Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

There was a bare Caribbean intake on Ebay, it happened upon it the day before it closed yesterday. $520 was all it took!

I've got one for my Panther Project -- it's not going anywhere.

Craig

Not exactly a high service-demand part, when's the last time you broke a V8 intake. How many extra would you think Packard made for parts inventory over and above the 1030 or so needed for production, 5%, 10% at most?

OD,
Good question. I'm not sure I have never seen a cast date on the 2x4 manifold. I wonder when they were made, and the over production of items?

Kind of like casting parts in 1962;
packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb ... 012&topic_id=16039&#forumpost161012

How did they decide when and how many more were needed?

Was Packard hoping to sell more in the racing/high performance package in 1956?

Quote:

I'd beg to differ, Owen. There were many 1956 Studebaker Golden Hawks converted to 2x4. I know of several street rods, plus my Studebaker pickup, running the Caribbean intake.

The 2x4 intake is the one NLA part for which I get at least one request per month. Many of the requests come from '55-56 Packard owners who've never priced the carburetors, linkage, lines and air filter. When I tell them the intake manifold is the least expensive part of the package, so budget at least $2,000 minimum if they can do all the fabrication, to 3,500 for a turnkey setup, many rethink. Most have never tried to tune a 2x4 setup either.

Anyway, in today's market, $520 plus shipping is below market price. I'd have figured it would go for at least $750.

jack vines

Jack, I guess I didn't express myself very well, I was thinking in terms of how many extra manifolds Packard would chose to stock to service the 1955/56 Caribbeans without consideration for any intended use in Packards after that, much less any other future needs.

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Aaaaannnnnnnd... don't forget (as I have mentioned in times past) there was indeed a Packard marine V-8 with dual quads as well. When I first mentioned this online years ago, there were folks taking potshots all over it... couldn't be... this and that... only later to be proved that I was right all along. So again, yet another direction these dual quad manifolds went.

And for those folks who are old Detroiters, there were at least two hot-rod shops that were selling Packard dual-quad intakes well into the 1960s...as speed equipment. These were...
1.) Gratiot Hot-Rod shop (and no, it was NOT pronounced "gray-sha" like some youngsters on the internet are telling people today).
2.) Grand River Hot-Rod Shop

There was also a place off of Vernor Highway that sold them in the 1950s until it was torn down. I remember making tracings of the openings for the carbs as I waited for my dad to do some business there.

And I am told a few places in Southern California once sold Caribbean dual quad manifolds or even complete set-ups. But that was a long, long time ago. There used to be a complete Caribbean intake that sat on display outside of the service manager's office at Earle C. Anthony in downtown L.A. And a hot-rod shop in Bell had one for sale. There were others, I'm sure.

Anyway, there were indeed a few of these manifolds around once upon a time. Obviously some were sold loose and never on a car. But as the years go by, this stuff gets forgotten faster and faster and further and further.

Just a note in response to Jack Vine's post. I do not know if anyone is paying the asking prices but I have not seem a complete dual quad set up with manifold, linkage, carbs and batwing aircleaner offered for under $4000 in several years . The air cleaners are being offered at over $2000 alone. I think I remember a complete setup at Hershey a few years ago for $4000 or $4500.
That being said, you can spend a small fortune to secure the parts to restore a Caribbean and a great deal more in sweat equity or for payment to a restoration shop to learn that the market has slumped and there are few Caribbeans fetching 6 figures.
I guess the key is to never let your wife see the receipts and just enjoy the cars for the joy of ownership.
As someone said we should be concerned about dying-- not because of concerns about the hereafter-- but fear that our spouses will sell our stuff for what we told them we paid for it.LOL

Another great thread, you guys are the best!

Ok here is re-popped batwing air cleaner,
ebay.com/itm/BATWING-DUAL-QUAD-CARB-AIR- ... k%3D1%26rkt%3D7%26sd%3D131497364842

Can you make the carburetors? Looks like about 25 different internal part differences between the regular 4GC and the 55 2x4.

The linkages, shouldn't be to tough, should it?