Life, 1912-08-29 · page 6 of 42
Life — August 29, 1912 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satirical content** — it's a straightforward automobile advertisement for the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan. The page features a technical illustration of the Packard "38," a six-cylinder touring car, alongside detailed specifications (horsepower, engine bore/stroke, wheelbase, tire dimensions, etc.) and pricing for various body styles ($4,150–$5,500). The advertised features emphasize luxury and modern convenience: left-hand drive, electric self-starter, electric lighting, and steering-column controls — innovations that would have appealed to affluent early 20th-century buyers. This represents standard commercial advertising from Life magazine's era, promoting premium automobiles to wealthy readers rather than political or social satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
-LIFE: DT LLY TE) L_5 [> {oO © Go 7. DP OS VII IOI I IPO A Smaller Six Cylinder Packard The New “38” Left drive and control. Electric self starter: electric lighting. Starting, ignition. lighting and carburetor controls on steering column Horsepower, A. L. A. M. rating.. -38 Maximum brake horsepower ss c.isve. cocceevenses eres vevssenee 60 Six cylinders: bore, four inches; stroke, five and one-half inches. All valves enclosed. Wheel base: Touring Car, 134 inches; Phaeton, 138 inches; Runabout, 115% inches. Tires: 36 by 4% inches, front and rear. Three-quarter scroll elliptic springs The Packard “38” Line Imperial Limousine. . Brougham . Touring Car, five passengers. . Phaeton, five passengers Runabout Limousin Landaulet.. Coupe....... 4 Imperial Coup é Also a limited number of four-passenger Phaetons 4150 i In road efficiency, ease of riding and luxurious lo} Ht ft i appointment. the new “38” typifies Packard quailty Wt I ij DEMONSTRATION BY PACKARD DEALERS ON ANY py I a H KIND OF ROAD. CATALOG ON REQUEST So la 188; Ou Iq ° ° : Pi | ig} Packard Motor Car Company, Detroit, Michigan Lok oleae : a | iF IID Saararacaracarecacasararanaanassseasararara'arsrararscararacarararacararscanaracararacararacararsrararararasscavaracasacavararscassrarararasaraca’ o 1] 22 =o) a? ams ERT ANTA a or ocoaoucaocacsaocoaocaoesaocaocso oamocoocascoocsecoacocoees comicbookstec