1928 Packard Custom Eight Convertible Sedan
The 1928 Packard Custom Eight Convertible Sedan was one of the most elegant automobiles of its time, distinguished further by exceptionally rare bodywork from the prestigious Walter M. Murphy Company of Pasadena, California.
Murphy’s “Clear Vision” Convertible Sedan design (attributed to stylist W. Everett Miller) featured delicately thin cast brass pillars that improved outward visibility and combined open-air motoring with full-weather protection. This body was mounted on Packard’s long 143-inch wheelbase Custom Eight chassis, designated as the Fourth Series Model 443.
Power came from Packard’s 385 cubic inch (6.3-liter) L-head straight-eight engine, developing 109 horsepower at 3,200 rpm. The engine featured nine main bearings for exceptional smoothness and durability. Power was transmitted through a three-speed manual gearbox to a rear-drive layout, while braking was handled by mechanical four-wheel drum brakes.
The car employed semi-elliptic leaf springs front and rear and incorporated the Bijur centralized chassis lubrication system; an advanced feature that automatically fed oil to suspension and driveline points with a single pedal stroke.
Introduced in mid-1927, the Fourth Series Custom Eight remained in production through 1928, with 7,800 examples built across all 443 variants. Prices ranged from approximately $3,600 to $5,300 depending on body style and level of bespoke trim.
While most Packard bodies came from the company’s in-house coachbuilding operation, a select few were constructed by elite firms including Murphy, Derham, Dietrich, Fleetwood, Holbrook, and Judkins.
Murphy’s clear-pillar design and flawless craftsmanship made its Packard commissions among the most admired in the marque’s catalog. Only a handful of these Murphy-bodied Custom Eight Convertible Sedans survive today, representing some of the finest expressions of Packard luxury from the pre-Depression era.
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