Gads, this sounds like another case of an old car where some BillyBob/Cooter team who have a passing knowledge of electricity/auto electronics "improved" the car by adapting it over to their limited base of knowledge (i.e. "like a Chevy/Ford/Mopar?) rather than getting a wiring diagram and figuring out what is really happening, or is supposed to be happening. In addition to all of the excellent advice offered here, I'm thinking it might be a good idea to get an OE wiring diagram and start by putting everything BACK the way Packard wanted it, checking for continuity in all wires while doing so and ascertaining the integrity of the charging system and its individual components, the battery cables (as previously suggested--a common component monkeyed up by backyard butchers) and the starter motor.
If they "converted" it to negative ground you may have to re-polarize the voltage regulator, no big deal.
Some of the worst second-guess monkey work of all is committed on old car wiring and electrics. Very few people want to figure out the "why" of the original manufacturer--they just want to bring it down to the level they (think they) understand.
If someone was very competent and changed everything over to a more mainstream (12V negative ground with GM alternator in most cases) system AND they did a clean, reliable job of it (no blue crimp connector hell, no orange wire nut hell) AND they drew up a new wiring diagram so that the next owner would have something to go on (rarely happens) it might be OK.
But that is rarely the case. Instead, this case of "a thousand monkeys with a thousand wiring harnesses" is what we typically find.
I have never regretted putting everything back to square one and making sure that all systems have good, functional components and adequate wire gauges.

Jack--thanks for that correction, I was not aware of that. You have certainly spent time in the trenches enough to know.

Big Kev says "Also in one of the picture someone has mounted a fan blower directly on the firewall on the drivers side. Very unusual"

Kev, that's the usual set up for a factory air-conditioned Packard V-8. That's where it goes.

Shouldn't be any problems at all. Packard only cast one V-8 block, from which they bored the 320, 352 and 374 displacement engines. Are your 352 pistons originals?

I would have a hard time letting anything Lucas touch a Packard

.....They don't call it "Mass" here

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http://www.newpig.com/en_US/main.jhtml?catId=2LHBPIGGRAYUNIVERSALMATPADS&page=browse/capture.jhtml these guys are very handy to know when you are around old cars.

Randy--you introduced me to Dave at Hershey this past fall!

Are you familiar with Eastwood's exhaust manifold paint?

it goes on easily and keeps 'em looking purdy

For the last 16 years I have worked in two museums, each with collections numbering in the 200+ area, with vehicles from the dawn of time until the present. It has become my opinion that any car made between 1953 and 1980 is BORN to leak unless started and run weekly. If the trans doesn't leak the power steering does. Sometimes both, and the differental leak. A freshly rebuilt trans with new seals stands a good chance of keeping its fluid.

Randy--Best wishes for your "procedure", both of my folks have had it done, My Mom said she's had worse times in the dentist's chair.

Is that a silver primer on your engine or is that just media-blasted bare metal?