Try pumping up the tires. If they will hold 20 pounds even for a short time, it will be easier to pull it out.

If brakes are locked and/or tires flat get some planks or plywood and cover with plastic. Jack the car up with a floor jack just high enough to put the planks under the tires. Lube with shampoo and slide out. Buy the shampoo at the dollar store for a $1 buck. Do not use your wife's $45 stuff. She will get mad.

Once outside it will be easy to jack it up and change tires if the lug nuts will come loose. If I recall right, the bolt pattern is the same as Ford. Ford pickup or RWD van tires should fit. Even throw away spares from the junk yard.

Let's go back to first principles and break the problem down to its simplest form.

For an engine to run it needs 3 things

1)Compression

2)Spark

3)Fuel

If it has those three things it has to run, it has no choice.

You say the engine turns slowly. Any six volt starter will turn slowly compared to a modern 12v car. But if it turns too slowly it will not start especially if compression, spark and gas are not exactly right. But if it turns over briskly it will start easier. Could you take a video of the engine turning over?

It is also possible to start and run a 6V car on a 12V battery for short periods (up to 15 minutes or half an hour). Do not grind and grind the starter too long or it can overheat.

If an engine has not run for a long time and the rings are dry a shot of oil in each cylinder will make them seal.

As you had the head off would you say the valves and pistons are all good and sealing correctly? Could you do a compression test?

2) Spark. You have gone over this, have you checked each spark plug individually and are they all giving a good spark? Are you sure the timing is right, the rotor is timed to the #1 plug and all wires are in the right ordoer?

3) Gas. Let's not get into the carburetor at this time.

First address the compression and spark. If they are right, or nearly right, it is possible to start an engine by pouring a little gas down the carburetor.

The first thing is to get it turning over.At this point we only know it is 'slow'. How slow? They always turned slow compared to a new car.

Check out this video of starting a 54 Packard for the first time in 15 years. This is how it goes if you are lucky lol.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42yaF9IKTLc

This thread reminds me of a discussion I saw years ago in an old car publication.

An old time custom car designer was interviewed about the custom body business in the twenties and thirties.

He said many of the bodies were made in batches of 50 or 100 and warehoused until needed. Then they were painted, trimmed, and installed on chassis. This was only done when a firm order was received.

Most of these cars were ordered by dealers for stock, and sold off the showroom floor.

A few were ordered by the customer and painted and trimmed to their specifications.

Only 1 or 2 orders out of every 100 were special order, or 'custom built' in the sense we think of today. But all these bodies were built to the same standards by the same workmen using the same materials and all were considered 'custom bodies'.

I should think all the vehicles made by Henney would be considered custom jobs.

If you mean what I think you mean the slotted side of the piston is not the thrust side. In other words the thrust side is the plain not slotted side. Can engine experts confirm this?

On a flathead Chrysler six I took out the core plugs and found the water jackets had 2 or 3 inches of deposits, mainly mud and rust. It washed out easily with a pressure washer. It was possible to do a thorough job by pointing the pressure in different directions.

After doing this you could fill with fresh water and add some CLR calcium lime and rust remover. Run for 50 miles or so and flush the system with a garden hose in the rad.

This should get the system clean without using aggressive chemicals that might cause damage. You may cause leaks by removing deposits that are plugging a weak spot.

Happens all the time in body shops. They use a special double sided tape. Maybe a friendly body shop would give you a bit if you ask. It comes in a big roll you would never use up.

Does anyone know the value of military or government contracts cancelled in 1953 - 55? It must have been a blow to Packard but did these losses speed their demise? In other words could the government contracts if continued, have given Packard the capital to bring out new models or improved the bottom line enough to subsidize the car business?

In short, did the loss of military and government business indirectly sink the company?

Have you checked the prices on Packard engine parts? I understand they are very reasonable. A friend of mine rebuilt his 1954 Clipper straight eight for under $1000 a few years ago. If you have the original engine and the rod is not sticking through the block it may be cheaper to repair than replace.

The fact that nobody ever put a small block Chevy in a Packard suggests there are reasons not to.

I'll never forget a 56 Clipper sedan in the local area. The owner had a garage install a used Buick V8 in place of the Packard engine. Then he decided to sell it. I offered $2500 which he indignantly refused. His reasoning was as follows. He paid $4500 for the car then paid $3500 to have the engine swap done. Therefore the car was worth $4500+$3500= $8000. I tried to explain that the odd engine reduced the value of the car but he wouldn't listen. Instead, he put the car on Ebay.

Top bid, $2200.

It is actually the spindle supports you need. Have you contacted the people who make dropped spindles and spindle supports? It is possible they have the specs and can make you some, if they ever had a call for them before. If not they may be able to help you if you send them your spindle supports to work from.