Packard Forum Index » General

I know this may upset some but can i have facts of the advantages of going chevy motor verse rebuilding my 55 chevy v-8 in my 51 henney. I ran into a local old car buff and his argument was pretty good on going chevy related to cheaper and easier to find parts. I would like to stay true to the packard buttttttt?
Thanks Tony

No question there are more and cheaper Chevy parts. Personally, I don't think it would matter much at this point as the existing engine isn't right either--(you said 55 Chevy in it now--did you mean Packard?) If Packard and unless there is some hidden documentation that it was a special one off test car for whatever, then still wrong. If any extensive frame mount changes would need to be made for another engine, that or another trans might also tip the scale one way or another.

I'd personally ditch the Chebbie motor and put a straight eight back in it, even if it's a 288. There's Chebbie engines in everything else, no need to ruin a Packard by having one in it. Heck, if you want a V8 in it, put a Packard V8 in there, it'll be 100 times the car it ever could be with a Chebbie engine in it. Finding a straight eight Packard engine isn't too hard, anything from '51-'54 will bolt right back in there, providing they didn't ruin the original mounts.

A friend of mine rebuilt the engine in his 54 Packard Patrician last year. The parts cost under $1000.

It would be easier and cheaper to rebuild the Packard engine than install a Chevy engine, even if you got the Chevy for nothing.

Sorry guys it is a packard v-8. My thoughts is as long as I stay packard i'm staying true to my car. I can in vision what happened the fire dept in wash wanted more power and that new v-8 came out from packard and they repowered. I would love to find the true history on my packard but all I have is a bill of sale from the man I bought it on ebay from. Tony

Heck, if it's a Packard V8, rebuild it and leave it in there! Do you have an auto or manual trans?

(BTW, they make dual quad intakes for Packard V8's, might be kinda fun to have a Carib-spec engine in an ambulance!)

I was thinking the same thing adding dual 4bl carbs. I'm pretty sure it's an automatic.

If it's an auto, I'd keep the Ultramatic. The cost of rebuilding the Ultra is comparable to the price of putting a Chrysler Torqueflite, and the Ultra is a good transmission, provided you don't take it to the drag races.

The Ultramatic is a decent trans if babied, but TorqueFlite can take considerable abuse, which dual quads will encourage! Ask the Man who owns a 392 Hemi 300-C... and keep the lovely Packard V8.

What makes you think there is anything wrong with the Packard V8?

Chances are it hasn't got that many miles on it.

I bet I, or some of the other guys on here, could have it eating out of our hands in an hour or 2 at a total cost of under $50 bucks.

So could any mechanic who knows engines.

Anybody who says you have to throw it away sight unseen, is an ass clown. If all he knows is Chevy V8s find another mechanic.