhaps the Monte Carlo convertible is a natural result of a proposal by Henney in which they first had a design (Arbib), then a mock-up in clay (Henney) and then finally a driving example to show what the car looked like and how it presented itself in person. We may never know the full story of the Monte Carlo convertible. In the next part of this story, we’ll talk about what we do know upon a thorough hands-on examination of the car as well as a more detailed history on the relationship between the Henney Motor Company and their newly hired designer, Richard Arbib. Tune in shortly for the final chapter of the Mysterious Packard Monte Carlo.

57 REFERENCES • The Packard Cormorant: Spring, 1975: George Hamlin, “The World and Packards of Richard Arbib” • Collectible Automobile: October 1992: George Hamlin, “Richard Arbib: Specialty Designer” • Packard 1948 to 1950: Book – 2011: Robert Neal • The Packard Cormorant: Fall, 2018 No. 172: George Hamlin, “The World and Packards of Richard Arbib” (update of Hamlin’s 1975 article) • The Packard Cormorant: Winter, 2018 No. 173: Leon Dixon, “The Long and Winding Road of the Packard Pan Americans” This Photo Was Taken During One of the First Test Drives That Robin James Successfully Completed in April 2024

59 Part 3: Old Cars Magazine—December 15, 2024 Henney Hires Richard Arbib Henney had an exclusive relationship with Packard producing their professional cars (limos, ambulances, hearses and flower cars) starting in the late 1930s. But after the war, changes across America were abundant as were opportunities. This was no different for the Henney Motor Company of Freeport, Illinois. In 1946, Henney was purchased by Charles Russell Feldmann who wanted to expand their vision. By 1949, Feldmann set his sights on building something new for Packard – something that would get both Packard’s and the public’s attention – a Packard show car. To achieve this goal they brought a young new designer on board – 31-year-old Richard Arbib, a designer who he had experience working with while both were in New York. Arbib came to Henney as Henney’s new styling consultant but armed with extensive experience. He graduated from the School of Industrial Design at Pratt Institute in the late 1930s and immediately began working for the General Motors Styling Department. During the war, he became an armament specialist for Republic Aviation. After the war ended, he returned to Detroit to work directly for Harley Earl of General Motors. During the late 40s, Arbib also worked for Argus cameras, U.S. Royal Tires, Union Pacific interior and Benrus watches. By 1949, he ended his relationship with General Motors and began working as a consultant for Henney designing Packard’s professional cars.

60 Henney’s First Salvo into Packard Show Cars Looking backward in time, we know of Henney’s success with Arbib at the design helm. He designed and Henney built six 1952 Packard show cars – the Pan American. We also know that Arbib designed and Henney built two Packard Monte Carlo show cars in 1953 – both which exist today. Later on, Arbib designed and built other show cars beyond Packard as well. But where did this track record of success begin? We know that it started with Henney and Arbib in 1949 and with their first joint effort – Packard’s First Monte Carlo. The 1949 Packard Monte Carlo was going to be a “spec” car for Henney. That is, it was a proposal that showcased Richard Arbib’s talents and displayed the readiness of Henney to begin creating these cars with Packard’s approval. Sketches of his idea exist to this day showing the design concept. In a Collectible Automobile Article penned by George Hamlin in October 1992, he shared the following about the Monte Carlo concept: “The most memorable effort by Arbib on the ’49 Packard was the hardtop-style “Monte Carlo Coupe.” It enclosed both the front and rear wheels and ran Packard-style grille bars all around the car, except between the rear bumper guards. Note huge bumper guards, fins and gold trim that made this a three-tone car. The most unique feature, however, was the unusual greenhouse.” Going from a design concept to building a car to show what it looks like in three dimensions is a big step – especially for a car that wasn’t directly ordered by a manufacturer. That’s what Henney wanted to do – and it wasn’t unusual for the time either.

61 Other Cars Created As Proposals to Manufacturers Creating a car to test the waters with manufacturers was a theme that would be repeated with Dutch Darrin in 1952 and his Darrin Competition sports car. Darrin’s car would ultimately become the Kaiser Darrin 161 we know today. Brooks Stevens tried the same approach with his Excalibur in the early 1950s, and other designers did too. This was a common theme in the early postwar years where individuals and/or companies would design and build cars to entice the manufacturers to embrace and purchase their designs. Howard “Dutch” Darrin With His Darrin Sports Car Brooks Stevens With His Excalibur Sports Car

62 Research Into Henney Families Thanks to the efforts of George Hamlin, we were able to make contact with Alice Horner whose father was head of Personnel for Henney from 1927 to 1954 when they closed their doors. We were tracking down any known Henney families who may be able to help us identify the Packard dealer in Freeport Illinois who most probably received the Monte Carlo convertible from Henney as stated in the articles about the car. Alice was kind enough to share her memories as follows: “Eddie Engelhardt owned and operated the Packard dealership in Freeport, known as the Freeport Garage, and I certainly spent my formative years there, admittedly bored to tears. But Eddie closed the Freeport Garage and moved to Florida in 1956 and his only daughter Marian and her husband and daughter moved to Florida before then and shortly thereafter to California. They were not collectors and when they moved to Florida they sold nearly everything in a garage sale (and my parents bought stuff there), so I can tell you they didn't have any Henney memorabilia around, even though Marian's husband Ted Schultz did body work for Henney's around 1940 and probably also for Freeport Garage.” In the last part of this story, we’ll talk about what we do know upon a thorough hands-on examination of the car as well as a discussion of the impact of the 1949 Packard Monte Carlo project on the relationship between Henney and Packard. Tune in shortly for the final chapter of the Mysterious Packard Monte Carlo.

63 On This Page: Henney Motor Company Literature Featuring Some of Their Offerings For 1948 (right) and 1950 (below)

65 Part 4: Old Cars Magazine—May 15, 2025 Focus of Research We don’t have the first Monte Carlo hardtop – the mockup – to review today. Nor do we have Richard Arbib (the designer) or Charles Russell Feldmann (the President of Henney) to ask questions of how and why the car was built. But we do have research on the Monte Carlo by George Hamlin, Leon Dixon and Robert Neal that spans more than 40 years. We also have original photos of the hardtop mockup from 1949, and you might be surprised how much is revealed after studying the images. And of course, most importantly, we have what we found - the Super 8 Monte Carlo convertible itself. In the spring of 2024, good friend Robin James began heading south from his home in Canada to our headquarters in Tampa, Florida. He was coming down to help get one of our cars ready for its debut at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance – our 1959 Salvatore Salerno Devin. After the show, I persuaded him to stay in Florida – away from the Arctic chill of Canada for a few more weeks to look more closely at the Packard Monte Carlo. Robin did more than that. He took the lead on working on the car and resurrecting it. He never looked back. It was an exciting few weeks to see what magic he would do with the car. From what we could tell, the car had not been started or worked on since the 1950s. He focused on the engine first and miraculously got it running – as smooth as silk. Next he freed up the steering and shifting linkage and rebuilt the fuel system and brakes. Finally, he started doing laps in my neighborhood with the car, so all my neighbors are used to seeing it cruise around. Finally, we both worked together to see what we could learn by studying how it was built. Our observations are discussed below. Robin James About To Take the Packard Monte Carlo on a Test Run: April 2025

www.undiscoveredclassics.com

Made with FlippingBook

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjA0NTk=