Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Did Packard ever offer this, or strictly aftermarket? A speed shop add, or did dealers have this option?
ebay.com/itm/321343565945?item=321343565 ... name=ADME:X:RTQ:MOTORS:1123&vxp=mtr


Here it is on a 56J, Packard engine, but not in a Packard.
1956goldenhawk.com/superchg.htm

I asked the seller if he had pictures of it on the Packard engine, but he did not have any.

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It's a "creation". Last legitimate Packard-engined car with supercharger was the in-line 8 1954 Panther which did use a McCulloch unit. For 1956 their "new performance" thrust was was to be fuel injection which was researched but abandoned. No legitimate kit for dealers for a 55/56 V8 supercharger on a Packard block but of course a dealer could have done any thing whether it was factory-authorized for not, they could have put a Cummins diesel in a car if they wished and the customer was willing to pay but you could hardly call that a dealer option.

Prior to the Daytona, the 52 Macauley Speedster was supercharged and there are some very nice photos of that installation courtesy of the Marano Collection. Prior to that the only other legit supercharger installation on a Packard that I'm aware of was the 1929 experimental installation and there is also at least one good photo of that installation.

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Would be really interesting to know from which model Packard it was removed -- guy says 4 door so maybe a "racing" Clipper.

Even more interesting to know who did the conversion. An owner maybe but I can just see some enterprising S-P dealer with nothing "fast" to offer a customer except a Studebaker -- or maybe had some leftover Packards and decided to move them any way he could. Since someone made a kit for the 56J, it wouldn't have taken much for a Packard dealer to have something "unique". Don't recall hearing of any others so wonder about the overall success rate.

Another good question might be what trans was behind it. Could you imagine the interesting and probably short lived results if they placed it in front of an early TU and someone actually tried to hot rod it a few times. Even in the lighter 56J with the TU fixes it seems problematic. Which gave out first -- the bottom end or the TU.

I've seen photocopies of internal documents regarding Packard's advanced engineering, including fuel injection systems, but no mention of supercharger for their V8.

Notice that the eBay image shows a pressure box for a 2-bbl. carb - as used on the 57 Packardbaker sedans with a Studebaker 289-V8.

Th 56J conversion uses a bonnet. I can't quite make out the style of carb in that photo, but going from the stock WCFB 4-bbl. to a 2-bbl. seems like a giant step backward.

The Studebaker supercharged R-series V8s (63-64) used a bonnet with the R2 (289) and a pressure box with the R3 (304) - each fitted over a Carter AFB (4-bbl.)

While the 56 Clipper Deluxe came with a WGD 2-bbl., the Stromberg WW used on the Packardbaker had much smaller bores.

I'm more inclined to believe that the seller has his wires crossed when it comes the car he got this from - probably a 57.

Brian,
I was thinking the same, and that is why I would have liked to have seen it on a Packard V8 in a Packard.

This site shows a supercharger on a 1956 2x4 374 Packard engine that was in a boat.
vs57.y-block.info/pin_ups.htm

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Very similar to a '57-58 Studebaker Golden Hawk, '57 Packard or '58 Packard Hawk unit.

jack vines

Looks like this boat is another supercharged V8
dallas.craigslist.org/mdf/boa/4337139474.html

The valve covers look different from the other one?

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What a beautiful boat. Those mahogany masterpieces are phenomenal. But I digress ...

I believe a Packard V-8 could definitely handle a supercharger with no problem, but I doubt a Twin-Ultramatic simply couldn't take any more torque. Maybe if you matched the supercharged engine with a 4-speed and 3:25 ratio rear axle, you would have a pretty cool hot rod; but let's face it, folks, Packards were not the kind of cars 1950s gear heads went after to soup up.

The picture of supercharger bracket appears to be the 57 -58 Studebaker 289 style as used on 57 Clippers and 58 Packard hawk as it has four mounting holes which mount onto the water pump manifold casting,
This bracket is the style on my 57 Clipper the air box appears the same even the style of the kick down switch for variable speed .
The hose to connect supercharger to air box even looks the same as 57 style on my Clipper

Yes. Paxton Products McCullagh Superchargers definitely had an application for Packard V8s as well as other American cars in the mid-1950s. Obviously this was not PMCC factory stuff, but it indeed was available and some were sold.

Someone I met who worked there back then had glossy photos of several of these applications. In his collection he also had pics of Clark Gable sitting in his own special 1955 supercharged Thunderbird (it had the same type supercharger and said "Supercharged" in chrome script on the very front of the car above the grille). I still have those photos today, but while I was unable to obtain the pics of applications on Packard V8s, they obviously had them. And yes, as I once tried to say in one of these internet forums years back when I was laughed at, they indeed had a normally aspirated and supercharged Caribbean dual carb marine engine... as some photos on the net are finally verifying after all these years.

And the black V8 Clipper that was in several magazines and around the performance circles certainly was a known hopped-up V8 back in the 1950s. And as I have said many times, there were other hot-rodded Packard V8s around back in those times-even if people today don't believe it. And a lot of them were running with-dare I say it?-Packard Ultramatic transmissions! OMG!