Packard Forum Index » Modification Discussion

Rusty-1999

All good advice here from people who know from experience.

Whatever you decide, know that you will feel more pride and receive more admiration from your colleagues and contemporaries when you lift the hood to reveal the straight eight running smoothly and quietly.

Also, do yourself a favorite, only pursue the project that you can see through to completion. The country is littered with disassembled, failed projects that guys are trying in vein to sell with no takers...

Steve

Hey @PackardDon, i believe i found you classified at this link here.packardimperial.com/categories/classifieddetails.php?ID=108

I will be contacting you sometime this next week hopefully about this engine maybe and what all it might need. How might i email you or contact you about that engine? the classified website is a little confusing? Also, was the only difference between the 5 and 9 main the 4 barrel manifold?

58L8134
This forum has actually been a lot of help already, i found an old thread about some old speed parts and various designs.

To reach me directly, simply click on my name at the bottom of the ad. Also, a simpler link to the particular engine is here and there is also a 9-bearing engine here. I'm not sure what difficulty you had: you pick Packard, then scroll down the years to find what you want. Anyway, write to me about that through the site.

Unfortunately I don't know the differences between manifolds but I believe they are interchangeable. The main thing is whether two or four barrel carburetor.

Thank you, i did not realize there was a link attached to the names.

My comments about keeping it original or selling it were about swapping out the Packard engine. As Ross wrote, there are a few thing you can do to the engine to increase performance. A Packard stick transmission with OD makes a very good driving car for freeway and around town. Also, I see nothing wrong with disc brakes. They are a must to drive safely in today's traffic. After market AC helps to make it more comfortable for daily driving. Vintage Air is a good place to look. 12-volt electrics with an alternator will satisfy your needs especially if you fit AC. Radial tires will help steering and handling. You can do all of this and more and still have an original looking Packard that will serve you well for today's driving conditions. It's your can and you get to decide how you want it to be to suit your pocket book and how you intend to use it.

Hey @JW, thankyou for your advice, i really am considering doing disk brakes at least on the front, but who knows, drums work pretty well.

Also i definitely want to do a 4 speed conversion the more i think about it, it would be semi-correct and it would be all packard, i just have to find one. Do you have any information as to what all i will need to find to do this? Any old forums? I'll search around for any information i can find!

On the side of the 12 Volt system conversion, i am going to have the generator rebuilt and converted to put out 12 volts, i could do a Chevy 1 wire but i like the idea more of keeping a stock appearance, you guys have me there!

I also have determined whatever engine i end up putting in whether another 9 main or a 5 main, i will be using my 4 barrel manifold and i will be putting something like Holley Sniper EFI on it instead. I figure with how well those units flow i should pick up a little HP but mostly an increase in MPG.

Definitely doing a vintage air ac system, although i do believe i may have(or know where to get) an original A/C pump and bracket.

On the side of wheels and tires, definitely going with the COKER 3.25 inch radial white walls. But does anyone know if the alignment stud on the drums can be just done away with? I'm thinking of doing wire wheels or a set of steel wheels? Any advice or things to look out for here would be great!

I should apologize though, i feel i may have come off as rude in one of my responses earlier. So i would like to take this time to apologize.

Also, does anyone have any information or links to info on a performance cam? May be a long shot here, but i feel like someone somewhere probably has one laying around? Nothing big and aggressive but i certainly would be excited to know about one or at least get the specs and have one commissioned.

Also, i do think i will try to do a Paxton or McCullough supercharger assuming i can find one! Not wanting to build a hot rod, or accelerate really fast, but give her a real good edge, plus i plan to haul a period correct camper behind me on long trips, i figure this would really help!

For the A/C, if you use a modern system, you definitely also want to use a modern compressor. The original compressor cannot handle the modern system's needs and even those with original factory A/C units in their Packards have found it better to use a modern compressor.

That said, I am interested in the original compressor and any other stock A/C parts that might be available even if in poor condition.

Packard Don, I will have to check, but i believe i have a compressor bracket at least for these cars. If not i do know for sure where i can find one, there is an old Cadillac salvage yard within 2 miles of my house and oddly enough the owner has a collection of 51-56 Packard parts i have snooped through before. I believe when i talked to him last he said he had some A/C parts. Either the parts are for a 51-54 or for that 56 Patrician he has in his yard(that car has been cut off from the rear but would make a good truck conversion, it was fully optioned too).

The 1955-1956 A/C was completely under the dash and I could use some parts for those years too.

Just to throw a monkey wrench into the discussion. If for some reason you stay with a 6 volt system but want an alternator contact Don at gener-nators. He takes a stock generator and builds a custom alternator inside. They work great, solve all the problems of a generator not charging at idle and look completely stock