Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

Are 38 and 39 standard eights engines the same?

If you mean the 320, yes. However from 37 thru 39 it was called the "Super Eight" and in the senior series cars.

Hi

Although the 1937-'38 320 ci straight eights are largely the same, the 1939 320 ci straight eight was significantly revised to fit into the 120 chassis to create the new Super 8. It is a one-year engine because it was replaced for 1940 by the new monobloc 356 ci straight eight in the 160 and 180.

Apparently the 1939 320 wasn't quite as robust as the prior version. There is a Service Bulletin for dealer garages detailing how to replace that engine with a postwar 327 service engine for customers.

While we're purist now, back in the era when these were used cars, keeping an otherwise good car with a tired engine on the road was the only consideration.

Steve