Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Hello,
I just brought the parts car home and would like some info. The car is not worth saving but has a lot of good parts. Door panels back glass, ect. I have a question about the motor though. The motor does not have the standard Packard accessories with it. Valve covers have decals that say Hornet v/8. I read in this months Hemmings collector car that Packard sold engines to Nash and Hudson as early as 1955? Was wondering if these engines are the same as a 320? the article says that these motors are detuned 320's. Also the motor still turns over after being pulled out of a junkyard in '68 been in dry storage since then. Also have a chance to aquire a bunch of 55 Clipper parts if anyone is interested.

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Packard did sell AMC engines in 55 and I believe the start of 56 until they got their own V8 into production. Not sure how much detuning was done as I believe the mechanical specs were the same as the 55 small Packard engine.

Hudson and Nash might have used different carbs which is essentially what Packard did to get a different HP from the same size engines but other than relocating the oil filter and maybe a few different bolt ons I believe the rest of the engine is essentially the same. On 55 Clippers Packard also used the blank rocker cover but with a Clipper decal.

One significant difference is Hudson and Nash used dual action fuel pumps with the aux vacuum section rather than copy Packards oil pump mounted aux vacuum source. I know the subject has been discussed but don't remember if the consensus was they used the Packard oil pump without the vacuum section or built their own pumps. The tail shaft for the Ultra was also different for the AMC cars.

Interesting 5-bladed fan, older construction style with blades individually riveted to the hub; appears that it might be the 5-bladed fan supplied to the earlier 356 motor. I know very little about the motors supplied to AMC but I'd rather doubt it's original to that motor.

Transmission cooler appears to be mounted differently from
Packard looks like they were trying to keep lower part of engine narrow as the Nash Hudson cars were designed for straight six which are narrow and uni-body making it more difficult to modify for V8 installation

There are studs where the oil filter would normally be positioned. I wonder if that Hudson also had AC and the outrigger mount for the oil filter was the AMC solution for relocation when the compressor took that space instead of to the filter to the right side of the engine as was done by Packard and ARA. If there is an AC crankcase pulley would be nice to see if AMC used the Packard version or had something different.

What's that tube running front-to-back across the cam/tappet cover?

Thanks for the info next time I'm up in seattle I'll take a closer look at the tube on the motor. The guy that has the motor for sale also has a 52? 200 for sale with a parts car. I'm trying to figure out if I have room at the house!!

The oil pan and oil pump is substantially different on the Hash varieties.

Supposedly, they also had lower compression ratios, about 7.8. What is the casting number and date on the top rear of the bell housing? Does yours have the '56 heads #6480406CD ?

jack vines

Jack,
I'll look at the one that I have at the house when I get a chance where would the numbers be stamped?

Jack, somewhere I have a Packard V8 oil pan with the sump in the center, might that have been an AMC oil pan?