Are the front and rear joints the same?

Bob hit it right on the head. You can actually see the rear joint "shift" back to center at the time the ping resonates back into the shaft. I got a new set (will do both while I have the shaft out anyway) but Kanter sent the wrong ones. I think the two-section shaft will help simplify the job.

Thanks again.

Steve, I have 15" Packard rims and tires available. Let me know if interested.

Thanks for the input guys. I think what I might do later when I get home is to block up the back of the car, have a volunteer turn the rear wheels slowly, and see if I can crawl around and isolate this sound. Or at least try to before I start disassembly of anything.

I remember doing u-joints on a Buick Electra I had one time that were tight but noisy, and when I took them off they were really chewed inside, especially the rear. As I recall, they vibrated quite a bit too. This was about 30 years ago, and age fogs the memory (!).

Of recent, I notice a light, metallic click - click - click in the drive line that speeds and slows in frequency with speed of car. Really only noticable at low speed, like when parking or pulling in and out of the garage. My first thought was u-joints, but upon inspection, they seem OK, which is to say no freeplay in the joint itself. They are the one wing, one round cap type. Am I missing something? Any thoughts?

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You don't have to. The original post was only making inquiry as to a persons particular opinion, limiting specific criteria to perhaps one's own experiences with a Packard engine(s).

I freely admit I voted for the 245 six because this is what I have. That fact notwithstanding, the 245 six in my 1282 meets MY criteria for reliability. I was only stranded one time since I've owned it, just around the corner from my house, because I ran out of gas. Hardly criteria to judge reliability on. Maybe we could start up a new thread called "Bone-Head Packard Maneuvers" or something.

By the way, I don't care if the 12's are any better or not, I sure would like to have one, just a little Victoria Coupe would be nice!

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Which is why any automatic can be push started, the only variable is the speed at which it obtains to go.

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You bet. The fact you are looking around at old cars tells me you possess the necessary inclination and aptitude required to gain satisfaction out of this type of thing. I'm not a mechanic either, I just draw on my experiences as a kid when I needed to drive, but did not have money enough to pay anyone to fix what I had, and subsequently performed all my own repairs. Sometimes this was more than frequently. Luckily, the junk I mean cars I had were of 50's and early 60's manufacture as these were the only vehicles in my price range. (Remember the 50 dollar specials?)

My recommendation to you Dave is to look around, and buy the one YOU like. I would buy the Packard if it runs and drives OK without bellowing smoke, torrential leaks or a bunch of weird noises. The price of 1800 seems right.

I'm with you John, mine has never let me down. It starts easily no matter how hot or cold, and I average about 16 mpg on regular pump gas. In my opinion, the 245 Packard 6 is one of the finest engines ever built.

Just got the water pump back from Art Gould, all I can say is WOW. This thing looks perfect, I barely recognized it, it will look out of place on my old jalopy for sure. Turn around was LESS than a week, and under 100 bucks with two way shipping to boot. Very impressed.