Re: your experience with 6 cyl Packard engines: 110/Six/Clipper Six

Posted by Ross On 2009/12/12 9:02:04

I'd go a little further and point out that the 245 six is actually the "father" of the 356, 288, 327, and 359. They worked out their new architecture, so to speak, on that engine first, and eventually settled on its bore size and spacing and valve locations so that all engines could be manufactured on the same tooling. So the eights listed above are actually sixes with extra cylinders and finessing. All but the 359 use the same piston, and the 245 shares rods with the 327.

Somehow Mercedes has managed to cover a very wide spectrum of price classes with no loss of prestige at the upper end. I think Packard could have done it too, but under Christopher lost the will or vision to do so.