Re: Melling/Olds oil pump adapter kit update

Posted by Jack Vines On 2008/6/20 11:35:08

1. Dropped valves were not siezed in the guides, but because the Packard V8 uses the longest, heaviest valve ever seen in a US OHV car engine. FWIW, the early big block Chevrolet 396" used long 3/8" diameter valves and was also plagued with dropping valves when run hard, and they were lighter than the Packard valves. The Packard valve springs were insufficiently strong to control the heavy valves and they floated when wound above 5,000 RPMs. The BBC hi-po 1965.5 396" V8s were good to 6,500 RPMs and then broke valves. With current valve spring technology and cam profiles, they are good to 8,000 today.
2. The race heads being of aluminum has nothing to do with needing shaft-mounted rocker arms. There are many aftermarket aluminum heads which still use the ball and stud. Modern 8,000 RPM racing engines need the stability and accuracy only a shaft-mounted rocker arm can provide. Ball-studs flex too much, even when a upper girdle is added. Jesel is the leading manufacturer of racing shaft mounted rocker arms for Chevrolets.
3. If circumstances ever align, I'd like to take the Packard to Bonneville, but if that doesn't happen, it will be streetable. AFAIK, the fastest Packard V8 ever timed was something like 145 MPH, so having the world's fastest wouldn't be too difficult.

Rich Fox has a Hilborn-injected 352" Packard V8 in a Vega. He is sorting it out and should easily exceed the 145 mark. He is using one of my NOS Iskenderian 505C cams reground by Deema Elgin, so I wish him good speed.

thnx, jack vines