Re: Packard Seniors 1940-56

Posted by 58L8134 On 2015/5/9 17:57:56

Hi Paul

"At a minimum I think Packard should have kept it's 356 in service from 1951-54 and lightened it with an aluminum head. The fact that Packard dropped its 356 for 1951 only to have to create a one-year only 359 with 9 main bearings and an aluminum head for 1954 speaks to its planning shortsightedness."

While the 356 ci was old technology costly to manufacture installed only in the Custom Eight decidedly failing against the competition, the reasons for its discontinuance, the option to create larger displacement engines from the 288/327 block always existed, demonstrated by their 359. Simply going to 4 1/2 inch stroke, retaining the 3 1/2 bore, yields 346 ci.. No reason not to go for the 4 5/8 stroke for a new generation 356 when developing the '51 nine main bearing unit.

This reveals the bi-polar approach to 24th Series product planning. From Neal, I understand the fixation on the low-budget volume segment that was their main focus. As such, they seem confused and indecisive how to create the upper series models. Yet here we have them spending to create a special block and crankshaft for the Patrician only then not even get promotional benefits from the effort. Few Packard customers knew of or understood the advantages of nine main bearing over five. Being identical displacements, it also suggested the five main 327 ci unit was only a good engine but not their best. Doubtful anyone who drove a 300/Cavalier then a Patrician 400 could perceive any difference in operational smoothness. Moving upmarket for their basic 200 Eight Clipper the 327 ci should have been the standard engine, the 288 retained for export or Canadian markets only.

But buyers would quickly understand the larger displacement, higher torque engine upon acceleration, he'd feel it . While they were still dependent upon L-head straight eights, they should have utilized the great advantage those had: low rpm/high torque. Horsepower ratings look great in advertisements, but torque moves the car. Customers trying out a '51 Cadillac 62 sedan with its 312 lb/ft @ 1800 rpm then a '51 Patrician's 275 lb/ft @ 2000 rpm both with slushy automatics could instantly perceive the difference. Increasing to 8.0 compression ratio as soon as possible would help too. At least until an OHV V8 became available, this would have given the Packard driver a fighting chance in the stoplight drags.

Proportioning and models looks great, more comments to come.

Steve