Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

there is various RPM calculators on the internet that will tell you your speed and rpms. Just add your rear ratio tire size and overdrive ratio it will tell you how fast. Some of them are easier to use than others.

Sure, I'll play.


Vehicle: 1946 Clipper Deluxe.

Engine: rebuilt 282 with around 700 miles on it. The former owner put in a Kanter master kit, so it has new innards.

Transmission: Packard 3-speed standard - no overdrive.

Differential: stock.


Back East, there is a radar device in constant use on the road past the airport. The speeding meter shows as about 2 MPH slower than the car display between 45 and 55 MPH. So I think that what I observe on the dashboard is pretty close to what I'm really going when driving.


The car pulls nicely from whatever RPM by simply applying more throttle.I have taken mostly flat curves at 20 in high and gone right along. It's happy and sounds decent at the aforementioned 45-55. It starts sounding a touch frantic over 60, so I suppose that Double Nickels is plenty fast enough until an o/d unit takes up residence behind the engine.

'mute' ...the dickens you say. Better get the dictionay out!

Had a longer drive today and drove about an hour non-stop, cruising somewhere between 45-50 most of the time (couple of 35-40 mph town slowdowns). Crept up to 55-60 a few times as well when I wasn't watching too close. Of course, found the speedometer runs about 2 mph faster on the car than reality and maybe closer to 4 mph faster above 48 mph on the car but that doesn't surprise me. I may or may not have run a red light today at a town square instead of trying to stop on a dime.

I have owned a 1939 120 sedan for over 40 years. It has the 282 ci with OD.
I have driven it thousands of miles. It has been driven from Colorado to both coasts. My last long trip was to Yellowstone NP (1000+ mile Round trip, picture of Packard in front of Lake Yellowstone Hotel).

I can drive the Packard for hours at 65 mph. It is just loafing along.
I can drive it at 75 mph for over and hour but it will slowly start to heat up. If I slow down to 65, the temp will drop back to normal again.
I once drove it briefly at 95 mph just to see what it could do.

Another speed story: I had a friend named Sarah who owned a 1937 120 Convertible Sedan. In her garage, she had a framed traffic ticket that she got for driving over 80mph in a 65 mph zone.

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  lake yelllowstone hotel packard 1939.jpg (258.64 KB)

That almost sounds like a challenge. See how fast you can go over and get an actual ticket in your Packard. Might not want to try it school zones though.