Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

With good clean cooling passages and dist tube, and a good water pump and a clean flowing radiator, i wouldn't think a 48 327 would have any heat issues. That's without changing the stock 4 blade "tractor fan" and adding a shroud of any type.

If i had one that was running warm despite KNOWING (and not thinking, but KNOWING) that the carb was perfect, the ignition and timing was perfect, the exhaust was the proper size, the block was clean inside and free of scale, the water pump was working and i had a clean working radiator, i might be tempted to add a universal half-round type shroud to help direct airflow and upgrade to maybe a 5 or 7 blade HD fan.

If all the above was in any kind of decent running order though, you wouldn't have any heat issues to worry about trying to upgrade the stock design.

Gary,

Suggest you retire WITH rather than to Caribbean. 53 or 56 preferably

Why you say 53 or 56 Fred ? You dont think the 48 will hack it?

Fred is making reference buying a 53 or 56 Caribbean, as opposed to going to the Caribbean.

Carribean 53 or 56 are lovely cars, but not enough to temp me away from The Real carribean. And i much like the older convertibles. The Carribean car is certainly a very expensive car to buy restored. You stick with your carribean Fred, and i'll dream of mine.

Is there a place where a complete gasket set can be bought? On later british classics you can get the cork ones, which has a longer life span.

Tell me Fred, how long you been restoring Packard Carribeans then?

Search for "Best Gaskets" on the website. They have complete Packards sets. Also most the major vendors have them also.

Quote:

When ford bought jaguar, they started to migrate the cork and paper gaskets over to more modern materials. Worked like a charm for my XJS V12, i had the only jag around not marking it's spot with oil leaks.

Cork was great when it was the best material available, but there's few situations when i choose cork over something newer when something else is available.

Tsk Tsk, NOw we all know that you have to restore to original. So Jaguar going to modern materials will cause world wide rustout of floor pans. You see the cork gaskets provided a constant oil mist to keep the floor pans rustproofed, and the Lucas electrical system was Jaguar's way of reducing pollution as the cars rarely ran.

20 years ago in the local paper there was an earl;y XJ6 advertised as being "absolutley floorless", not to be outdone by a Mercedes 230SL a few years later as having 4 speed and a junk seat. Foreign car ads are much more interesting than domestics

By the way using cork is called "The Great Leap Backwards"


As far as the '48 being sturdy enough, just recall the Coast to Coast voyages in 1903 in OLd Pacific. Packards are up to anything!!

I bought my first CAribbean in 1960, a '53 with a bad rear axle and some rust in the quarters. Paid $50, nudged it to a junkyard, took the hood, wire wheels adn instruments adn gave it to the junkyard.

Next Carib was 5699-1080 convertible in Black/White/Black. bought in '63 for $400, the only thing that worked was the horn, had been sitting outside with no top, had a new replacement engine as it had blownup. It was solid but a mess. "Restored" it 60's style, painted it white/scottish heather/maltese gray. Got everything working, drove and enjoyed it. Still have it.

Have 4 more, 53 Black (origianlly blue) 2 55's white/red/black 1 more 56 black /naples orange/black

Thanks Kev for the good advise, will def look at Best Gaskets.

Fred, you have been busy over the years restoring Packards. Did you ever fancy restoring pre 1950 models?
I am hoping to get a 1948, deal not struck yet, wants $11.500 for project car, all parts there, needs new floor pans, and engine out of car. I am always on look out for better priced projects, do like carribean models, but fear projects just too expensive for me. That's really why the super eight is prob the cheapest to restore. Plus I like the shape of those older models. Did you get help Fred, when restoring your projects!

Will for sure give the cork gaskets a big miss, will never get them. Just stick to traditional.

Fred,
Did you mean it had no floors or totally lacking any faults.
Personally I would opt for the former especially if it were British Leyland Built
Terry