1940 Model 120 Convertible Victoria by Darrin
282 cu. in. straight eight. 120 BHP @ 3600 rpm. 3 speed manual transmission. Hydraulic drum brakes. 127” Wheelbase. Curb weight 3,800 pounds. Not offered for public sale.
Howard “Dutch” Darrin moved his coachbuilding operations from Paris to Los Angeles in 1937. In that year, Darrin built the first of his iconic “Packard Darrins” for actress Joan Blondell. The swept-back suicide doors with their rakish “Darrin dip” became all the rage for Hollywood stars, with “Packard Darrins” being sold to Clark Gable, Errol Flynn, and Rosalind Russell among others. Capitalizing on this popularity, Packard opted to build production versions of the custom bodied “Packard Darrins” in 1940 and 1941. This 1940 Model 120 Convertible Victoria is known as the “Last Packard Darrin” as it was built from castings and molds by Dutch Darrin in 1971. This Sedanca coupe body has a fixed partial top which emphasizes the vehicle’s stately and luxurious design.
In 1940… On June 4, the British evacuate over 300,000 troops mostly in small craft from Dunkirk, France. Booker T. Washington becomes the first African-American to be depicted on a US Stamp. Timely Comics introduces Captain America to boys and girls in the US. Cost of a House: $2,938. Average Income: $956. Gallon of Gas: $0.18. Average New Car: $800.
1940 Model 120 Convertible Victoria by Darrin
The Automobile Hall of Fame inducted Dutch Darrin in 2010. His citation reads: Howard A. “Dutch” Darrin, born in 1897, was an inventor, engineer, and designer of European and American cars. Starting in 1923, Darrin, and partner Thomas Hibbard, opened business to design car bodies and sell luxury motorcars. In 1929, his firm developed a new body structure called Sylentlyte a thin-walled aluminum casting system used in producing high-stress components for automobile bodies. With the nearly ten-year working relationship ending, Darrin found a new partner, and under the firm name of Fernandez & Darrin, also designed custom bodies. They were popular on chassis from Delage, Hispano-Suiza and Isotta-Franchini. In 1930, Darrin was awarded a French patent for an aircraft-style, padded dashboard and under-cowl steering wheel design. In 1937, Darrin opened his first U.S. effort on Sunset Boulevard. Darrin immediately made an impact with his 1937 Packard Darrin. With only 16 built, they were among the most sought after by Hollywood stars. Packard Darrins were built for Clark Gable, Errol Flynn and Rosalind Russell. As part of his agreement with Packard, Darrin was asked to contribute design proposals for upcoming models. As a result, he was involved in the design that would finally emerge in 1942 as the Packard Clipper. After World War II ended, he set up the Darrin Motor Car Company in West Hollywood and began submitting design proposals to Joseph Frazer and Powell Crosley, among others. Darrin’s designs showed up on a number of Kaiser and Frazer models between 1947 and 1953. One of his most memorable was a fiberglass-bodied, limited production sports car the Kaiser Darrin.