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I just found the website and joined today. I have a 1939 120 sedan, model 1701, which I have known does not have its original engine. My uncle got it out of a salvage yard in Pittsburgh, Calif (SF Bay Area) around 1970, and did a cosmetic restoration. It already had a larger engine installed when he got it. I now need to replace the oil pan, and want to know more about the identity of the engine.
The engine number is "N235361. CE" and stamped just below that are the smaller letters "CAL."
I don't find any L-head in-line eights in your list with numbers beginning in "N", so this is what I surmize, or assume, and can someone enlighten me??
I suspect that the factory continued to manufacture straight-eight crate engines (hence the CE following my number) for replacement parts after new car production switched to the V-8, and that this is what I have in my 1701. I can add that the installation seemed to have been done professionally and that the engine being longer fits very tight between the radiator and firewall. The head measures a little over 34", and the exhaust pipe to manifold flange has only two studs. From these observations, and the fact that the engine number is in the 200000 range, I concluded I have a later 288 cid, but don't know the year of its manufacture. Can some of you shed some light on this, and get me in the right direction??
I plan to put this car in your owner's registry soon.
Thanks, Dennis in San Jose, CA




Subject: *

I can't be much help but if it is a 288, there should be a date of manufacture down on the block by the starter. That might help determining a timeline.

As you mention, Packard only went as far as M so the N and the CAL are the strange ones & may well be a service engine. CAL may be for California if it has always been here. Believe the DMV used motor numbers then on registration and that may be someway to designate a replacement. Any old paperwork might shed some light if available.

The letter suffix after the number usually designate something different in the drivetrain from what was originally specified when the car was introduced. Some 1940 engines for example had an A when the clutch plate was different and a B when both clutch and pressure plate was of different design and manufacture than originals. Some years had oversize pistons or lifter bores to enable use of otherwise wasted castings with a suffix designating the change. I don't have a reference to 39 to help with the C & E but maybe someone else can shed a light..

Thanks for the info. I will look again for a date on the block casting. Please keep any more info coming. I am posting a picture of the car for you. When I get my info together, I will enter it in your registry.

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All the Packard straight eights that were a monoblock casting had the date down below the starter, sixes as well. Can't say about the earlier two piece engines, haven't seen enough of them out of the car to be able to tell.

Quote:G'day Dennis,
to PackardInfo.

A pic or pic's of the engine may help in its identification.
And in anticipation regarding entering your '39 into the Packard Owner's Registry.

Dennis' comment about the length of his engine makes me want to ask about the length difference between the 282 and 288/327 engines. Are they different? Also, is the 356 longer than the 282? Eric, I am aiming this one at you.

(o{I}o)

P.S. Dennis has a most attractive Packard.

Until Eric pop's in I'll have a stab at this. The 288/327 family is longer than the 282. Evidence for this was provided by Peter Packard when he posted documentation for this swap in another post a while ago, but I can't put my finger on the thread involved now. The documentation was for overseas dealers where a replacement 282 wasn't available but a 288/327 was. In fact Peter has swapped a 327 into his TJ Richards bodied '38 Eight which necessitated some reworking of the firewall. Another PACA member has a '37 120 Coupe Roadster which had a 288 in it but has since been converted back to a 282 during the restoration process. It too had firewall modifications which were fixed by installing another unmodified firewall in its place. Also, I believe the 356 is about the same length as the 288/327/359's

The 282 IS shorter than the 288/327/356/359 engines, and no parts are interchangeable to my knowledge. The easy identification of the 282 is the road draft tube that bolts to the block instead of the rear tappet cover. The easy identification of the 356 as compared to the other engines is the distributor is directly in the center of the engine underneath the middle freeze plug, whereas on the 288/327/359 has it between the 2nd and 3rd freeze plug. The fuel pump is also in a slightly different position between the 356 and the others. This is the reason why you can't use anything other than a 356 camshaft in a 356 engine. I could go into more detail of the differences, but to suffice it to say, the only parts that "bolt on" between the 288/327/356/359 engines are the heads, manifolds, and distributor. Of course they're all different but they do bolt on. Not sure about the flywheels and bellhousings yet, but I'll let you all know when I find out for sure.

I bolted a 3 gear with OD tranny out of a '53 with a 327 into my '41 282. Everything when right in; the '53 clutch, flywheel and bellhousing as well as the tranny input shaft..... Changes had to be made to the driveshaft, however.