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Hi all-- Brand new member here. I have a friend who has a '53 327 to sell me, as well as a '39 stick trans w/O.D. this is a package that interests me. BUT... he has no bellhousing/flywheel/clutch. Can these parts be easily joined? He does also have a Packard 6-cyl of unknown vintage that does have the bellhousing, etc. Would these parts fit the straight 8? And I don't know what engine used to be in front of his '39 3-speed... if the trans is from a '39 6 or 8 cyl. car, will it work on the 327? Thanks!

The short answer is yes. You will need the corresponding pieces to install manual trans for the the family engine your running. Transmissions of that era had small input for junior cars and big input for senior cars, so beware of that. Also, the 39 R-6 is not the known for terribly great service, but if understood and properly serviced and operated will work.

As for 6 & 8 bell / flywheel interchange I will deffer to others here.

I agree with Jim that the transmission will mate to a 327, however the bellhousing/flywheel/clutch will need to be from a 48 or later 288/327 (not from the unknown vintage 6cyl) - at least different per the parts book. As Jim noted, the 39 transmission is a bit of an odd duck, so before getting yourself all worked up about this, you really need understand the improvements in design and reliability associated with the later O/D transmissions.

Thanks guys-- Well, what I'm after is a floorshifted OD trans.
So if I go with a 48 and later unit, they were all column shifted, were they not? And a JC Whitney shifter conversion just won't do...
I just talked to Moose Motors in Calif. (packard collector)
707-792-9985, and he said it will all bolt up... so that's one opinion. But he hadn't mentioned any weakness with that trans.
So... if you were wanting to do up this 327/stick shift combo, what parts would you use?

ALL Packard overdrive transmissions were column shifted. People have adapted the earlier stick tops to them, but it requires torch heating the earlier shifter mechanism, always a risk there.
There is quite a bit of chatter comparing the differences in the R6, R9 and R11 units on this site - do a search - with the net conclusion by most that the R11 really is the best unit, especially for the higher horsepower that the 327 is rated at....stronger O/D gears in the R11.