Re: Over-Drive vs Gear Change for a '34 Coupe

Posted by shinyhubcap On 2016/11/8 21:05:22

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Hi again Tom:

Nope - you aren't missing anything!

You may choose to listen to those of us who actually own and operate pre-war "Senior" Packards.

I am sure the guys who own the "Jr. series" and/post-war Packards mean well. But they are basing their comments on what they know about their cars - clearly they are woefully ignorant about our pre-war "Seniors".

Yes, until you get an over-drive installed, I most certainly would limit your road speed to 45-50 mph as Owen suggests. IF you do that, and IF you "drop" the oil pan at least once every two years to make sure only fresh clean oil is sucked up by the oil pump, you MAY get good service FOR A WHILE assuming your motor is equipped with "stock" poured babbit connecting rod bearings.

Chances are, your car did not get good maintainence before you got it - who knows what condition those old poured babbit bearings are in. At the SLIGHTEST sound of engine noise from the rods, and/or oil pressure with 30 wt. oil drops below, say, 30 lbs psi at...oh...say 40 mph when hot, SHUT IT OFF AND DO NOT START IT AGAIN until it is properly repaired. You WILL ruin your crank-shaft. Repairing a "Senior" series crankshaft that has been run with bad rod bearings is...well.....not for the faint-hearted....!

I rather doubt if too many wrecking yards have a stock of 1935-1939 Eight motors for you to get the connecting rods out of, so you can machine them to fit modern "insert" type rod bearings. I personally would not drive a babbit-rod bearing equipped Packard very far for for the above reason (Owen is lucky...in my view... my experience over the years (more than a few...with more than a few pre-1935 Packards......! ) tells me he is pushing his luck and is on borrowed time).

There are folks who can take your old connecting rods, use them for dimensional data, and make you up connecting rods that will accept modern "insert" type bearings (the kind ALL Packards had from 1935 production forward).

However, even with reliable "insert" type bearings, I would still go to the expense of installing a modern auxiliary transmission ( also known as an overdrive).

Once you have done that, (and other proper maintainence) I guarantee you will find yourself literally overwhelmed with delight as you drive your Packard, and discover why the Packard name is so legendary.

And be sympathetic to these guys who think our pre-war Senior Packards (again...PROPERLY MAINTAINED...!) don't handle & brake superbly at ANY speed. They obviously don't know what they are missing!