That's just crazy enough to work! Especially if you start with this car:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1934-PACKARD-EIGHT-HOTROD-350-CHEVY-/120725619673#ht_17411wt_1167?clk_rvr_id=237182382144 The link is to an Ebay listing for a 1934 (actually 1935) Packard Eight sedan. It was hot rodded years ago with a Chev engine, Munsters interior and other embarrassing mods.
That car, restored to (more like) original with a Diesel engine, would give you a unique tour car that you could drive at about half the fuel cost of an original eight.
The heavy models would be better able to handle the bulk and weight of a diesel, and benefit more from the fuel economy.
There are 2 obscure facts that make this idea intriguing. One is, diesel engines first came to prominence in the early 30s. There was much speculation that the car of the future would be diesel powered. And Packard was working on a light weight diesel aircraft engine at the time. So, it is not out of the question that Packard considered making a diesel model at that time.
One more obscure fact. The first diesel car in America was a big Packard sedan converted to diesel by Clessie Cummins using one of his boat engines. So there is more history to the Packard/diesel connection.
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