Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Hi all,

In the June 27, 1956 issue of the British publication "The Motor" it is stated that the Packard Clipper 1956 (the pictures show a 1956 model) is equipped with a 320 cu in engine.
Could this be correct?

Tom

Rocky, this is incorrect. The 1956 Clipper Deluxe and Supers came with a 240 h.p. 352 V-8. You can find out more by going to the Model Info section.

(o[]o)

Quote:Quote:
Yes, incorrect for the 1956 US models. However, who knows for certain what S-P built for the export market? Smaller engines were often sent to areas where taxes and fuel were more expensive. There were some K-body hardtop Hawks with Champion 6-cyls. There were low-compression engines and heavy duty suspensions never offered as options in the US market.

jack vines

Is this car right-hand-drive? I'd be particularly interested if there was any reference in the article that the car has been assembled from a CKD kit by d'Ieteren Freres in Belgium. They did some export assembly for Packard in 1956, supposedly just a handful of cars. The few cars destined initially for the UK market were converted to RHD by Leonard Williams in England, I have a road test report on a 56 Clipper so converted by Leonard Williams.


d'Ieteren Freres is perhaps best remembered as one of Europe's great coachbuilders, doing much of their work on the Belgian Minverva chassis. After the war (WW II) they took on assembly of VWs for the Benelux countries, and also had some history of doing assembly work for Studebaker in Belgium starting about 1949. The company still exists with a very large presence in the European automotive market.

henokiens.com/index_dieteren_gb.php

O_D

I cannot see any reference to d`Ieteren Freres. But you are right about Leonard Williams Ltd. The latter has made the conversion to right-hand drive.

Tom

Jack,

You could be correct. I had the same thought about a smaller engine being fitted to export cars, just as I pushed the 'Submit' button.

(o[]o)

I'm doubtful that the export-equipped cars were engined differently than the domestic cars. The 56 Clipper which was roadtested by the British publication "Autocar" was equipped with a 352 ci engine. It's in issue #1598 is you have the back issues.

They were however available though with a cylinder head shim to reduce the compression ratio, metric gauges, etc. The special export parts appear in the parts book, or at least most of them. 56 Carib convertible #1203 was an interesting one, originally ordered for export with metric instrumentation, heavy duty suspension, etc. When the order was cancelled and it was finally reordered for domestic delivery most of the special export equipment was removed except the heavy duty shocks and the cylinder head shims.

Was that the Carib that was supposed to go to France, and was cancelled? There is a gentleman that works in my office who's father was lead outside legal council for Packard in 1956 that took delivery of that car at the Factory. The Family owned it until the early 70s in the Louisville, KY area. Then it was sold to a someone in NJ, then out the Steve in Napa, and finally now resides in the Houston area.

Yes Kev, that's the one. You and I had discussed this car at length some years back. It was a "D" car meaning it was ordered, built but cancelled, and then re-ordered 3 more times before finally being sold. It had a special request interior (#195) and it's history is quite well documented. I don't recall the details of the special interior or if it remained with the car after the last factory reconfiguration.

Back to the RHD export Clippers for 1956, some more interesting details from the "Autocar" article. Power steering was not available in an RHD conversion, and the headlights were French Marchal to meet the European requirements. They gave the handling/suspension very high marks, gave the brakes (especially the rears) poor marks, and found the radio to be exceptional. It had the 3.3l rear axle and they reported a 0-60 in 11.3 secs, quarter mile in 18.5 secs, and top speed of 110 and still rising when they aborted the run.

One interesting observation looking at the under-hood photo is that they flipped the vacuum wiper motor 180 degrees due to the relocation of controls to the right-hand side.

In the The Motor issue I refer to (Road test no.16/56), they state that the car has a 5,243 c.c.(320 cu.in.), 225 bhp engine, final drive 3,07:1 and a 0-60 in 10.9 sec and top speed 115,2 m.p.h..
Is it most probable that the car inquestion, has in reality been eqipped with a 352 engine?

Tom