The boatbuilder's Packard project

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May we ask a nice applause for the work of Steve Mills who created his own boattailed Packard based on photos he saw of a skiff bodied Mercedes with Labourdette coachwork: "I would like to show you my first vintage car project that i hope you may find of interest. I have been a wooden boat builder/restorer for many years. I have always had an interest in vintage cars as well as boats and the seeds for this project were sown after I read Daimler and Benz: the complete story by Dennis Adler. Illustrated is a skiff bodied Mercedes 37/90 hp of 1911, bodied by the french coach builder H. Labourdette. I recognized instantly the method of construction and after further research decided too find a suitable chassis to take a body. A derelict and fire damaged 1926 Packard was imported from New Jersey and after I had done a rebuild of the chassis and engine I designed and built the body illustrated in the photographs. The construction method of layers of 2mm mahogany veneer copper riveted to tiny oak ribs is true to the methods used by Labourdette in 1911, the transition of boat building skills to coach building has been extremely interesting and enjoyable. I hope to show the car at the NEC classic car show in November and various rallies next year."

Editor: we have seen some homebuilt machinery over the year but we like to take off our cap to the ground. Not only the fine craftsmanship of the woodwork. To begin with the very well balanced design including windshield and top are nothing less than superb. And finally Steve Mills caught our admiration by choosing for an 'easy way out' which is far from easy to build! See that fab mini door just to get a foot easy in and out.

(Photos courtesy Mills Dockyard)

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