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Is a nice looking car for sure.

Are you a member of Lone Star Packards in Houston?
They are a region of The Packard Club.
https://www.packardclub.org/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/342912285774974/?source_id=113322083096

Lone Star Packards would be a good place to start to talk to those in your area to see who they use and recommend.

Here is their website that has a list of service providers, I'm not recommending any, just passing it along.
http://www.lonestarpackards.com/service_providers.html

The Facebook page,
https://www.facebook.com/Lone-Star-Packards-347023472042253/

Hope this helps some.

Have you ever been to the Texas Packard Meet?
Also a good place to meet and discuss Packards.

https://www.texaspackardmeet.org/
https://www.facebook.com/Packardmeetsaladotx/

Nice car, hard to find ones like that today.

I would eliminate the pistons/rings as the reason for the low compression. I would preform a "WET" compression check. Take out the plugs, pour a teaspoon of oil into each cylinder and then do another compression check. If it comes up, that indicates rings/cylinder. If it stays the same, then it would indicate head gasket, which you have eliminated or valves.

Low compression in a couple of cylinders would make it hard to start.

Hi SuitBear552

Nice-looking '41 Clipper! Welcome to the friendliest, most knowledgeable, enthusiastic, generous, helpful and civil Packard forum. There is a wealth of knowledge and encouragement here standing by to avail yourself of as you tackle every problem. A great deal of historic information is here for the simply filling out your knowledge base.

As recommended by Let The Ride Decide, local resources are available to you with members of both the Packard Club (PAC) and Packards International (PI), both with local club regions. You should join one or both, particularly the one that has a regional chapter covering your area. PAC has the ArkLaTex Packards, Heart of Texas Packards, Lone Star Packards regions in your state. Joining requires a membership with the national PAC club first and well worth it. You'll open a world of good people who are enthusiastic and helpful to get your '41 Clipper back on the road. Packard people want to see as many Packard return to the road as possible. They will know good engine re-builders who can do your job right for a realistic price.

The advice given here is from people who are extremely familiar with Packard straight eights. The 282 eight is a simple, straight-forward engine which requires only the basic engine rebuilding skills to complete. The 10K estimate is very high, likely he doesn't really want to do the job. Many current shops want to deal only with newer engines.

To document your progress and share it with all of us, please start a project blog in that section. Not only does it make it easier to post your questions but also to find the answers later for reference. Of course, we all like to see how things are progressing too. Check out the other ongoing Project Blogs for ideas as well.

Good Luck with your Clipper project, please keep us apprised of your progress.

Steve

G'day SuitBear552,
to PackardInfo.

I invite you to include your '41 Clipper in the Packard Owner's Registry.

Your Clipper looks to be in pretty good shape, body-wise.

Definitely work attacking the mechanical issues. but with the help of knowledgeable and enthusiastic people, as suggested here.

This is comparatively easy/cheap compared to body or paintwork. Mechanical bits readily available and not too expensive. You would end up with e very nice car which would be reliable, a pleasure to drive and would attract a lot of positive attention.

If you don't feel like taking this on yourself, maybe pass it to another Packard enthusiast to have a go. It's worth saving!

Cheers

Brian

I know that some have said the motor looks well worn.. Is it possible to adjust the valves so they close more so there would be more compression. The guy I bought it from said it did run.. but that it was hard to start.. Of course he never said anything about the bb's. It was stored at a shop he owned but leased out.. the guy running the shop told us about the bb's. The car has been partially rebuilt. I have no idea about the transmission or clutch. I do know he told us the brakes were redone.. but they are not working now.

I don't know if what you are asking is very feasible, There are so many unknowns about the engine, trans, etc., that if you aren't 100% committed to bring the Packard to life and incurring the expense(S) of all that entails perhaps your $ can be put into a car that already has the work done. Take time to get an idea using the resources of the above listed clubs in your area to see what the trans might cost, complete brake overhaul, gas tank and components cleaned and repaired, cooling system servicing (radiator,heater,water pump,engine block etc.) then if the interior needs work $$ as well as paint or body work $$. Having an collector auto is/can be, a money pit but when it's all done the pride of ownership will feel great. Now is the time to decide to be "all in and committed" or bail. Hope this helps. Regards.

If the valves are leaking some, about the only thing that might be done is to use valve grind compound and lap the valves into their seats.
Short of that, it would require regrinding the valves and valves seats if pitted much.

Based on what I've read here, this isn't something where you want to take any shortcuts.