Re: How come Packard didn't make an OHV straight 8?

Posted by Rusty O\'Toole On 2008/6/21 10:36:17

Incidentally if you compared the Buick and Packard engines head to head I doubt you would have asked this question.

Let's take the 1948s as typical models:

Buick Special Eight, 248 cu in 110HP @ 3600RPM .44HP/cu in

Packard Standard Eight, 288 cu in 130HP @ 3600RPM .45HP/cu in

Buick Roadmaster Eight, 320 cu in 144HP @ 3600RPM .45HP/cu in

Packard Super Eight 327 cu in 150HP @ 3600RPM .46HP/cu in

On top of that, Packard had a 356 cu in 160HP Custom Eight but we won't go into that because Buick had nothing to compare.

When you look at a fair comparison it makes you wonder why Buick didn't make a flathead engine like Packard.