GATSBY AUTOMOBILE click on.
My father, Bill Williams, chose his Series 1 Clenet, because it gave him the feeling he had driving in his
uncle Tom Lyle Willimas, 1934 Packard Victoria.
To a little kid growing up in Chicago, his uncles, 1934 Vee Windshield Dietrich Packard was a fantasy car.
When Bill turned 16, his Tom Lyle Williams, had this 1940 Packard Victoria, custom made and Bill remembered the thrill of his uncle teaching him how to drive in it. The style, glamour and flash of the Packard was reborn in the Clenet.
53 year old Bill Williams represented the ideal Clenet owner living out the Gatsby Dream.
Clenet Series I, Number 13/250
In the early 1970’s Alain Clenet
had a dream to design and build one of the most elegant coach-built automobiles
ever produced. He formed a company in Santa Barbara, California with a very
small, elite group of craftsmen that helped make his dream a reality.
This is a 1977 Series 1 Clenet,
Number 13 of 250. Originally purchased by Bill Williams, who recently passed,
this car remains a part of his family’s estate.
This particular Clenet is very rare because it
was the last car built on a Lincoln Continental running gear and chassis. After
1977 the running gear on the first series cars changed to a Mercury Cougar
chassis with a smaller motor, transmission, and suspension. This particular
Clenet has the 400 cubic inch engine with the C6 transmission, large breaks and
suspension. There were many Series I cars that were purchased by celebrities and
used in filming movies and TV shows.
The car has been in storage for
the past 7 years and recently went through a preservation by Steve Kouracos.
Kouracos was one of the original craftsmen at Clenet Coachworks. He set up and
managed the body and paint division. The car is 100% original, including the 35
year old lacquer paint job.
We hope you enjoy viewing this
piece of automotive history as much as we love showing and displaying it to
others.
-The Williams Family
Specs:
400 cubic inch 2v v-8 engine
Select shift automatic transmission
C6
Four-wheel power disc
breaks
2.75 rear axle ratio
