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WOW, what a car, what a ride

            Nick Grewal successfully drove his 1940 Packard from beginning to end of the 2019 Peking to Paris Rally.

            The car was shipped by sea to China where the race began. Built by Jim Lowrey’s shops in Tilton, NH, rules require that each entry be vintage and largely stock. Safety features including a roll bar, 5-point harness for driver and navigator were added. Over 800 hours of work on the car was focused on improving reliability. The car has a stock flathead six-cylinder engine and the original frame with steel bracing.

A substantial amount of spare parts were packed into the car before the start. A blown clutch in Russia was successfully replaced as was a broken leaf spring and two failed shocks.

            The course is nearly 9,000 miles long through 11 countries, sometimes where there are no roads at all. Hotels are used when available but in places like Mongolia where they are not, competitors slept in small tents.

            The Rally is a timed event where crossing check points neither early nor late is the goal. Grewal is an experienced vintage race car driver whose competition skills proved valuable. Also important to finishing was a focused determination.

            Several videos of the event that include this car can be seen on YouTube by clicking here. The car can be seen at the North East Motor Sports Museum. Jim Lowrey is pictured with the car.