Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Here is the link to the Popular Mechanics article from 1955



books.google.com/books?id=aN4DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA110&lpg=PA110&dq=1955+packard+25000+mile+test&source=bl&ots=vkVMY3iMG8&sig=GGoM2DPTtpidf8EcesgZAc6nAuc&hl=en&ei=yWWaTa6DMYbk0gGhvZmDDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CBwQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=1955%20packard%2025000%20mile%20test&f=false

I've sent emails to a couple of Packard historians, asking if they know anything about the subsequent life of the test car. Will post if I learn anything interesting.

Reprint of the article from Car Life June 1955:

1956packardpanther.com/PV8C/PV8C_FarFast.html

Craig

Quote:
Gee PV8, are you suggesting that a 25,000 mile test over some 240 hours requires a SUSTAINED speed?

Considering that most of the beefs about the Packard V8 engine valve train and oil pressure trouble cite problems at SUSTAINED speeds, there could be some kind of connection between these driving conditions and the so-called "Oil Starvation" that so prominently figures in discussions of the V8's shortcomings -- old and new.

A new car driven at sustained (found the shift key) speeds over long periods might be expected to exhibit some of these oil starvation or wear problems--or later inspection could uncover wear patterns that would indicate weak points, even if the car hadn't been subjected to short-mileage trips prior to that.

"Gee PV8, are you suggesting that a 25,000 mile test over some 240 hours requires a SUSTAINED speed?"

Yes. What is your claim??? That they drove 25000 mph for ONE hour and then took a lunch break for 239 hours or something????

It was just a PR stunt. Any engine wear analysis would have been done in a dynamomter room, at least initialy.

Reading a bit between the lines on what some Packard historians have told me in response to the initial query, there were apparently two pre-production 1955 Patricians built in 1954 as test bed vehicles. One was probably the torsion level test bed car which ultimately was given to Bob Allison and still exists. The other, apparently the 25,000 mile test car, was likely scrapped by the factory. Also a few 1954 cars were modified and equipped with the torsion level, also for factory evaluation. They probably meet a similar fate.

Some real facts would be nice. I'd especially like to have the thief-proof and vehicle numbers from the Allison car.

I attended a national Packard meet near Harrisburg, PA sometime before the 'Three Mile Island" incident. I had visited the Three Mile Island plant to see some of the steel we had supplied and stopped for the Packard meet on the way home.

Bob Alison(sp?) spoke at the meet and showed a short film (pre-video days)of the test bed he had made to exhibit the merits of full length torsion bar suspension. It was almost laughable in its simplicity, but very, very impressive in the way it handled rail road crossings and similar bumps. The movie also showed contemporary luxury cars crossing the same bumps at the same speed and bucking like a bronco.

I didn't get to speak with Bob, which is a shame. He seemed like the kind of fellow you would want for a close friend.

Somewhere I saw a note that the Allison test bed used full length torsion bars connecting front and rear wheels on opposite sides of the car. To my memory it was not mentioned that evening. Has anyone else heard that story? There are so many "urban myths" about the 55-56 Packards it would be good to find out the truth.

Bernardi

I knew Bill Allison, and have the video copy of his 1954-1960 home movies of his suspension experiments that you speak of.
Bill tried everything, once--at least. After Packard died he adapted some Nash cars to a torsion bar system that was more advanced than Packard's, he did this for Ford. Why a Nash body? because it was a unit body, before Ford had one going, but they knew that they were going to be making unit bodies soon. There is a drawing in the AQ/Kimes book showing the bars going criss-cross like you describe. Bill was doing other suspensions using leaf springs, but still the interconnecting principal. I recall the brass models he built, based on the package size of Chrysler K cars, in the early 80s.
He was an engineer's engineer, and a soft-spoken gentleman.

I recall reading somewhere years ago that the endurance test V-8 Packard used a manual transmission and overdrive. Don't recall about the suspension on the car. Anything to this?

(o{I}o)

Quote:

Pardon me, but I don't appreciate being quoted out of context. Of course I'm not claiming anything other than that I believe the reports of this run are probably factual. I asked if anyone had additional information on the outcome for the car, which you evidently do not. Your reiteration of the obvious difference between sustained speed and everyday driving is annoying, that's all, which was the intended message of my reply, which you probably know.

As far as a "PR stunt" is concerned, the run was publicized, does that necessarily make it somehow suspect? Aren't those tests also used for "PR?" This was a controlled test of a complete, operating automobile that traveled that distance in that amount of time.

Sorry, I haven't read the other comments, yet, but I doubt they concern some discovery of collusion between the Packard PR department and AAA to falsify the test run data.

Good night and good luck.