Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

I have recently been examining my 55 for an engine number with no success. Originally i checked the front of the engine head and I could only find the numbers 167. After doing further research I found out that the engine number known also as the Utica engine number (I think it is) was stamped near the right rear exhaust flange. Unfortunately again I was unable to find any numbers. So far the only number i can locate refers to no: 167. The vehicle's VIN = 55881006. Would the engine number possibly be stamped elsewhere or would 167 indicate the engine number though to me it seems to short.

Many thanks,
Mathew Rattray

Mat, IMHO, as "screwed up" as your car is, (no offense meant, I just know that your car has been modified a lot) it's possible that the engine isn't correct either. You may have lucked out and got a '56 replacement 374 for what it's worth. As for the engine #'s, they're by the oil filler tube on a little pad towards the driver's side of the car, right behind the water pump. Can be a PITA to see with the heater hose running right there, but that's where it should be.

Eric, Thanks for your reply. The car sure has had a few mods, such as the manual transmission. It would be interesting to know what possessed them to change the car to a manual transmission as it looks like they basically cut a hole in the floor and stuck the gearshift in there, not professional done/ nicely finished off. Wouldn't that be nice if it had a 56 374. I somehow doubt this very much.

I'll take another look, but, it doesn't look promising, I was under there for about 30mins searching for a number. If not we can always make up a number

Also might help to take solvent and brush to the area. The numbers on my parts engine are so faint, the guy must have had a hangover and didn't want any noise when he stamped them.

As already stated the motor number should match the VN and be stamped near the oil filler tube. I've only seen one engine that I assume to be a factory replacement engine (eventually sold for a marine conversion) and it had a Utica plant number but of course no motor number because it was never assembled into a car; in this case the Utica # was in the same general location as would have been used for the motor number. This may have been the accepted practice for replacement engines, I don't know. I think if you look around carefully you still have a chance to locate it. The "167" you found doesn't sound like a Utica # because they all should be begin with an alpha character between "A" and "D" and be 4 digits in length. Are you sure you looked in the right location for the Utica #? You can't see it from above and it's not all that easy to see from below; I don't know if I'd call it on the exhaust flange as you said, but passenger side of the motor, at the rear, below the cylinder head, there is a small protruding cast boss or rectangular tab and that's where you should find it.

Curious about your car, it sounds very much like one that was trailered in during the last days of the Warren Centennial for sale. Pretty beat and badly weathered, shifter coming from a crude hole cut in the floor?

What are the numbers on the CENTRE tandem exhaust port of each HEAD????? These are clearly visible by just opening the hood and looking down onto the head where the exh manifold mates to the head.

Is the engine BLUE????

After i get my batteries charged up i will post pics of engine-VN location and the location for the Utica engine number.

Question to others: Were ALL Packard V8's built exclusively at the Utica plant????

As far as I know all the regular production 55/56 V8 engines were built at Utica; I guess there could have been some early prototypes built elsewhere. Ditto for the Twin Ultramatics.

I have a BLUE 352 BARE block that i believe was a replacement engine. Tho little known history, it appears cosmetically excellent and original and there is NO traces of any other color of paint anywhere on it under the blue.

Utica# at rear corner of block is |6| . i.e. the number "6" (or "9") delimeted by verticle bars that are longer than the "6" is tall. It has an engine-VN number near the oil filler tube "SP 21161" .

Thanks Owen. I was never really sure if all V8's were built at Utica or not. THe term "Utica engine number" used in factory documentation has confused me for quite a while and very early on. IT often made me wonder if some V8's were built elsewhere as well .

Perhaps the cylinder head numbers will give us more insight on which V8 he has.

engine # pics

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