Packard Twelve

Runabout Speedster

his car is a kin to the Packard Sport Coupe found else-

where in this volume. It therefore follows that it shares

many characteristics with that car, down to its rarity;

while 10 Sport Coupes were made, only 4 Runabout

Speedsters were built. Setting this particular Runabout

Speedster apart from the others (all of which still exist)

is that this car was ordered by actress Carole Lombard for her

husband and fellow Hollywood leading light, Clark Gable.

These two stars enjoyed romantic drives in the Duesenberg JN

Roadster detailed in the next chapter. A lowered windshield, a

rear-mounted spare tire, and spun disc wheel covers were among

the distinctive custom features of Gable’s Packard.

Like the Sport Coupe, the body of the Runabout Speedster

was built by LeBaron at the direction of Edward Macauley,

T