Eric,
Here is a link to Ted Harbit:

http://stude.com/Ted/

He is very savvy re the Paxtons and a nice guy to deal with.
And some other Paxton guys, I've dealt with John Erb and he is also a straight shooter:

http://www.vs57.com/vendors.htm

Either of these guys can tell you how high you can spin the Paxton (I believe there are upgraded brgs available). My Avanti does not show boost at highway speeds either, but blows around 6 or 7 above 3000 RPM & up when you punch it?..at light throttle cruise they only register slight pos pressure.

What year range of E150 van spindles????

When things warm up I may have a solution to this that is cheap and uses easily available junkyard parts.

Paul down in Las Vegas used the front spindles off of a 79 and back Ford F150 (twin I beam 2WD model) that worked really well. The modifications that were involved were rather intense, and I think I may have a workaround, but I won't know for sure until it gets warmer. My plan is to use E150 van front spindles instead of the pickup ones. They are different, and maybe that difference will be the solution to a complete bolt on that's inexpensive and easy to do. And, if it fits a '56, it should work for all years back to at least '51. If the spindles are the same part # for all years from '56 back, then this may work. I'll keep you all posted as time goes by.

Like I said before, this is going to be an exciting year for Packards!

Eric

I'm going to lock this and the AACA thread so we can move on to better conversation. I dont want others that were not even part of the initial rumblings coming back in here and trying to stir the pot for their own enjoyment.

Everyone has agreeded to back off, so it's just time to let things cool down for a bit.

"Nothing to see here folks, move along...."

Thanks for your understanding.

Well, with the 7.5 diameter pulley on the crank will give me the correct ratio to go with. I'm thinking that the stock Packard crank pulley is 6", so with my 2.5" pulley that I bought for the supercharger, might be too much. I'd really like to know what the maximum speed is for the SN60.

Keith, I'm sure that the 320 can keep up with the best of the 374's, but just think of the 374 built up with the supercharger! Oooohh yeah!

Eric

If u get that blower set up the way u want it it ought to make that 320 sing just as strong or STRONGER than the best of any 374's. I can hit over 100 mph with my stock 352 and a 3:16 rear end.

I'm beginning work on a caster alignment checking tool for the 55 and 56's. Mite work on the 51 to 54's too if they are the same as 55-56.
I need to know if the TWO FRONT MOST bolt bosses for the backing plate are PARALLEL to the centre line of the steering knuckle.
I believe that the cars would drive alot better (tho maybe require more effort at the steering wheel) if + caster were set rather than negative caster as recommended.
BUT, i need a good way to measure it. That's what i'm working on.

I see no point in creating a new steering knuckle. The best bet would be to find someone that wants to produce Craigs set up. This is definatly something that requires further study and anayalsis to create a conversion kit that would require NO mods to the knuckel.

Any reproduction steering knuckle would have retain the EXACT angles and dimensions of the original. The steering knuckle is a FORGING (NOT JUST A CASTING) which ads to the expense. Possibly, one could have them cast from steel thus bypassing the forge but i'm not sure.

U are SO RIGHT about rodders creating demand for replacement parts.

Eric,

I looked at my '63 R2 Avanti and the crank pulley looks to be 7.5" (hard to get an accurate measurement as it is really tight against the shroud). Check with some of the Stude Paxton guys like Ted Harbit or John Erb...there are high output pulley options for the Paxton, but be careful how fast you spin the blower, they do have a limit!

I haven't changed any jetting on the carb because it was running rich in the first place. I have a 600 CFM Edelbrock on it right now, which was kinda big for my little 320 that I'm running. I'm pretty sure it's not in the carb, as jetting won't affect the airflow through the engine. It's also possible that the carb's too big, even with the supercharger, but I don't think so. In fact, I'm thinking that I'm going to have to move to a 700 CFM for the 374.

As to the exhaust, I'm using the stock pipes with glasspacks and no resonators. In a month or so, I'm taking it to the exhaust shop to have as large a pipe that I can fit under there put on. Most likely 2.5" will be the biggest that I can put under there, and still be in the stock location. There will be two Flowmaster's at the back, and that's all. Eventually, I plan on getting headers put on for the 374, which I'll probably have to make myself. I want this car to sound like it's got some guts, even if it doesn't yet.

When it's all said and done, it will have a nice muscle car sound to it, but yet you'll still be able to have a decent conversation inside the car, while traveling at 120+MPH.

On a side note, for those of you that have the '51-'56 body, as long as the lower front control arms are similar enough, I may have found a beefier front sway bar for our cars, in the form of a 4X4 2005+ F150 pickup. The front bar on those are 1.3255", whereas a stock Packard front sway bar is 0.63". I think I can use one off a F250, F350 for the rear. I don't know about everyone else, but the body lean in a sharp corner at speed has got to go. I'll keep you all posted as to my progress. Like I said, there's going to be some exciting stuff in the V8 Packard world this year!

Eric