Re: 1955 Packard No Engine Number?

Posted by BH On 2008/10/25 22:43:02

Well, I suspect the number was designated with the "Utica" adjective merely to distinguish it from any number stamped at the Conner plant - namely, the motor/vehicle serial number.

They had to track engine production at Utica (note the use of Utica numbers in some STBs), but the motor/vehicle serial number wasn't applied until it reached the point of vehicle assembly at the Conner Avenue plant. Not all engines went into vehicle production, let alone Conner - some went into marine use, some were diverted to service replacement inventory.

Engines and transmissions in my Chevies of the 1970s have their own unique serial numbers as well as a derivative of the VIN, which supports the whole "numbers matching" thing in the hobby, in addition to tracking production. Since the mid-1980s, you'll find VIN on all sorts of parts - even body sheet metal.