Re: Did Chevy consider Packard V8 BB Design?

Posted by Jack Vines On 2009/2/16 0:05:38

That we love Packards shouldn't blind us to history and fact.

1. There is no reason GM would have wanted any head technology from Packard. The Packard head was completely conventional, exactly like what GM had been building since '49 with Cadillac and Oldsmobile as was Studebaker since '51. I've never seen any reliable information to the contrary.
2. The GM canted valve/semi-hemi head design was developed in-house in the late '50s and first used on the W-engine platform in the '63 Daytona race. In '65 it was put into production on the new big-block 396", which ultimately was built in 366", 402", 427", 454", 502" and 572" engines.

Bottom line, the Packard V8 broke absolutely no new ground technologically. It had its' good and bad points, but basically was just an up-sized first-generation Kettering V8 and obsolescent when it was introduced.

thnx, jack vines