As mentioned, decide if the goal is a runner or a correct restoration.

I may have a relatively good condition Rochester core carburetor available.

jack vines

The $150 throwout bearing and the $59 pilot bearing are for those who don't know how to search for interchanges. There exist generic bearings, clutch disc and pressure plates which interchange with the Packard. For example, the '66 Ford Fairlane 390" GT and various '50-'70s Ford pickups use the same 11" clutch disc and pressure plate; a kit with both is less than $150.

Just make sure you check your flywheel. The smaller Packards were drilled for 10.5" pressure plate and 5/16" bolts. Your Patrician should have an 11" pressure plate and 3/8" bolts. However, these now have been through several hands and stuff gets swapped. I recently saw a '56 Patrician with a '55 Clipper 320" and manual trans.

jack vines

IIRC, all '57 Packards had the McCulloch supercharger, thus the same Stromberg WW carburetor as the '57 - '58 Gplden Hawk and the '58 Packard Hawk.

jack vines

Most of the manual transmission Packard V8s I see are the 352"s from the 1956 Studebaker Golden Hawk. These have an 11" clutch disc and the pressure plate is bolted on with 3/8" bolts.

Occasionally, I see a flywheel with a 10.5" clutch disc and the pressure plate bolted on with 5/16" bolts.

Can someone clarify which Clipper/Packard/Hashes used which manual transmission clutch and pressure plate setup?

jack vines

Quote:Exactly the reason I asked that question, Owen. The 359" required the aluminum head to have any possibility of dealing with that 8.7 compression. Switching to an iron head can cause the problems mentioned.

To get one to start, I rewired the starter switch so as to have the starter cranking the engine over before turning on the ignition. Not for everyone, but it solved the problem.

Premium fuel and an octane booster are also good crutches.

jack vines

Does this example still have the aluminum cylinder head or has it been converted to cast iron?

jack vines

Yes, it's thin around the exhaust port as well. The good news is the exhaust doesn't need much work.

Does anyone have the valve spring installed height? I'd like to check if the late Mopar V8/V10 beehive springs would fit.

jack vines

Yep, a real T-U expert at work on that one.

jack vines

C'mon, Jim. If cost equations ever entered into the discussion, none of us would bother with old cars and certainly not Packards.

It's just an interesting technical exercise to discover what makes an old straight eight go a bit faster.

I do agree with most of your summation, but strongly disagree with:

Quote:

Flatheads absolutely begin to have pinging/pre-ignition/detonation problems when compression ratios go above 8:1. Just ask anyone who has extensive experience with the '54 359" with 8.7 compression. The large surface area has too many corners and dead spots. That's also the reason flatheads can't tolerate much ignition advance.

jack vines

Quote:

The single 4-bbl carbs will definitely work on the 2x4 manifold. They just won't idle as smoothly and will use more fuel at idle and on acceleration/deceleration.

jack vines