Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Folks, need some help here. I am changing the waterpump on the 1948 Packard Super Eight. I had thought just change the pump, paint, and put on. I cannot understand the color of this motor. On the left is Packard Gray, in the middle is my old pump and housing and the right in Packard Green. Its really the housing we need to match.

What color was used?

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Hi Tom. The correct color for a 22nd series Super 8 motor, including the water pump and cylinder head goodneck, is gray. Miscolored parts might have been a service replacement, earlier rebuild, or someone not caring about the correct color.

I checked over some original 22nd series motors once and the traces of original color were light gray.

Light Gray was the original Packard motor color way back and it took me a while to find a period photo. I've attached it for those who don't like the change from green. Maybe this will help them feel less uncomfortable with the change.

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Packard seems to have had a love affair with grays; the gray that Tim pointed out is contradicted by other sources (most say all were black thru 1914 and green began in 1915) but the 320 and 384 factory reconditioned cylinder block assemblies were painted Crane Gray and this practice may have gone back into earlier years. Many of the marine and aircraft engines used various grays including the 50s era non-magnetic marine V12 and V16 diesels which were Navy gray.