The 1930 Packard 740 was no exception to this luxury branding, with ads bragging that driving one felt like floating on air. In 1930, the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, produced the 740, powered by an 8-cylinder, 385-cubic-inch engine with 105 horsepower and a 4-speed transmission. Compared to other cars of the time, the 740 was a feat of engineering. The original cost of the 1930 Packard 740 was $3,375, though wooden wheels could be added for an additional $110.

This 1930 Packard 740 began life as a standard 7-passenger vehicle, but Penn Yan Bus Bodies, Inc. of Penn Yan, New York, converted it into a fire truck in 1933. During the conversion, they added a new body, a Spartan siren, a pair of spotlights, and fender lamp covers.

The transformation gave this Packard new life, as it began providing fire protection service at the Packard Proving Grounds in Utica, Michigan. The Packard Motor Car Company used the Proving Grounds to test prototype automobiles before marketing them to the public. This new fire truck served at the Proving Grounds until 1956, when Packard produced its last car and closed its doors forever.

After the Proving Grounds closed, the vehicle changed hands many times, from the Volunteer Fire Department in Romulus, Michigan, to the Fort Lauderdale Antique Car Museum in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Proving Grounds Packard joined Koorsen Fire Museum’s private collection in September 2021.