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In a December issue of the Austrlasian Post appeared a photograph of Gwen McRae at the wheel of their 1934 Packard 1105 Super 8 7 passenger sedan. That publication enjoyed a wide circulation and it was not long before Peter Sharpe from Queensland wrote to Gwen enclosing a photograph of his 1934 Packard 1102 7 Passenger limousine. Others followed Ron and Norma walker, Jim and Jan Mangleson, the Townsends - to name a few and an outing was organized for 12th December 1965.

 

The following article appeared in the 100th issue of the Packardian, written by the lady herself, Mrs Gwen McRae. The article was written only weeks before she passed away.

 

HOW WE BEGAN .........

 

Late in 1959 a Packard was bought. Just a little '39 six, T.J.R. (Aust.) body. In those days not considered anything exceptional, fine for a young family with two growing school boys, all we could afford actually.

 

I had only been driving about 3-4 years and most cars seemed the same. Had learnt on a '29 De Soto, crash gear box and all. Had driven a good variety of makes and models and took to driving like a duck to water, but "cars were cars" and my knowledge of same didn't amount to all that much until the Packard. It was different. It was big (or so I thought at the time), comfortable, totally reliable, and had an extra something indefinable which to this day eludes logical definition. So a love affair began. Only puppy love at this stage, but the infection had taken hold, only I didn't know it. Yet I had been truly bitten.

 

Well, the '39 was "it" for about 18 months. Ron also bought an identical model and the pair of Packards were more often than not sitting side by side at home or on outings. But the time came to update, the '39 began needing work, and rightfully so as it had often worked above and beyond the call of duty, used as a tow wagon many times, long trips, constant daily toil, looked after but well and truly made use of. Minimal mechanical work had been done when needed, and she was tired. She never even had a special name as our cars usually did, just "The Packard".

 

So along came a '51 Chevy. A nice car and only 10 years old! We were coming up in the motoring world. the Chev was in A1 condition and I could not say a thing against it. It also was comfortable, reliable and did all the right things, was attractive, a pleasure to drive, and I still have a soft spot for it, but it wasn't "The Packard." That something special wasn't there and I often longed for my first love.

 

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