Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Quick question....are the length of these head bolts appropriate for this car?

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Just to keep things tidy, they're studs, not bolts. And yes, they are way too long!! Typically they are 2-4 threads above the nut, more or less, when tight. That engine also appears to have a cast iron head replacing the original 359 aluminum head (assuming it still has the 359 engine) - they are visually quite different, and also different thicknesses; IIRC the iron head is just slightly shallower. Looks like he**, doesn't it?

And to go with O_D's description, here is the proper look. Studs were 3 3/8 inch long on senior engine with the aluminum head and depending on year varied between roughly 1/4-3/8 less on the other engines.

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I agree with Owen_Dyneto, these do look too long

Thanks for the answers and correction of terminology. Nuts and bolts; buy me books and send me to school.....Scheeesch!

I would think that one could take a cutting wheel and cut the studs to proper length showing 2-3 threads above the nuts. It would be well worth the effort, and if done well would be hard to see. Just a suggestion...

(o{}o)

a lot of the 359's got cast iron heads put on, i have a 327 head on my 359, but i took a grinder to the 327 logo on the head and blended it in so its completly gone, i do have an aluminum head i may put back on it once i get a chance to do some welding on it around the spark plug hole that cracked

JW, I would remove a stud or two to try and figure out why so much thread was exposed before doing any grinding. Reminds me of the time I was working on a VW engine and I just stuck the studs in and the next guy came along and was wondering what I was thinking. Some of the studs were to deep and some not deep enough. I didn't know what I was doing, never work on a VW engine before and I was young and dumb. I can laugh about it now.
Wes