Engine – 384.8 Cubic Inch L-Head Inline Eight-Cylinder
Transmission – 4-Speed Manual Gearbox
Horsepower – 145 HP at 3,400 RPM
Wheelbase – 134.5 inches
Production – Approximately 113 Speedster chassis produced; 39 built as Runabouts, of which six authentic examples known to survive

“Ask The Man who Owns One”
In early 1929, Packard executives circulated a confidential memorandum to select distributors outlining a new, high-speed sporting model to be produced in extremely limited numbers and available only by special order. Developed under the direction of Col. Jesse G. Vincent, Vice President of Engineering, the resulting Model 734 Speedster represented a deliberate departure from Packard’s established identity as a builder of conservative, fine luxury automobiles. Conceived as a specialized program rather than a derivative offering, the Speedster reflected an internal acknowledgment that performance had become an unavoidable component of prestige at the close of the 1920s.

The Speedster chassis was built on Packard’s short 134.5-inch wheelbase and fitted with a heavily revised version of the Deluxe Eight engine. Output was increased to 145 horsepower through higher compression, revised breathing, special manifolding, and a twin-throat Detroit Lubricator carburetor. Additional modifications—including a high-speed rear axle, finned brake drums, a camshaft-driven vacuum pump to support sustained fuel delivery, and a cutout-equipped exhaust—were undertaken to produce a car capable of prolonged high-speed operation. Though Packard reportedly documented exceptional performance internally–achieving an astonishing 115mph on a closed course, the model was never formally advertised, and production remained intentionally constrained.

Among the five body styles offered, the Speedster Runabout stands as the most intentional expression of the program’s intent. Built in Packard’s in-house custom coachworks, the body was narrower and lower than standard production forms, with the cowl moved rearward by six inches to achieve more purposeful proportions. The boattail configuration, with its staggered seating and minimal accommodation, emphasized driver engagement over formality—distinguishing it sharply from Packard’s other offerings of the time and aligning it more closely with contemporary European sporting practices.

This example was purchased new by artist Nelson W. Brinckerhoff of Englewood, New Jersey, who acquired the Speedster at the age of twenty-one and had it shipped to Switzerland for use during a period of European travel. Family recollections describe Brinckerhoff as an eccentric and cosmopolitan figure who valued independence and who regarded the Packard less as a ceremonial luxury object than as a capable machine.

Around 1932, the Speedster passed to Nat Weiss, who retained it for more than 15 years before it entered the postwar collector world. In 1952–1953, it was restored by George Jepson, placing it among some of the earliest automobiles in the United States to be intentionally preserved as a historic motorcar. Upon completion of the restoration, the Speedster was awarded Senior status by the Classic Car Club of America in 1953, an early and authoritative acknowledgment of its significance within informed collector circles. Jepson later served as president of the CCCA, and his wife actively toured the Packard on numerous CARavans, contributing substantially to its public visibility.
Subsequent long-term stewardship by Donald R. Peterson and his family further reinforced the car’s reputation as a usable and mechanically robust automobile. Over five decades, the Speedster participated in tours, CARavans, and long-distance events, including a 9,638-mile circuit of the contiguous United States in 1995.

Over many decades, the Speedster has remained an active and well-recognized presence within the collector community. It has been shown and driven at leading concours and touring events, including Pebble Beach, Amelia Island, Meadow Brook, St. John’s, Dayton, Hershey, and the Colorado Grand. Recognition from organizations such as the CCCA and AACA, along with features in period and later publications, reflects long-standing acknowledgment of the car’s importance rather than a later rediscovery.
With only six authentic Speedster Runabouts known to survive, this example occupies a clearly defined place within Packard’s history. Its significance lies not only in rarity, but in the brevity of the philosophical departure it represents. For a short moment, Packard set aside its customary emphasis on restraint, formality, and quiet authority to pursue performance with unusual directness—an ambition it would not revisit with such gusto. Set against the marque’s broader production, the Speedster offered a different answer to Packard’s own enduring question, one that reflected both the car and the character of the man behind the wheel, as Packard itself once suggested, you will find the nature of the car’s character when you "Ask the Man Who Owns One."