Re: How much overbore?

Posted by 58L8134 On 2010/12/19 10:45:20

Hi Jack

Well, when you know a subject as well as you do Packard V8 engines, someone needs to say so. Few of us have the depth of experience and knowledge you have. Therefore we need to take seriously your advice when it comes to rebuilds and/or modifications.

The V8 bearing failures were likely rooted in the inadequate time to design and test the engine, given the mandate to have a new V8 ready for '55 production. When I read about the 25,000 mile endurance run made in '54 as proof of the engine's durability, I wonder why those trials didn't take place in 1952 or 1953.

I continually wonder what the engine engineering department was working on after the introduction of the '49 Olds and Cadillac short-stroke, OHV V8 engines. If they were still trying to prefect the straight eights, they were just tilting at windmills. Once a new type of engine design proves itself to the consumer to have major benefits, trying to convince them to hold onto the old technology is just pointless.
Packard should have had a fully prefected V8 engine ready for production easily before '55 rolled around. As a maker, Packard wasn't always first but when they did field a new design, it was pretty thoroughly prefected.

Steve