Re: Packard fuel injection

Posted by BH On 2011/1/16 11:21:58

I believe that the Rochester Ramjet mechanical-type FI was first available, as an option, on the '57 Chevy BelAir and Corvette 283-V8, but also used on a special edition of the 1957-58 Pontiac Bonneville. Beyond that, it was used strictly on Corvette through 1962. I've heard that system was a real PITA to tune and a lot of these Rochester systems were removed, in favor of a carbureted set-up - only for the FI to be returned by many restorers.

The Bendix Electrojector FI system (a design that was adapted from an aircraft type) should be considered EFI as it had a transistorized control unit. It was offered by Chrysler Corp., as an option, on select 1958 prodcution models. However, because of trouble with the electronics in actual use, that system was soon withdrawn from production and all vehicles built with that option were campaigned and refitted with dual-quad carburetor set-ups. Yet, I seem to recall that one '58 DeSoto that had originally been built with FI has had an original Electrojector system reinstalled as part of its restoration.

Bendix was also the supplier of the (analog) EFI system used on the Cosworth Vega, but I've heard that some of its technology was borrowed from Bosch.

I've been fascinated with the prospect of fuel injection on the V8 Packards ever since 1976, when I first laid eyes on that top-down view in a 1976 issue of Special Interest Autos (credited to Roscoe). Though a mechanical system, the general appearance/layout of the Packard FI came to mind again, when the multi-port EFI systems of the 1980s came along. With evaluation work still going on through 1955, I'm not sure if it would have been ready for 1956 production, but I often think of what a magnificent addition that FI system would have been for the intended 1957-58 Packard-Clipper line, if only the Fates would have been more kind.