Packard8

I?ll just give you folks a bit of history and then drop it. My first experience with PFH was 5 or 6? years ago at the old forum. A new member?s first post was a general question about a Packard 110. Well, the first reply was from Petey and it was a 5 page harangue about how the 110 did not deserve to wear the Packard nameplate, it was a piece of junk that was not up to the standards of the other prewar Packards, the member should get rid of it and buy a REAL Packard (like Petey?s)?.. yadayadaya ad nauseum. Well, the member replied that she was an 18 YO young woman and her Granddaddy had just died and left her the car as a remembrance. She was not real happy and left the forum. Did Petey apologize? Heck no?.he started another diatribe about how correct his assessments of the 110 were and he was just trying to help the new member get rid of her junk car. I?m sure you will see a typical lawyer?s rebuttal of the incident (?it depends on what the meaning of ?is? is?.?), but those who were on the forum at the time will remember the facts?.. Just be careful of what you wish for guys, and that?s all I?ll have to say about that??..

Yup, same 'ol Petey...."don't blame me I didn't' build them", "don't shoot the messenger" etc, ...yadayadayada. Sounds like you are off your meds again..I'll give it about a week before the current Petey goes "poof" like all the rest..... Meanwhile, thank god for the Ignore button....... BTW, how many times have you been banned here? How many times at ClassicCar.com?....Do I see a pattern here?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The amazing thing is that he was invited back. </div></div> You're kidding............. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">the question of why Packard died is VERY easy to answer. <snip> </div></div> (groan)?.He?s baaaaaack?????.. Playing the same of broken record?.?post war Packards are junk??.yadayadayada?.. I find it amusing the 356 Clipper engine you so adore and idolize is not one whit different from the post war senior straight 8?s. Drag racing in a Dynaflow, Mopar Fluid Drive, Chevy Powerglide or Ultramatic is just plain goofy. Take a 1954 Packard equipped with a 359 4bbl and 3 speed overdrive and it will hold its own with the competition (as proved by La Carrera and Pan Americana entrants). Petey?believe it or not, you aren?t the only one ?who was there? I?ve owned dozens and dozens of post war/1950?s cars from the Big Three and the independents (I tried to remember them all a few years ago and got stuck at 40 some). There is really not much difference in build quality comparing a mid 50?s Caddy, Chrysler, Lincoln, Packard, Hudson, Stude etc. They all were lacking compared to today?s build standards. Right after WW II all US auto makers couldn?t build ?em fast enuf to meet demand and that resulted in shoving less than perfect product out the door. Okay?for those new here, we?ve gone down this path a zillion times since the Packard Forum was at CollectorCar.com several years ago. Petey has had a few dozen incarnations in the interim (and usually gets shown the door after a while). I thought he might have learned by now but??..

Lookin' good! What sort of pump is that?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hey Kip, just wondered what color paint you used on your manifold - it looks just like the correct color for a '54 straight 8. For '54 it's called bronze and I can't find it in hi-temp paint. I got 2 quarts from Bill Hirsh at diffrent times and they both looked like a brown tan <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> . Thanks! ................Steve </div></div> Yes, same color for '54 & '56 seniors but I don't know of any hi-temp.

That's just nutz...whenever I see an eBay auction with the bidder's identities hidden I suspect something fishy. Could be shill bidding going on. NO way anyone actually paid that much for it.....(IMO).

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Randy, I am still chasing my oil pressure problem, but it is now pointing more towards the pump. I won't know for sure untill I plastigauge the main bearings. I replaced all the spark plugs-the ones that were in there were the wrong type- and made a new set of wires. My idle is a lot smoother, and guess what, the engine burns cleaner. Still have a dieseling problem though.The compression test went good, every cylinder registered st 135 PSI except #3, it registered at 160 PSI. Any ideas anybody? I checked the dwell, and it is at 30 deg, which is acceptable for a DELCO distributer. I have a clacking noise that goes away after the engine warms up, I have no clue too what that may be except a collapsed lifter. My generator is giving me fits now, it has a clacking sound comming from it as well, and it gets hot during operation. That is not normal. Oh well, I am getting it closer to a daily driver. I did have it out on the freeway yesterday, I was doing about 85-90 and a CHP pulled up beside me and just nodded at me, then proceeded to nail the guy in front of me. </div></div> The high comp on one cyl and the dieseling suggest carbon build up. I?d try a heavy dose of Chevron Techron (a 20 oz btl with about 5 gal of gas in the tank). Might help (or not) and beats pulling the heads.

These guys are quite a bit less pricey and well proven for marine apps (if you have a good place to mount one): http://www.iboats.com/mall/index.cgi?cat...witch|579879439

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Look in the 48-54 parts book under 455140 as the casting number is frequently one number earlier than the part number. Look under group 5.0503. It appears to be an export head. </div></div> Thanks Randy, I did see the P/N 455140 and see it is rated @ 8.0:1 CR on a 327 and and 7.2 on a 288. I wasn't aware that the published number would be one digit later than the one on the casting. I am going to cc it as I need to order custom pistons anyway. It also seems to have the extra "dimple" in the top of the chamber as some of the late straight 8's did. THX, John

Hi folks, I'm trying to ID a straight 8 head that I don't find in the parts book. P/N is 455139 and casting date is 12-15-53. There is no "288", "327" "AT" or "STD" marking on the head, just "PACKARD THUNDERBOLT", the P/N & date. TIA

Sorta like having Andy Warhol ?freshen up? the Mona Lisa? <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hi, R. W., Actually, by contemporary racing engine standards, the 3.5" stroke Packard V8 is a SHORT stroke engine. The Packard V8 max RPM is not limited by the length of the stroke or the strength of the cast steel crank, rather by the weight of the valve train. The intake valves are 2" diameter, 3/8" stem, 5.7" long and heavier than the hubs of hell. The large diameter valve springs and steel retainers are heavy themselves. The pushrods are also 10.5" long and commensurately heavy. It takes lots of valve spring pressure to control all that weight at higher RPMs. My contribution was to provide one of my Iskenderian 505C cams for Rich to have Deema Elgin regrind for his. When he decides on the best profile, I am hoping Deema will regrind my other cam to the same spec. Exciting times for the Packard V8. thnx, jv. </div></div> CalCams in Oakland CA used to have one or 2 profiles available for the Packard V8...Isky "street" and "3/4 race" as I recall, but it has been a few years...might be worth giving them a call. IIRC, they charged me $125 for the Isky re-grind about 10 years ago.

Bummer Rick, not sure what happened, but it looks like someone went after a mosquito with a double-barrel 10 gauge. Always appreciate your good info, stick around!

?????? are we in a time warp ??????

Which body????.....I'm guessing a sedan? IIRC, all the customs were Ultramatics in '50? If a sedan and a true #2, I'd guess between $12-15K based on NADA etc.

Bummer?. I haven?t ordered from Kanter in quite a while, but past experience has been good. They definitely should have posted that it was not a direct replacement before accepting the order. Did you check BigKev?s Xref website? When you have a part #, sometimes it?s amazing what some of the older parts jobbers have in stock! I have a local NAPA store that is not afraid to spend a few minutes and call the warehouse for my oddball stuff. If you do go to NAPA and you have an AAA membership, be sure to ask for the AAA discount.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What is the going price for a 6v Optima battery? Also who sells the cases? I am not too thrilled about screwing around with battery acid. </div></div> The last one I bought (about 18 months ago) was $109 from the local Interstate Battery Distributor. If you have an Interstate jobber (not retailer) in your area check there first. The guy selling on eBay wants $44 just for shipping <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />?.that?s nuts!

Hi Guy, The motors that drive off of the front are called a ?nose drive? configuration. I had a Chebby 283 set up like that in an old 24? Owens. AFAIK, most automotive marine conversions rotated in the same direction as their on the road counterparts. The rotation of the prop shaft is determined by the gearbox ?? it will usually say on the data plate ?RH? or ?LH?. My last ?big boat? was a 36? Owens sportfisher with twin Detroit 4-53?s. They were both standard clockwise rotation but had either a RH & LH Borg-Warner Velvet Drive behind each. Sounds like you have a neat old boat! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Speaking of Jack Webb, they had the 1954 movie version of Dragnet on the other night. What little I was able to watch did not show anything. Did anybody else watch the whole thing and be able to see if there were or were not any Packards in it. </div></div> I didn't notice any Packards. Sgt Friday drove a Ford 4 door and the main villain drove a new Caddy.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hey Rick, The 1958 wagon is a Packabaker?.. 289 cid V8, 4bbl, dual exhaust rated @ 225 HP, & BW Flight-O-Matic tranny IIRC. Pretty neat cars IMHO, tho most ?True Packard Folks? tend to snub them. Same Swoopty-Doopty tail lights as the ?56 Juniors, with a big fin above them??. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> </div></div> Yes, I know and agree on all that (except for the Snubing part <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />). It's the mechanical layout and design of the systems, that I'm Not familiar with. It's what's under the hood and under the car that I'm curious about? I have some good exterior pics but nothing of the Internals? I didn't Realize my Tail-lights were 'Swoopty-Doopty', tho. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> </div></div> Maybe my experience was ?unique?, but at one time I had both a ?57 Clipper sedan and a ?58 P-Hawk. Both were sort of shunned by many (most?) of the ?Packard People? I know whereas most of the Stude folks thought they were the cat?s meow. And yes, those tail lights <span style="font-style: italic">ARE</span> Swoopty-Doopty!!!!!! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Yes, I think Kev is correct on the years, but Studebaker probably started advertising it, sometime in '37, for the '38 production year. I would like to see some pictures of the engine, tranny and suspension? I've never worked on a '58 and I'm curious about how the mechanical design differed from '56? </div></div> Hey Rick, The 1958 wagon is a Packabaker?.. 289 cid V8, 4bbl, dual exhaust rated @ 225 HP, & BW Flight-O-Matic tranny IIRC. Pretty neat cars IMHO, tho most ?True Packard Folks? tend to snub them. Same Swoopty-Doopty tail lights as the ?56 Juniors, with a big fin above them??. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Packard Station Sedan production. In the three years of '48, '49, and '50 there were a total of 3,864 Packard Station Sedans produced. </div></div> Wow?I don?t doubt your figures, but I would have guessed a lot less! I very rarely see a bathtub woody compared to quite a few lower production cars like the ?58 Packard Hawk (+/- 500), ?56 Carib (+/- 300) or ?54 conv (+/- 800). I guess a lot more were scrapped? <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hi, Tritone, Had a question from a noted Packard restorer, Ole Book, of North Bergen, NJ. He wants to confirm which waterpump was used on the Packard V8 marine conversions. He has some photos which suggest a remote pump, not the stock car pump. What have you seen? thnx, jv. </div></div> The Andres Marine engine I have had a remote water pump (now gone missing, see photo here:) http://forums.aaca.org/showflat.php?Cat=...true#Post345121 ) The one Stokes Marine I have seen in person also had what looked like a Jabsco Water Puppy mounted on a front bracket with about an 8 inch spoked pulley running off the crank.

The only positive thing I can say is that no actual Packards were harmed during the construction of this automobile. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />