Makes › Packard › 734 Speedster Eight · Rare production · 1930 Extremely Rare
Packard
734 Speedster Eight
Short-chassis, high-performance Speedster Eight series in five body styles; one model year only
Still being researched: full specifications. Everything shown is checked against the cited sources. Know more? Send us a source.
Photo: Mr.choppers · CC BY-SA 3.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Contents
01Overview
At a glance
- Built
- 113 Built
- Years
- 1930
- Engine
- Front-mounted L-head straight-eight · 6,290 cc / 6.3 LFactory: 384 cu in · converted
- Power
- 108 kW / 147 PSFactory: 145 hp · converted
- Top speed
- 161 km/hFactory: 100 mph · converted
- Body
- Not yet verified
- Designer
- Jesse G. Vincent (Packard engineering)
- In this archive
- Not yet verified
- Surviving
- Not yet verified
Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.
Why it matters
The 734 Speedster Eight was Packard's high-performance answer of 1930, a short-wheelbase chassis with a tuned L-head eight capable of over 100 mph. Offered for one year only in five body styles, just 113 were built, making it one of the rarest and most sporting Packards of the classic era.
How rare is it?
Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.
Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.
02Production & history
Production
Every figure says what it counts.
| What is counted | Figure | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total model productionunits, all body styles | 1131 | Factory production | Independently researched |
Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.
History
Following the 626 Speedster of 1929, Packard engineering under Jesse Vincent produced the 734 for 1930 on a 134.5-inch wheelbase. Its 384 cu in L-head eight, with the no-cost 6:1 high-compression head, a dual-throat Detroit Lubricator carburettor and hemispherical ports, gave 145 hp through a four-speed manual gearbox. It was offered as Rumbleseat Runabout, Phaeton and Boattail Runabout at $5,200 and as Victoria and Sedan at $6,000. Total production was 113 cars.
Variants
How each version differs from the standard 734 Speedster Eight.
No variants documented yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
03Specifications
Technical specifications
Engine
| Engine family | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Engine code | Not yet verified |
| Layout | Front-mounted L-head straight-eight2 Independently researched |
| Displacement | 6,290 cc / 6.3 LFactory: 384 cu in · converted2 Independently researched |
| Bore | Not yet verified |
| Stroke | Not yet verified |
| Compression ratio | Not yet verified |
| Fuel system | Not yet verified |
| Power | 108 kW / 147 PSFactory: 145 hp · converted2 Independently researched |
| Power at | Not yet verified |
| Torque | Not yet verified |
Transmission & drivetrain
| Gearbox | Four-speed manual2 Independently researched |
|---|---|
| Gears | 42 Independently researched |
| Driven wheels | Not yet verified |
Chassis, body & dimensions
| Chassis | Not yet verified |
|---|---|
| Front suspension | Not yet verified |
| Rear suspension | Not yet verified |
| Brakes | Not yet verified |
| Steering | Not yet verified |
| Body construction | Not yet verified |
| Wheelbase | 3,416 mmFactory: 134.5 in · converted2 Independently researched |
| Length | Not yet verified |
| Width | Not yet verified |
| Height | Not yet verified |
| Front track | Not yet verified |
| Rear track | Not yet verified |
| Kerb weight | Not yet verified |
| Dry weight | Not yet verified |
Performance
| Maximum speed | 161 km/hFactory: 100 mph · converted2 Independently researched |
|---|---|
| 0–100 km/h | Not yet verified |
| Fuel tank | Not yet verified |
“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.
04Colours & options
Factory colours & interiors
Original paint and trim, with the number of cars in each where a source gives it.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Factory options & codes
Codes are shown exactly as written by the manufacturer.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
05Individual cars
Chassis register
Every documented car, with its colours, history and where it is now. Open a row for the full record. Known chassis are not automatically authenticated originals.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Competition history
Every race result of the individual cars, in date order. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
Auction & sale history
Documented public sales of the individual cars. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.
Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.
See one in person
Museums where an example of this car can be seen.
No example is documented on public display yet. Have a source? Contribute it.
06Reference
Identification guide
How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.
734-specific features cited include a boxed chassis frame, finned forged-iron brake drums, a foot-operated exhaust cut-out, the high-compression head with dual-throat carburettor, and on the runabout a passenger seat set back from the driver's. Verify chassis, engine and body numbers against Packard records, as numbers on individual cars can differ.
Sources
Each number links to the exact facts it supports.
-
1
RM Sotheby's Monterey 2011 – 1930 Packard 734 Speedster Eight Runabout Level B
- 113 units, all body styles
-
2
1930 Packard 734 Speedster Eight Runabout Level B RM Sotheby's
- L-head eight
- 384 cubic inches
- 145 hp
- Four-speed manual
- 134.5 inches
- over 100 miles per hour in top gear
Keep exploring
More from Packard
-
Packard · 1934
Twelve Sport Coupe by LeBaron (1106)
4 Built
-
Packard · 1940–1942
Darrin Convertible Victoria (One Twenty / One Eighty Custom Super Eight)
100 Built
-
Packard · 1956
Caribbean (1956)
263 Built
-
Packard · 1954
Caribbean Convertible (1954)
400 Built
More from United States
-
Cadillac · 1957–1958
Eldorado Brougham (Series 70)
704 Built
-
Chrysler
180 Estate (one-off) (1970s)
Production not yet verified
-
Ford
Rheinland
Production not yet verified
-
Dodge
Dodge 3700 (Serra, Spain)
Production not yet verified
141 other makes from United StatesAC PropulsionAcuraAllstateAMCAmerican LaFranceAmerican MotorsAmerican UnderslungApteraArmstrongArnoltAuburnBaldwin-MotionBantamBarris KustomsBendixBerger ChevroletBill ThomasBollingerBremerBuckeyeBuffumBuickCadillacCallawayCastleCheckerChevroletChristieChryslerClenetCodaColumbiaConsulierCordCunninghamCzingerDana ChevroletDean JeffriesDeSotoDetroit ElectricAll makes →