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

Gentlemen, I am looking at another 1954 Packard convertible. The question that I have is , what is the best way to check if the engine number matches the Vin #
and I also understand that some of the convertibles had a more powerful 8 cyl. How can I find out if this car has one of those.
Thnks as always.
Cuz Vinnie

There is no way to correlate an engine number with the vehicle number unless the car has original paperwork. If no paperwork then about all you can do is look at the vehicle number and using the sequence portion see if the approximate time of production during the model year was in approximate relation to where the engine number falls in the total engine production. If the two roughly fit together such as each number being in the first, middle or end of production you can be fairly sure it is original. Here is the 51-54 engine number ranges and models they were used in.

A 54 convertible would have only had one engine and the proper one for the car would start M6xxxxxx. That was the most powerful S-8 Packard produced and was only one year. A motor with any other letter or number means the engine has been replaced at some point

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All Senior Packards in '56, of which the Convertible Coupe is one, came with the 359ci engine. Engine numbers for the '54 359's are in the range M600000 to M605618. Unless the car comes with original documentation showing the engine number all you can determine is whether it's "correct" for the year or not.

EDIT - Howard beat me to it. And with a more comprehensive answer....of course!

so the engine # and the car tag do not mean the same?

Correct, one is a vehicle number and the other is a motor number, distinctly different. However in 1955 and 1956 they were the same.

As usual thanks for the help. Vin