Packard Forum Index » Modification Discussion

There is only one 200HP Packard straight and that is the 1954 212HP 359 cu in model.

So if you want a 200HP Packard straight eight, not hopped up, that narrows down the choices.

It could be done if you either lengthen the car about a foot, or forget about having a radiator and just let the engine stick out the front of the car.

Either way it would make quite a conversation piece. It would even be possible to make such a creation move under its own power although it would be no fun to drive.

Certainly no where near as nice to drive as a stock six.

Now that I think of it, it would also be possible to hack a big hole in the firewall move the transmission back by chopping out the crossmember, and let the engine stick back into the passenger compartment like a drag car from the fifties.

The Packard version of the "High and Mighty"

The most common way to get the 200 HP would be to put in a Camaro V8.

While you are at it put in a Camaro transmission, Camaro rear axle, Camaro suspension and Camaro brakes. Add a Camaro tilt steering column, Camaro steering wheel,Camaro seats, Camaro wheels and Camaro tires. Then paint it Camaro red.

You will have the coolest Packard at the Dairy Queen.

Quote:


ROFLMAO!!!

All kidding aside, if your stock six cylinder engine was in top shape it would have all the power you need.

You might be surprised. I know other people have been. They had flathead 6 cylinder cars from the 30s and 40s. They had the engine rebuilt and also asked about hopping up the engine, or changing the transmission or rear axle to get some more speed.

When the rebuilt engine was installed, they forgot about any other mods. The old engine had plenty of power.

Old flathead engines are foolers. They will continue to run without protest in an advanced state of wear and decay. No raps or bangs or bad manners. They just get slower and harder to start.

Another thing. The stock horsepower looks low but that is not the whole story. Those old long stroke engines do their work easily because they have so much torque and such a broad powerband. For normal driving torque in the low and middle speed ranges is far more important than developed horsepower at maximum revs.

It is also possible to get another 15% or 20% of horsepower with minor mods giving no external sign.

A reground cam, milled head, larger carb and larger single exhaust with quiet muffler will do it. The distributor can be recurved as well.

If you are a real gone hot rodder you can lighten the flywheel for whippier acceleration.

All these mods will increase performance without hurting drivability or engine life.

And it will still run fine on regular gas. But it will get about 10% better mileage.

It should be kept in mind that 115HP was a VERY powerful engine for a prewar car.

Very few cars had over 100HP. Fords and Chevs were 65-85HP. Medium priced 6 cylinder cars had around 100. The most powerful cars on the market were the big straight eight Packards and Chryslers and V8 Cadillacs at 135 to 180. But these were much bigger, 4000 to 5000 pound cars.

So a 115HP medium priced six was not a slow car. Even today you should have no trouble keeping up with traffic.

This comes back to the question of torque vs horsepower. The old high torque long stroke engines are better performers on the road, than you would think just by reading a spec sheet.

Provided of course that they are in good shape and giving their full power.

Thanks, do you know of someone who is very good at the cam and head mods? Richard

For the cam any of the old time cam grinders like Iskenderian should be able to do a flathead cam.

There is a guy named Earl Edgerton of Edgy cams and heads. He grinds cams for flathead Chrysler Plymouth and Dodge sixes. I think his are the most modern.

I don't think anyone makes cams specifically for Packard. You have to send your old one away to be reground. The lifters must also be reground or replaced with new ones.

There is an outfit in Texas that supposedly makes finned aluminum heads for Packards but very expensive.

If it was me I would have my stock head milled .060 by a local auto machine shop and let it go at that.

The exhaust can be made up by a local muffler shop. Just have them make pipes in the stock configuration but 1/2" larger diameter.

All this should be part of a complete rebuild. New bearings, bore cylinders if necessary etc.

As posted in another thread, there is a brand new finned aluminum head from the place in Texas available here in Phoenix. The fellow waited three years (typical length of time to get anything from the maker) to get it. If interested, let me know.