For today’s edition of the show, Jay Leno shows us his 1911 Packard Model 18, named so because it was supposed to have 18 horsepower. However, it actually has 30 horsepower, since a strange obsolete French number was used for rating the output.
Those 30 robust horses come from a 326 cubic inch 4-cylinder motor. That would be a 5.3-liter engine with really big pistons to you and me. The engine blocks were cast in France and let out for two years to improve their resistance. It’s filled with quality metalwork, lots of copper and brass pipes, like a Catholic church organ.
But for us, the most amazing piece on the car is not the shiny engine bay, but the transaxle at the back. Yes, the engine is linked to the gearbox which is at the back via a thick prop shaft. It doesn’t seem as rudimentary as a 1911 car should be!
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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