Packard Forum Index » Modification Discussion

Welcome aboard Glynn. Glad to see pics of your splendid effort and craftsmanship. Keep us posted on your progress.
I have a V8 Packard engine but there are plenty of others with straight 8's that will be most impressed and interested in your project.

Glynn, make sure you put your car in the Owner's registry before that G'da$% Aussie gets on your butt about it!

Other than that, NICE WORK!!

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G'day Glynn,
Like to add my as well. And yes I'm that "G'da$% Aussie" that Eric warned you about. But I try to phrase my requests along the lines of "could you please include your straight 8 Packard in the Owner Registry together with a pic, any known history and how you acquired it?". A little more civil than Eric's warning I'd think?
And it's your trans conversion looks great. Why don't you start a separate thread on it? As it would be sure to generate plenty of interest.

Cannot really determine from the photos, but since I saw "ultra" in the text, I assume this pertains to the Packard Ultramatics used up through '54 rather than the older engines of the 40-41 timeframe.

You guy's wanting a different transmission could always do it the caveman way.

The man is obviously a Master. One thing i missed tho. How did he keep the input shaft of the trans CONCENTRIC with the end of the crank????? CRITICAL with automatics. Sticks too but not as critical as automatics.

packard v8,

The arbor had 4 set screws in the inserts machined to the shoulders on each end of the tranny. This allowed adjustment of the ends to get the transmission concentric with the arbor. The 700 r4 bell housing was ruff cut with a porta-band saw. Then machined to length before welding on the 1 " plate. The amount of warping surprised me (.115"). After the unit cooled it was placed back in the lathe and the center cutout to correct size. then the outer diameter and the front face clean up to square. A shoulder 3/8 "deep at an OD of 15.312"dia was cut next. This should center the transmission shaft with the crankshaft center if it is concentric with the bellhousing openning. I've made a bushing to correct the size difference between the packard (1.85"pilot hole in crankshaft) and the button (1.699") on the 700 r4 torque convertor. The bolting of the convertor to the pressure plate is not complete yet. Once the Tranny is reassembled I will see if the convertor goes in the bushing correctly and if I have the 3/16" travel or movement between the flywheel and the bolt pads on the convertor. Still a work in progress.

Glynn

For everyones info, www.transmissionadapters.com now has the straight eight to chevy tranny adapters in stock....considering one myself..gary

Gary

What GM trans are you considering?

Hmm, I wouldn't mind putting a 5 speed in the Speedster, do they also work with manual transmissions? I don't see it on the webpage you posted.