1940 Packard Super Eight Sedan From 'Tora! Tora! Tora!' Emerges After 25 Years in Storage at Lucky Collector Car AuctionsA highly collectible 1940 Packard 180 Super Eight Sedan with ties to Hollywood has surfaced from long-term ownership after spending decades tucked away in a private estate collection. The historic luxury sedan, known for its appearance in the 1970 war film “Tora! Tora! Tora!,” is now drawing attention from collectors seeking untouched prewar American classics.The Packard remained under the same ownership for the last 25 years and was recently released from static storage as part of a large estate collection. Although the car is not currently running and will require basic recommissioning, its originality and documented history make it an especially desirable find in today’s collector market.Finished in black with a grey interior, the sedan retains the elegant styling and restrained luxury that defined Packard during the late 1930s and early 1940s. The eighteenth-series Packard models were regarded as some of the company’s finest offerings, positioned above the junior 110 and 120 models that made up much of the brand’s volume sales during the era.AdvertisementAdvertisementPower comes from Packard’s renowned 365-cubic-inch L-head straight-eight engine, featuring a nine-main-bearing design that helped establish the company’s reputation for refinement and durability. Introduced for the 1940 model year, the powerplant became one of Detroit’s most respected engines of the prewar period and represented a major step up in prestige and engineering sophistication compared to Packard’s entry-level offerings.Beyond its mechanical pedigree, the car’s Hollywood background adds another layer of significance. The sedan appeared in Twentieth Century Fox’s “Tora! Tora! Tora!,” the large-scale production centered on the attack on Pearl Harbor. The film became well known for its attention to period-correct vehicles and historical authenticity, helping preserve many classic automobiles through studio use and collector interest.Unlike heavily restored examples that often lose much of their originality, this Packard remains largely untouched, preserving many of the authentic details enthusiasts value most. Its honest condition and long-term ownership history are expected to appeal strongly to collectors looking for cars that have not been significantly altered over time.With modest mechanical attention and recommissioning, the Packard has the potential to become a standout addition to any serious American classic car collection.AdvertisementAdvertisementLucky Collector Car Auctions presents the Spring Classic 2026 Auction. The auction takes place live and online June 6th and 7th at 10 a.m. PST at the LeMay Marymount Event Center. Bidding is available live and online. For more details visit their site.Join our Newsletter, follow our Instagram page, and follow us on Facebook.