Packard Forum Index » Modification Discussion

I think there is glory in doing 225 with a vintage engine like that, even if it only did it once it still did it. i dont plan or attempting to go 200mph in mine but i think i would be content with solid 12s in the quarter with a stock body car.I know it goes against most peoples thoughts in the packard comunity but if my attemps give my car a chance to endure one more generation than it would have otherwise or it gets one more person involved with what is a mostly forgotten car company i feel its worth it.

Reading over the older posts and refreashing my memory on everything I'm reminded of something my former boss told me when I first got into building and modifying engines. I was working on my firt personal 350 chevy hot rod engine and I was reworking a set of stock heads porting and polishing big valves screw in studs all the stuff needed to make it perform and he asked me when I was on like my third night staying late at the shop if I was getting tired of running the die grinder and reworking the ports on my heads and I told him "no i love doing this, taking somthing that is pretty much non account and making it into somthing worth wile." He replied with "that is what makes the difference in a race engine the person willing to go the extra mile to go a little further." You all are right there are much easier ways to make power and say titanium retainers alone dont make much of a difference but as a package with lighter valves, pistons rods ect it adds up at the end. The packard engines are a very stout pieces and are from what I can tell rugged. History has shown over and over that some engines can do amazing things take the hudson 6s or the flat head Ford. 20 years ago would any of you honestly thought a 4cyl (thought highly modified) honda could run 9s on the drag strip or that a factory purchased mustang could do 200mph?