Here are some photos of the installation. I measure a little over 8" between the pan flange and the frame.

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I used the original brake pedal and fabricated brackets for the booster assembly which fits between the frame rail and the oil pan. My installation is complicated because I'm running a GM 700R4 transmission so I've fabricated engine rear mounts in the same area as the brake booster. I had to lower the booster and user a 'stepped' pushrod from the pedal to the booster. This is why I had to lower the sheet metal splash between the frame and the oil pan.

I felt that rear engine mounts were necessary because of the elimination of the original mounts were on either side of the overdrive transmission. The automatic transmission only allowed for bell housing mounts and tail shaft mounts. I had a 1" thick adapter plate available to which I could bolt fabricated rear engine mounts.

How much narrower is the later model frame?

Certainly would fit...I'll see what I can do.

Herb Shriner, my favorite comedian, was killed (along with his wife) in 1970 when the brakes failed on his Avanti...which had a single chamber master cylinder. Tragic loss. So...for heaven's sake get a two chamber master cylinder for your car.

Installing a modern two-chamber master cylinder is absolutely the most important thing a person can do to his Packard (other than seat belt / shoulder harnesses). I'm using a Pirate Jack 4 port master cylinder and a smallish vacuum booster mounted beside the oil pan on the driver's side of my '48 Custom 8. The sheet metal between the frame and the oil pan is spaced down about 3/4" and all is well.

On my '48 Custom 8 I converted to a serpentine belt and mounted the compressor on the driver's side of the engine above the cylinder head...and the 12 volt alternator below it. Here is a rather poor photo with the engine in a 'test' location...an extra brace for the radiator is not in the final installation. BTW Ron Davis fab'd a new aluminum radiator with two large fans for the final installation.

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Yes...Doing this is very straight-forward and I use the floor jack with my two-pole lift in the workshop. I use the lift to raise the car slightly and then put the floor jack in place (raised almost to its maximum) and loosen the bolts with the jack in place. I wish you were here as I'm planning on doing this very thing in a couple days.

I have a Bendtsen adapter to put a GM 700R4 transmission on my 356 engine. I have not driven it yet but the adapter is a work of art. I've converted to 12 V since I want an Air Conditioner and an XM radio.

I've fabricated an engine rear mount as the 700R4 only has a rear mount and I think the aluminum transmission case might be a bit over-stressed at its front flange.

You can run your original starter on 12 volts but you might want to have it 'converted' to 12 v to ensure its life.

The Motors Auto Repair Manual says the valve timing check should be done with the hydraulic lifter bled down and enough shim stock between the lifter and the valve to give zero clearance. I can see that this would be the way to get a proper check of the valve timing. No mention of this procedure is found in my Packard Manual.

To fix the oil leaks I removed the pan and replaced the gasket. (BTW...I undid the front mount and stabilizer bolts and raised the engine slightly by placing pieces of 2 X 4 between the mount feet an the frame.) This made removal of the pan much easier.

With a knife and a wire brush I removed all the original gasket and the RTV I'd used (very slightly) to affix the gasket on the pan. I noted that several of the bolt holes were 'coned' slightly so I flattened the pan gasket flange surface with a hammer and backup block.

With the new gasket and proper bolt torque the new gasket was as dry as it could be. I ran the engine to get it up to temp and then ran it for at an additional 30 minutes at various rpms from 500 to 2500. I hate oil leaks so I'm a pleased as I can possibly be.

Also...the original check run was performed with 50-50 antifreeze and water. The water temp reached 185 from time to time during the run. This latest check was performed with mostly distilled water and some Napa cooling system additive. The the temperature peaked at 165 and then settled to 160 deg (the thermostat rating) and stayed there for the entire test. Ambient temp for the second run was slightly cooler than the first but I was still impressed that the water temp was so much cooler.

The BMW rally was great. The weather was perfect and the roads were very BMW friendly.

Started the engine yesterday and only have a couple of pan gasket drips so I'll work on that today. The engine idles smoothly at 500 RPM and I think it is ready for the body to be completed and installed on the frame.

The noisiest thing at idle is the fuel pump. I'll check the torque on the head nuts today, also.