Re: Question For Packard12

Posted by Peter Hartmann On 2008/8/8 9:01:22

Hi John:

In answer to your question about tech. specs, perhaps you are aware that the Packard Company wanted its salesforce to be well-educated on the product. So each year the factory published a SALESMAN'S DATA BOOK which was pretty inclusive.

In the case of the 1938 model year, these specs. are found in the last chapter ( Chapter Eight ) entitled DETAILED MECHANICAL SPECIFICATIONS. You can also see the extent of the differences in '37-39 Packard Super Eights and Twelves by looking thru the frame, brakes, and suspension components sections of the PACKARD PARTS BOOK for the respective years that eights and twelve cyl. cars were produced.

The laws of physics were taught in engineering schools, even in those days ! The heavier, the more powerful, and the faster car required heavier, more competent suspension and more powerful brakes! It wasn't "rocket science" then, and it isnt today!

I am puzzled about this statement that there was a 750 lb diff. between the weight of a Packard V-12 and a Super Eight motor - my recollection is that is the difference in weight of the assembled car ( ? ? ? - cant recall the details any more). I doubt if in the case of the motor itself, if the difference was half that much.

The "Super Eight" was, except for carb. and induction, pretty much the same engine as introduced in the mid 1920's, so it is much less efficient than the Packard V-12 designed later, with light-years more advances in technology. Thus the Packard V-12 is MUCH lighter in terms of ITS cubic inches, than the eights were.

So, while the frame, brakes, wheels, suspension components, etc., of the Packard V-12 was heavier, this appears to relate more to the much greater power potential, than the weight of the power-plants themselves - for example, the "swept effective brake lining" area of the Twelves was half again larger than the eights ( which is logical and good basic engineering practice...you go faster with a heavier more powerful car, you need much bigger brakes to stop it....!