Re: Engine wanted for a '35

Posted by Jim On 2008/10/15 1:14:49

O_D

That is an interesting anomaly in the '34 320 / 385 engines. If my recollection is correct the 385 that is available here in Arizona is a '34. This fellow that Mel is posting the thread for is unsure of what engine his car was equipped with.

I know very little about the 385 engines. Maybe you could answer a curious thought that occurred to me, did the '35 / '36 385 get the same style flanged thin wall inserts as the 320 or were they more durable due to the bigger dimensions?

Packard seemed to struggle a little with connecting rod / bearing design at that time in their history. The rod bolts seem so close to the rod bore for no great reason. The finned caps are bizarre. The 12 rod seems to be of high quality, but for the life of me, I can't imagine why they would have forged the bolts integral with the rod assembly. It seems like this rendered the rod assembly disposable once the bolt stretched, or the bolt / rod damaged.

I will admit, these engines are a step ahead of most of their flathead contemporaries of that period.