Packard Forum Index » Modification Discussion

Hi everyone, am very new to the forum , i wonder if anybody has adapted a 5 speed trans to the S8.
I just got the engine, planning on building a Hot Rod, any suggestion please.

I don't recall anyone ever mentioning that particular mod but it could probably be done with a bit of fabrication providing a couple of other things fall in line. I think the gist of your question and the biggest hurdle would be what bolt pattern to use to mate anything to the block or bellhousing.

The small 47 and earlier 282 S 8 has a different block than the 48-54 288/327/359 S 8s. Not sure the bolt pattern for the bellhousing to block is the same and don't recall anyone ever posting about adapting a later bellhousing to an early block. I know the bolting question has come up before in questions about whether the Bendtsen adapter will work with an earlier engine but unless someone happens to have the two blocks to compare that seems to be a question unanswered. The transmissions from all those years will bolt to the different bellhousings but cannot say the same about the bellhousings to the block. If you are talking about a 47 Super or Custom Clipper, the 50 and earlier 356 blocks and bellhousings are also different and while the trans will bolt to the other bellhousings, the clutch and trans input side items on the 356 engines are larger so the trans is not directly interchangeable with the smaller engines.

Once the bellhousing is sorted, then comes the trans and its boltpattern. Until the 55 models Packard built their own transmissions which were very robust units and, if I remember correctly, were used by the racing crowd on a few successful cars in that era. There must have been adapters or bellhousings available for the trans to a brand X engine but whether that went the other way is unknown. If it did, even finding one today would probably be as rare and expensive as the occasional Edmunds heads and twin carb setups which show up on ebay.

Packard switched to I believe a Borg transmission for 55 - 56 and I know some of the Ford boxes will bolt to the V8 bellhousings but not sure how much difference there is between the early and late trans boltpatterns. Craig might know but he doesn't seem to be online very often lately and may not see the question to give a timely answer.

Thanks for the prompt response Howard.

Might try posting on the H.A.M.B. website, there have been Packard hotrods build by some members there. John

Try the

Wilcap Company

P.O. Box 763 Pismo Beach CA 93448

(805) 481-7639

They may have or can machine an adapter for
the transmission to bellhousing.

Thanks Duncan.

Co-incidently here's a '38 Six Convertible Coupe with a Toyota 5 speed in it, currently for sale in Australia, so it can be done.

Thanks Ozstatman.

Quote:


In the early- and mid-1960s My father converted some V-8 Packards from the then troublesome Twin Ultramatic to manual shift transmissions using the pre-55 Packard-built transmissions. He used the manual shift bell housings with no adaptors and fabricated a revised rear transmission mount. He used the then available column shift and clutch linkage parts from the firm (SAP?) that was selling off the surplus Packard parts. Now days one must find a car to provide all the parts and bits and pieces.

The 55-56 Packard 3-speed manual shift transmissions (w/ and w/out overdrive) were the ones used in the big Fords and Mercurys of that time.

I also recall at least one pre-war Packard Six having an engine swap to a Chevy or GMC six which bolted up without an adaptor to the Packard transmission.

Edit: When using the Packard-built transmissions he had to use the idler arm linkage - select shift - arrangement.

Thks.JW.