Did Chevy consider Packard V8 BB Design?

Posted by 55PackardGuy On 2008/9/29 1:27:27

Apocryphal... or not? Detroit Urban Legend... I wonder.

Plans to morph Packard V8 into a Chevy BB circa 1958.

Over on the pre-war board was a post regarding a possibly true story that Chevrolet had more than a passing interest in the Packard "Big Block" design for their first BB engine. I thought I'd start a thread over here on the V8 board and present the question.

One possible scenario (speculation only): Given the rather odd-ball qualities of the Chevy 348 BB and other early "W" motors, perhaps Chevy was struggling to get out an all-new BB design to compete with their GM brethren, and "Studebaker Packard" could sure have used the money about that time.

If Chevy were to tool up for a version of the '56 Packard V8, massaged enough to look like a unique design, it would've taken them about two years of development to be ready for 1958, when Chevy introduced the 348.