Re: Best freeway packards

Posted by Craig the Clipper Man On 2014/1/18 19:15:59

Well, I've got to say that it is sometimes hard to say what the top end is on a car such as my '55 Clipper with its 352 V-8 and alleged 245 hp. I run Joe Gibbs 15w-45 racing oil in the car -- which I like a lot despite its somewhat high price per quart. There is no problem with the power or handling; what concerns me is the Twin Ultramatic. It is one tempermental transmission! To be on the safe side, I have been servicing it about every 1,500 miles. The brakes and suspension are great, no worries there.

That said, last October, driving to a meet in Fredericksburg, VA, I had no trouble whatsoever keeping up with the flow of traffic and at times moving a bit faster. That means I was averaging about 75 mph and sometimes moving just a bit past the 80 mph mark.

Of course, unlike modern cars' gauges, one cannot absolutely be sure about the accuracy of 1950s cars' speedometers. But can't you just imagine a state trooper telling his pals about nailing a 1941 Packard for driving more than 10 miles per hour over the posted speed limit on an interstate!