1939 1703 Super 8 Sedan owned by
Heather Moss
My first memory this Packard was when I was a child. My father (Alan McKenzie) bought it in Melbourne, after
seeing an ad in the Age newspaper from Ron Touzeau who
ran a motor garage in the city – near the old wool store –
and lived in Balwyn. The car had a low mileage and had
been beautifully kept. Mr. Touzeau was the first private
owner and had first registered the car in 1952. Before that,
it had been owned and used by an embassy – I think it might
have been the American embassy based in Canberra but I
have yet to establish how it got from Canberra to Melbourne.
I remember the day Dad bought the car home - it was almost
dark and we could see him coming down the long drive to
our farm. It looked very imposing with its dark blue duco
and was glistening in the twilight.
We used it as our family car for many years but I have other
memories of it. When I was in high school in the 1960’s
Dad would have to pick me up from school sometimes and
I remember feeling so embarrassed and would quickly get
into the car and hide down below the windows so I would
not be seen, because all my friend’s parents had more
modern cars. However I no longer view the car in the same
light as I have now inherited the car from my father and take
pride in placing it on show.
It has not been registered for the last 20 years until my
brother (John McKenzie) tidied it up and re-registered it, in
early 2007, to attend the Toowoomba National rally.
My father had a passion for Packards and owned several
other Packards and my brother John and I are the third
generation of Packard owners with my grandfather
(Archibald McKenzie) purchasing the first Packard in the
family about 1930.
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