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Every so often i hear that the early '32 T6 had a 4sp synchromesh transmission. Is this an OLD WIVES TAIL or do they truly exist? Never seen it in an advertizment. Its not listed in the parts book. Never seen or heard of a 32 with one. Story ive heard over the yrs is, it was a failure and the pulled it from production, replaced it with the earlier NON syc 4 sp and later installed the 3 sp syc. BUT this is a fairy tail story and is it BS?

It's true and there is an article about it in an old issue of PAC's The Packard Cormorant. It was not common, but I had one friend who had a 32 DeLuxe Eight that had one.

Just from memory, when the 32's came out, the 900 and the Twin Six got the new 3-speed synchro (top 2 gears) from the get-go and the Eight and DeLuxe Eight which were introduced well in advance of the Light Eight and Twin Six were supplied with a new 4-speed synchro (top 2 or 3 gears?) for a short time after which it was determined that engine performance made 4 forward gears unnecessary and the supply of the new 3-speed (Packard made their own transmissions) was adequate to meet the demand for all models. So shortly after the commencement of the 9th series all chassis had the new 3-speed synchro.

If you go to the PAC website and use the index to The Packard Cormorant, you should be able to identify the issue in which the article appeared (edit: it's Spring 1972, written by Burton Weaver). Back issues probably no longer available.

PS - OK, located the issue and just re-read the article and made a few minor edits to the above.

PPS - like the non-synchro 4-speed it relaced, the new one was direct 1:1 in 4th gear; had it been direct in 3rd everybody and his brother would be beating the bushes for one as it would be far easier to improve road speed capabilities than adding and OD or changing ring and pinion.

Not BS. Owen pretty much sums it up here and in the link below.

I have a '32 901 with a 4 spd. Synchro in 2nd and 3rd only.

Never use 1st unless I need to start up a VERY large grade and keep a slow speed.

The shift out of, or into low is not normal. You pull the shift lever from neutral to the left and up against a spring, once you've compressed the spring you just drop the shift lever straight down.

With the engine idling and in low gear you can circle the car, walking at a brisk clip.

The 4-spd does have a gear whine to die for, if you like that noise. If I can get a good audio of a run thru the gears, I'll send it to Kev to see if he can post it someplace.

https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?viewmode=thread&topic_id=6233&forum=1&post_id=67121

The early 9th series 4 speed is very musical especially in the aluminum case version.

The 7th series is the best and in the speedster you can wind 2nd all the way up to 55-60 mph.

The mother of all 7th series cars is Bill Hirsch's 745. That one is absolutely fantastic especially when barreling around urban areas. Bill used to drive it through the Lincoln and Holland tunnels in 2nd gear and with the gears bouncing off the walls it must have been something. The thing sounds like a fire engine.

I think the late John Cavalero put an aluminum case 4 spd in his 840 touring car and it sounded great. You could hear it all the way down the block.

Is there any cross section dwg.

I have the 4 speed in my 903. The 3 speed replaced the 4 speed halfway through the 9XX model year. The 3 speed was quieter than the 4 speed. The 4 speed has 3rd and 4th gears with syncho. Since I really find no use for the 1st gear or low, I commonly refer to 2nd gear as first and so on.

I've been told that collectors like the 4 speed over teh 3 speed for two reasons.

1. They like the distinctive gear whine
2. Useful when you add different rear end gearing which will allow you to get started on a grade easier.

Actually the shift terminolgy for the transmission goes Low - 2nd - Intermediate or 3rd - Direct or High.

Packard specifically stated to start the car in second and really did not talk about the Low gear at all. They also called it first gear in other places but Low is the correct term.

You only need Low in the Speedster or in cars with the 3.56 rear end gears. Turnquist had those in his 840 Roadster and you really had to start out in Low. The 145 hp speedsters did a little better and could start in second but it wasn't a good idea.

We start off using 2nd in our Speedster, but I've been told is has 3.71 gears. I don't know if it actually has that ratio, that's just what I've been told. George Jepson is the one who installed it. The whole rear end appears to be from a 1931, as there are no shock mounting points. Any idea where a 3.71 ratio would have come from?

West, I can distinctly remember George Jepson telling me about 3.31 gears in his Speedster, though I can't be sure if he was refering to the boattail, the phaeton, or both. Easy enough to determine, however.

That would be even more impressive then, in that starting in second gear is no problem at all. When we got the car, he even had a homemade overdrive system built into the car. Basically, it was an additional four-speed gearbox mounted back to back with the first (don't ask me how it worked). I'm not sure why he needed that, because the car has no problem cruising at 80mph if one so desired. The additional gearbox was removed at the time of its latest restoration.

Dave. Do you have any idea where the 3.31 gears would have come from?