Once a classic always a classic

1928 Packard Model 443 Roadster (from the author's collection)

1930 Packard Model 733 Roadster (from the author's collection)

Packards have always been popular American luxury cars. Sold in strong numbers when new, they continued to be favorites of collectors in the 1950s and many are seen in Dad's photos from the period. The first car, I believe to be a 1928 Packard 443 Roadster (custom eight). Well used, this car would be considered an exceptional, original car today.

The next car looks to be a 1930 Packard 733 Roadster (standard eight). The smaller of Packard's eight cylinder models, this car wears 1955 Rhode Island plates.

1926 Franklin Runabout (from the author's collection)

This 1926 Franklin Runabout (Series 11A) illustrates the "new look" for Franklin designed by J. Frank de Causse - which also caused the resignation of John Wilkinson, Franklin's long-time chief engineer. Franklin dealers had been pushing for a car that more closely resembled other brands of the era and de Causse delivered a look similar to his work at Locomobile.

The final car seen here is a 1930 Pierce-Arrow Touring - a Model 133, the shorter of the two wheelbases offered that year. Dad remembers this car being painted chartreuse and black. It features the  straight-eight engine introduced the previous year (a record sales year for Pierce-Arrow).

If anyone knows where any of these cars has ended up, please leave me a comment.

1930 Pierce-Arrow Model 133 (from the author's collection)