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Two slabs I am thinking because there are channels inside. Not sure how it would be possible to bore those out with one piece of aluminum. Maybe it’s possible. If so then it would just be one thicker slab which sounds easier to me

If decent ones are still available then that answers my first original question. I’ll tinker this weekend with Facebook to see what’s involved in signing up. Time to join the future maybe

Here is what you are up against. The 359 was only used in five Packard models in 1954. Here are the production numbers for each model:

Patrician: 2,760
Convertible (non-Caribbean): 863
Caribbean: 400
Executive Sedan: 65
Corporate Limo: 35
Total: 4,123

Source: The Packard 1942-1962 by Nathaniel T. Dawes. Copyright 1975 by A.S. Barnes and Co., Inc.

Given that these cars are now more than 70 years old, the survival rate is not very high so there just aren't even that many parts cars or parts engines left out there which might furnish a good cylinder head. Also, the aluminum head had a high failure rate and many, if not most of the senior '54 models I have encountered have had the heads replaced with an iron one. Any time you mate an aluminum head with an iron block, you are going to have head gasket issues. I have owned several 1980's Chrysler products with the 2.2 liter four. These all had aluminum heads, and I had to replace the head gasket in every single one of them. Some failed in as little as 40,000 miles. Best I ever did was about 70K with a 1988 Plymouth Horizon which my wife bought new.

Question: If your aluminum 359 head fails, what iron one can you replace it with? Was this something that was covered in a Service Bulletin? It must have been a problem even many years ago.

It was also used on the 5413 commercial coaches, the only year in the 1951-1954 style to use the senior engine.