Packard Forum Index » Modification Discussion

Hello All, first post on the Packard Info site, hope to learn from the wiser heads. I am putting together a 1937 Super Eight based special, powered by a 1954 359 with, I believe, a manual transmission.

Following Packard's Panther example, I have purchased a VS57 supercharger and plan to install it on the 359. The first and obvious question is "has anyone done this?" and "how did it turn out?" I have seen some photos of a dual McCulloch/Paxton installation on a straight eight, but have never communicated with anyone who did the install.

Planning on using an airbox & the stock carb, fabricating the mounting bracketry & tension idler pulley (I have Studebaker Hawk pieces to measure).

As important to the install of the supercharger is knowing what is weak on the 359- I read about some cracking- hopefully not the block. The 359 I have was purchased running and running pretty well, at least not smoking. Can hardened valve seats be installed on these engines?

Thanks for any enlightenment you can give me! Stan P.

This sounds like an interesting project.

Have you fully researched VS57 info on the web?

From what I've been able to find, you should be able to get 4-5psi out of it at "high boost" high rpm/high speed. That should definitely be worth it compared to stock.

Craig

Craig, I am pretty familiar with the McCulloch/Paxton supercharger, and your boost figures are right on. If anyone has photos of the 275HP Panther engine with the McCulloch & airbox, I would really appreciate seeing them.

I do want to emphasize that I am not tearing up a restorable 1937 Super Eight sedan...what I have is a rough assemblage of parts that looks like a shell but the pieces are from all different models & years. Engine is a rusted up 1952 288 with a three speed behind it; fenders are from another car; no interior or dashboard or steering shaft; wood is all shot; no trunk floor; but it does have a Packard frame!

I want to build a speedster type car on the full 127" wheelbase, using the grille, hood, cowl, doors and most everything else will be custom metal. I have some preliminary drawings but they are on AutoCad...so I will have to figure out how to post them.

There is a photo of the Panther engine and supercharger here.packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb ... ic.php?post_id=60587#forumpost60587 Unfortunately, just a single shot and from a distance.

Yes, you can (and should) install hardened exhaust valve seats in a 359. Most (all?) references to cracking on the 359 involve the aluminum cylinder head.

Ralph Marano in New Jersey now owns 2 of the Panther Daytonas, I'm not sure if he has the blown one or not, you might contact him for info. I believe Panther #1 had the blower but it was removed years ago and last I heard was still missing, but that as well as the attached info on them is quite dated.

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G'day Stan,
to PackardInfo.

Here are links to a couple of threads which may be of help to you.

Blown Packard Inline 8

Eric's Packard Barchetta Speedster Project

And I invite you to include your 359 powered '37 Super 8 Speedster in the Packard Owners Registry. here on PackardInfo.

A significant number of those engines cracked between the valve seats and the cylinders. According to oldtimers I talked with it was quite a plague even when the cars were relatively young. Bob Aller maintained that blocks cast in molds 1 and 2 were problematic and those cast in molds 3 and 4 were OK. This number can be seen as a single digit right next to the date cast on the lower skirt of the block on the drivers side. I have personally sent two of those blocks off to Packard Purgatory.

That being said, the ones that have not cracked by now are probably not going to crack.


For real high speed work for your speedster I recommend a five main engine. This is for reduced friction, but I believe the cranks are more torsionally rigid. I observe that all of the nine mainers after the demise of the 356 used huge vibration dampers compared to their lesser bretheren. And the 359 has the least amount of overlap of all with its extra long stroke. Not good if you're going to rev it high as you likely will with the supercharger.

Comments?

That's interesting, Ross. You've seen far more of these engines stripped than I have but I never though that the 359s were more likely to crack than others. Certainly we sometimes see 320 and 385 blocks as well as other later engines with cracks that started in a valve seat and grew across the block to the cylinder walls but generally most folks seem to attribute these situations to neglect in use, prolonged running low on coolant and especially adding cold water to an overheated engine w/o the engine running.

I have heard it said several times that those 22nd/23rd series cars that chronically run hot and defy measures to bring their operating temperates back to "normal" (whatever that is) can be traced to a particular one or two of the engine block casting lines. I've gradually come to accept that there may be some truth to this.

Thanks to everyone for posting so much useful info, including the great links. Brian Thomas' engine buildup was especially interesting, and the Panther underhood shot is the best I have ever seen of the McCulloch installation on that car. The only photo on the web shows only the airbox w/o the blower.

As to engine mods, I recently sold my drag car, which had a Ford FE 427, and frankly I got tired of throwing large chunks of money at it to gain ever-smaller returns. I am going to use my Packard Special as a driver, with occasional blasts down the road- not as a racer, so any internal mods will be for longetivity only. Max torque is what I am after.

In case I decide to take the engine down to install hardened seats w/ new valves, can anyone direct me to a supplier of seats & valves? Are there any crossover parts such as brand X valves that enable one to gain a wider choice in valve sizes?

While I am currently planning on using a Stude R3 airbox, I did have a thought on saving money instead of buying a Paxton or Vortech box- why not adapt a cast aluminum oil pan? You can get these under $100, and I would think for anther $100-150 worth of TIG welding you could have a custom finned box!

Thanks again for all your help.

New valves are manufactured by Egge, perhaps seats as well though any good engine rebuilder should be able to come up with suitable hardened seats. The normal national Packard suppliers like Kanter's and Max no doubt have them as well though I prefer to deal directly with Egge. I'm not aware of any interchange with other car manufacturers.