1938 Packard 1603 Super Eight Sedan
The 1603 was an oddity in the 1938 Senior Packard lineup: it put the full 320 CI L-head straight-eight into the shortest available chassis (a 127-inch wheelbase borrowed from the junior models), making it the lightest Super Eight offered that year at approximately 4,530 lbs. That combination gave it a livelier character than the longer 1604 and 1605 variants, which sat on 134- and 139-inch platforms respectively.
The 16th Series brought visible changes across the Senior line: a split vee windshield with a chrome divider, more rounded fenders, and a revised instrument panel with full gauges and integrated defrosters. The overall proportions remained formal, but the detailing was noticeably smoother than the 15th Series cars.
The 320 CI L-head eight (fed by a single Stromberg carburetor and rated at 135bhp at 3,200rpm) drove through a three-speed selective synchromesh manual. Independent front suspension and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes were standard. Priced under $3,000, the 1603 was the relative bargain of the Senior Packard range.
Total 1938 Super Eight production across all three sub-series reached 2,478 cars. The 1603 Touring Sedan specifically has been estimated at around 55 examples built, with 23 known survivors at the time of the last registry count. All 1938 Super Eights qualify as CCCA Full Classics.
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