One of just five recorded surviving five-passenger coupes built on the Fourteenth Series Packard Twelve chassis, the car offered here was delivered in Evanston, Illinois on 30 November 1935, per the original vehicle number plate. According to prior owner Robert J. Neal, it was originally purchased by Mrs. Robert Stockton and remained in her ownership until 1952, when it passed to Stanley C. Pankiewicz of Chicago. Apparently rather quickly, it was resold to the longstanding Packard collector, historian, and author, L. Morgan Yost, then by him to John A.S. Webster. Upon taking receipt of the Twelve on Halloween of 1954, Mr. Webster drove it to Joy Brothers, the longtime Packard dealers in St. Paul, Minnesota, which undertook a “restoration” over the next year at a cost of $1,541.43—charming to comprehend today, but one wonders how many other vintage Packards were actually restored by an original dealer.

Mr. Webster lovingly kept the Packard, faithfully documenting its regular maintenance, until 1974, then sold it to the partnership of David Kotz and Richard Gold. Kotz and Gold passed the car later that year to Gerald W. Curry, who had it cosmetically restored and then sold it in 1981 to his longtime friends, Robert and Donna Neal. The Neals continued to upkeep the car properly while enjoying it on many road tours, describing some of their adventures in articles in the Packard Club’s Cormorant.

Eventually the car passed into the ownership of a collection in Southern California, from which Clive and Janet Cussler happily purchased it in 2018. It has remained a favorite in their ownership for obvious reasons. Its restoration, while showing age in some areas, has mellowed nicely and is still very attractive for touring or local showing. In fact, the car ably held its own when shown by Mrs. Cussler at the height of collecting, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2021. Testifying to its very honest presentation and history, it is accompanied by an utterly fascinating history file, including extensive maintenance records and history research undertaken by its prior caretakers—showing just how well-loved this fine V-12 Packard has been over its rich life.