Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Does any one have the manufacturer, item number and other pertinent info. for replacement set of plug wires/coil wire set. I'm looking for a set that is pre cut and fabbed that will be a good fit for the Pat's 374 v8 eng. I know I can buy a set and cut the wires to length required but, I think a factory crimp is better than a homemade crimp, especially if the boot caps are sealed at both ends of the wire.

I'm not sure if there's an easy answer to your question.

Several years ago, I found a set of NOS Delco-Packard wires, at a swap meet and installed them on one of my '56 Patricians. My notes indicate that the box showed (perhaps in addition to a Packard P/N) a Delco short number - "448F". I doubt if these are still available in the aftermarket, though.

However, I can't recall whether those wires were for engines with or without the special ignition wire support brackets that were introduced during the 56th Series run. If you don't readily understand what I mean by that, check the Service Index on this site for 1955-1856 - under the "Electrical" category. The March, 1956 issue of the Service Counselor features an article on this topic, with dimensions for shortening existing/original wires, as well the factory P/N for a direct-fit set of replacement wires for use with the new supports. Otherwise, the plug wire dimensions do not vary by cubic inches of engine displacement for either year of Packard V8.

Though I never found a current set of direct-fit plug wires for the 1955-56 Packard V8 in the aftermarket, I did use a set of Filko wires, #3028 (for a '58 Chevy 348-cid V8, IIRC), just to get by on my Carib H/T some years ago. The straight boots at the distributor end could be slid up the wire and the terminals reused. So, I trimmed each wire to fit as I installed them, to allow for the incorrect 90-degree boots and terminals. However, because the Filko wires didn't have a steel core (as original), they had a tendency to droop and get in the way of the carb linkage. While I got by on those wires for a few seasons of limited use, I will discard them before I put that car back on the road, in favor of OE type. More on that later.

There's another factor to consider in seeking out modern replacement plug wires. As originally equipped, regardless of Delco or Autolite electrical equipment, Packard V8s did NOT use resistor type plugs or suppressive type wire to manage RFI. Instead, the OE rotor was designed with a carbon rod in the path to the cap terminals to suppress radio interference. If you don't have a rotor in hand, check the shop manual for an illustration. I suspect that using modern suppressor type wires in conjunction with an OE style distributor rotor could very well result in weak spark - though I've never fully tested that hypothesis myself. It is should be possible, however, to match up a rotor as used on earlier straight eights that does not employ such a carbon rod.

Yet, now that the correct 135-degree spark plug boots have been repro'd by Steele Rubber, I decided that, when the time comes, I'll look for the corresponding spark plug terminals and a roll of the steel-cored wire to make my own - using the Delco set I put on the Pat as a template.

Unless you've done or are contemplating some sort of HEI conversion, I don't believe that having sealed boots is that important. Using the correct spark plug terminal and having the right crimping tool IS. However, the wire terminal that fits into the OE distributor cap requires no special crimping tool. Also, the boot on the cap end of the wires and the for the coil tower (which may be larger), as well as the terminals, were a fairly standard item, IIRC.

You might inquire of Dwight Heinmuller who claims to have the correct set with the 135-degree plug ends. He advertises profusely in The Cormorant News Bulletin.

You might try The Brillman Company, 2328 Pepper Rd., Mt. Jackson, VA 22842-2445, 888-274-5562 (toll free), 540-477-2980 (fax). I bought a set of spark plug wires for my 115C from them and was fully satisfied. I believe he also sells vintage primary wire and terminals.

Edit: I just check their catalog and there is no listing for V-8 spark plug wire sets. They do offer a wide variety of auto electrical parts including alternators, Pertronix, tune-up parts (points, plugs, condensers, etc.).

Thanks everyone for the feed back.

BH,
Yes, my pat v8 has the plug wire support brackets. I'm not sure if the wires on my car are OEM type or not, because I haven't found any markings on the wires, and they do fit pretty well but, I really don't know if they are suppression type. Am I correct in that they would be carbon core if suppression type. I'll check mine again but I believe they are wire core. They do have the correct 35 Degree plug boots and the dist wire caps also seem to be correct.
That is very good info about the rotor button having a carbon rod. I'll check that out also.

JW,
Thanks for the info on Brillman. I'll check it out by calling for some info.

OD,
That is good info on Dwight Heinmuller, I'll look it up.

Bowman -

Just to clarify, all Packard V8s had some sort of spark plug wire support brackets. However, the '55s and early '56s only came from the factory with what they called the finger type supports. Those later supports could be installed on earlier cars from either year, but some never got them - perhaps never demonstrated the need. Personally, I prefer the redesigned supports.

Go to the "Electrical" section of Steele Rubber's online listings for 1956 Packard and look for their item #70-2052-21, which replaces Packard #439833. (Strange that they haven't also repro'd the support bracket grommets.) Though the illustration doesn't show the 135-degree (some refer to it as 45-degree) angle, take note of the ribbed detail. If your spark plug boots look like that, they are likely to be at least authentic service replacment wires, if not the original factory install.

Due to heat from the engine in that area, the spark plug boots were typically the first part of the OE wire assembly that failed, but the wire itself held up very well. I've seen engines on these cars where there ws nothing left of the boots, but they still still ran well. However, the lack of a boot does pose an electrical hazard in close proximity, with the engine running.

My OE wires had a metallic core with a bright finish, which I assumed to be steel, perhaps stainless. I never looked into it any further or checked to see if the core might have been tin-plated copper, but it was comparatively tough material to cut. I've also heard these wires commonly referred to as steel-cored in casual conversation.

Suppresion type wires usually have some sort of non-metallic core that's impregnated with some form of carbon, which serves as a conductor but also as a suppressor. Wires with that type of core and silicone rubber insulation are quite flimsy and require additional support (as found on more modern engines).

Let us know how things pan out.

I'm using the Packard 440 wire which has a steel core. You can find that on eBay if you want to make them up yourself. They do make the correct crimping tools to produce professional results.

BH,
Thanks again, some more great info.
My pat has the later "finger type" with the "O"ring type grommets in the slots to protecj the wire.
The reason I have started looking for plug wire set is, I noticed the coil wire to dist. was arcing from the boot to the neg. term side of the coil as I was using a remote starter switch to crank the engine after replacing my dist.
The wires and the boots to the plugs seem to be okay. I had just checked them prior to pulling the dist, by visually checking with eng. running at night, and there were no arcs, that I could see. I then physically held the boot at the plug(with eng. running)while touching the block with my other hand and didn't even get a tinble. I know each plug was firing because I had checked that priviously with my in line spark tester.

BigKev, Thanks, Did the OEM wires have Packard or Delco logo on them.
You both make a good point about the solid wire cores being very durable. I could probably get the boots for plugs and dist.including the coil and use my old wires, if needed.

Bowman -

Still a little confusion here, perhaps, on the bracketry. The finger type are the early design - a bracket (think of it looking like your hand) where the wires rest in close proximity between its fingers, which were merely dipped in something like "plasti-grip" - no grommets involved.

If you have the type with the big fat grommets (as shown in the Counselor article), then your car is "up-to-date".

If it's only the coil wire that's the problem, I wouldn't worry about finding a full set of plug wires. From your description, those old steel-core wire sound like they're working fine. I wouldn't even worry about replacing the spark plug boots, unless there's some appearance or authenticity issue.

Sounds like you only need to address the the wire form the coil to the cap.

I found the boot on the coil end of that wire to be burned through on more than one car over the years - and not just Packards. Why that happens is not clear to me, but that boot, which may be larger than what's used at the distributor cap end (depending on the brand of coil, IIRC), was a fairly standard item for many years - as is the terminal, which is same as what's used at the distributor cap end. You may not need any new wire at all; the exisitng coil wire may be long enough that you can snip a bit of the end off, if needed. Again, the terminals used at this end of the wires do not require a special tool; you'll see what I mean when you go to take it apart.

If you can find a good, old, mom-n-pop type of parts store (not modern mass-market types), they might still have boots and caps right on the shelves. If you know a mechanic who has been at it for decades, he may have some leftover parts like that in his tool box, parts bins, coffee cans, etc. I've also found new boots and terminals for the cap and coil at general swap meets, but it took some hiking.

BH,
My brackets are bright metal and each bracket has 4 slots with "big" gromets that have slits so they fit down into the slots, in ther words they are the same ones that mentioned in one of the service counselor bulletins as replacement because of complaints the other style allowed the wires to have too much drop or droop.
I agree, at the present I can get by just changing the boot(s) on the coil wire, I think it is long enough to trim off the coil end, I'll recheck but I'm pretty sure the dist end is still okay. But, I want to make sure I get all of the necessary parts to replace everything if (when) I need to do so. They are only going to get harder and costlier to find.

The Hampton roads area is the worst place I have ever lived, when it comes to finding anything that isn't sold in a big box store or the big chain auto parts supply houses.
I have asked all of the repair shops and mechanics that I have been in and no one knows anything other than the chain stores or web sites. One of my neighbors just retired from
a ford dealership and had worked as a auto mech. for 40 years at different repair shops and he doesn't know of any local independent parts supply shops. But, like you said some of the old repair shops may have some needed parts. A guy just needs to keep looking all of the time. Whenever I drive from VA. up to NJ, MD, PA or DE, I always look for Packards and parts stores, etc.