1933 Packard Individual Custom by Dietrich Sport Phaeton, Deluxe Eight
- Engine
- 6.3L (385 cu in) L-head inline-eight, 120 bhp
- Colour
- Packard Blue
A 1933 Packard Series 904 Dietrich Individual Custom Sport Phaeton, chassis 193614, is among the rarest surviving coachbuilt American automobiles of its era — one of only seven known surviving examples from a production run believed to total twelve. The car suffered accident damage of unknown date and was subsequently stored in a California airport hangar before being acquired in the 1970s by publisher and collector Otis Chandler. A comprehensive restoration was later commissioned by Las Vegas hotelier Ralph Englestad and carried out in the late 1980s and early 1990s, returning the car to concours condition in Packard Blue with dark blue leather trim.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$1,045,000
- → 1998Private saleRalph Englestadpartial documentation
Owner of the Imperial Palace who commissioned restorer Scott Veazie to carry out a full restoration in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with engine and transmission work handled separately by Bob Mosier.
- 1998 → 2009Acquisition unknownGeneral William Lyonpartial documentation
Southern California collector who maintained the car to high standards through professional curators over roughly an eleven-year tenure in a well-regarded private stable.
- 2009 →Acquisition unknownCurrent collectorpartial documentation
Described as a dedicated enthusiast and a Pebble Beach Concours prize winner who has upheld the same high maintenance standards as the previous owner.
- Date unknownUnknown owner who stored car after accidentnone documentation
Car was placed in storage at a Santa Monica airport hangar following a ditch accident; damage was confined to the driver's side cowl, door, and windshield post.
- Date unknownPrivate saleOtis Chandlerpartial documentation
Prominent Los Angeles Times publisher and noted collector who acquired the car from the airport hangar in the 1970s; planned a restoration but pivoted his collecting focus toward muscle cars before it was finished.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- —Repair
The vehicle sustained accident damage after being driven into a ditch, with harm confined to the driver's side cowl, door, and windshield post area.
Damage occurred prior to the car's long-term hangar storage; date unknown.
- —RestorationScott Veazie's shop
A comprehensive restoration was carried out under the direction of Scott Veazie, encompassing a full rebuild of the rolling chassis and braking system, repair and restoration of the accident-damaged bodywork to original specification, and application of Packard Blue paintwork. Engine and transmission were rebuilt separately by Bob Mosier.
Work took place over a period spanning the late 1980s and early 1990s and was commissioned by Ralph Englestad. Engine and transmission rebuild was performed by California restorer Bob Mosier.
- —Engine rebuildBob Mosier
The inline eight-cylinder engine and transmission were fully rebuilt as part of the broader restoration program.
Mosier was noted as still active as a restorer in California at the time the catalogue was written.
- —InspectionRM Auctions
Chassis, engine, and vehicle numbers were verified as authentic by RM Auctions.
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