In 1928… Penicillin is discovered. Bubble gum is invented. Chrysler and Dodge Brothers merge. Cost of a new house: $4,250. Average yearly wages: $1,490. Gallon of gas: $0.21. Average cost of a new car: $600
1928 Six Convertible Sedan
288.6 cu. in. straight six. 81 BHP @ 3200 rpm. 3-speed manual transmission. Mechanical drum brakes. 126” wheelbase. $2,425 when new.
1928 was a record year for Packard, with a profit of $21,000,000 - a feat no doubt lamented by Cadillac. The smaller Packards, like this 1928 Six Convertible Sedan, were always the strongest sellers, spurring Cadillac to introduce the competing LaSalle for 1927, essentially a smaller and cheaper car of their own. Initially the price point was to be below the cost of a Packard Six, but Packard responded quickly by dropping the Six below that of the new LaSalle. Despite Cadillac’s efforts, nearly double the number of the small Packards were sold in 1927 AND 1928. Despite this success, 1928 was to be the last year of the “Six” as the shift to Eights - and Twelves - was to dominate the 1930s.
The Roaring Twenties: 1928 Six Convertible Sedan
From the 1927 Packard Annual Report… Our Six car was first brought out in June, 1920. The price of the five-passenger Sedan then was $4950.00. The prices of the other Six models at that introductory time were correspondingly high. In the seven years intervening this car has been greatly improved, enlarged, refined, and much expensive equipment has been added. Through very large investments in equipment, machinery, tools and general facilities made during recent years the factory has been brought up to a condition of efficiency that is not, we believe, excelled in plants of any of our class competitors. We have reason to believe that Packard today has the facilities and the organization to make cars of its class better than anyone else can make them and at costs that compare favorably with any. In 1920 we shipped 1042 Sixes. Now we are shipping three and a half times that many every month.