Packard Forum Index » Modification Discussion

There has been a lot of talk about using Chevy headers on a Packard L8. I was wondering if anyone has done this. Visually it would seem with some slight modifications it would work but before I throw down some of my hard earned cash I would like to know for sure.

Throw down some hard earned cash for the just the gaskets and you will know the facts real fast.

You know I never even thought about using gaskets to check.

I heard the dodge ram exhaust s will work someone posted a pic in the threads. I have my engine apart and am looking into this a bit
I hear the engine gets very loud with 2four out exhaust I was going to just bolt a plate to my stock manifold over the heat stove hole. I'm installing a duel 2bbl intake

Which intake are you running a home made one or the Edmunds?

im installing an edmunds I got from one of the other packardinfo guys ,Ill try to cut a plate to bolt on the stock exhaust manifold with a gasket ,snip out the flapper
,
but Im afraid the plate will warp and leak ,seems like a good time for headers ,maby 2 dodge ram with a mod to the ftront onf one and end of the other so they could mate

dodge or chevy I've been threatening to pick up exhaust gaskets for both engines to see which one would be closer. Just keep in mind that with headers you will have to replace gaskets occasionally as they will blow, some are better than others however. Personally the added work is worth the performance increase.

Just for funzies, what type of HP are you expecting?
I'm trying to decide what to do; rebuild my 288 stock, drop a twin turbo gas or diesel in it, try to stroke it and put a turbo on it. I used to see alot of hypo GM straight sixes at the drags back in the day, so it's not unrealistic just tough, v. little hotrod parts for the L8 P's.
I'm not sure how much HP the stock clutch, tranny, and rear can handle either. I like the 400 rpm idle, that's mucho saved gas.
I'm hearing the difference between the 288 and the bigger inches is just in the heads and cranks, aka same size pistons/bore. I 'd be happy with small block equivalent perf on the straight old girl.

I am likely going turbo on mine (its a 327) and I will be kinda going over the top with pistons and rods (forged and billet respectively) to make sure they can hold. I will be using a reground stock solid cam out of my spare 288 and either a 288 iron head which I have or a factory aluminum head if I can find one. Aftermarket stainless valves and a more modern valve train. A really good rebuild and I will deck the block to get the piston to deck height where I want it. Porting and relieving to help the breathing and most likely EFI to help keep it from leaning out under boost. I'm looking into the turbos right now to see what will best fit the RPM and power level I am shooting for and an intercooler will be used. My goal is in the area of 300hp which with forced induction doesn't seem to far out of the question with the other mods I have lined up.
Packard transmissions are some of the best of the era but adapter plates are available for putting a GM transmissions behind them. The rears seem to be pretty heavy duty but I will be going 9 inch with mine lighter it is a known quantity and replacement parts are widely available.
The thing to remember if you are wanting to make a performance engine out of a Packard L8 you are going to spend money almost everything has to be custom and you will have to do a lot to make it survive at modern horsepower levels.

Hot rod magazine ( i think it was hot rod magazine ) at the end of last year featured a mcculloch blower on a l8 packard thunderbolt with an exotic fab 2 carb intake pictured on the bonneyville salt flats
It has a custom fab exhaust
I couldn't find an aluminum head so did the 288 on the 327 head swap for the compression jump and found an edmunds intake there's a company in Arizona empire that will cast you one but its 2 t's!
I put a 518 on my 52 200 , the usual mod Is a 727 Chrysler trans .but Sierra grove packards,
the guys that make the plates are going out of biz ( too old). the 727 is bolt up with jusy some mount and shaft changes ,but the 518 requires some fussing as it has electrical 12 v solenoid s that run an overdrive I figure that its worth it there's a company that makes a 6-12 v swapper module for the tranny so you can keep your 6 v if you feel the need for 6 v
I used the stock exhaust with a plate over the carb mount heat stove area
I retain the stock cam but the guy with turbo l8 said in his article that he had a special grind ,when I enquired a " bump " on the cam was suggested and could be modified off the original