What year? There's several Packard eights, anything from 1935 and up has insert bearings that are easily available, along with decent priced rebuild kits. Get me the #'s off the driver's rear pad on the engine if it's '48 and newer, and I can tell you what you have. I'm currently gathering parts for a '53 327 9 main engine, that will have twin turbos on it, and be put in a '25 style speedster. They're strong engines and weigh a ton, but they're simple as hell to work on. IMHO, they're the finest straight eights ever made that the normal guy can afford.
I know the motor is out a 51 ,S200, Dont have the motor on hand, but know it needs to be rebuilt. Twin turbo, at what psi?? can you push 20 on these motors?
I'm a bit of a Chevy 292 inline 6 fan, misself...btu the straight 8 deal is really cool. I love the idea of a twin turbo in a speedster!
my dad has a 120 in line 8 in his 41 convert. and it has a reground cam and minor port work, not a tire smoker but has nice get up.
I have a 1952 Packard 200 Deluxe with the 327 Straight 8. Don't expect to win any races with it but its an awsome motor. Parts are relatively inexpensive(except waterpump) and easy to work on. Depending on what year you have, they are fairly low compression, i.e. turbo/supercharger freindly. Speed parts are far and few and expensive.
I wouldn't push 20psi on one unless you REALLY beef it up. SBC headers will fit with slight mods. Also, avoid the stock aluminum heads, they're really only for show, and I wouldn't use an aluminum head on a forced induction straight eight anyway. I won't go more than 10 psi on mine, which I feel is plenty. Here's the Speedster that I'm "kinda" copying: http://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/uploads/newbb/34_47fd6de24e7a1.jpg The file's too large to upload here. Also, the '52 200 should be a 327 5 main engine, I wouldn't recommend doing too much all out stuff with it. I plan on two turbo's with two HS6 S.U. carbs on a draw though setup.
I say go for the big Packard! As long as you aren't going for mad speed or worried about weight it's a good choice, and parts aren't so hard to come by once you find the right sources.
Packard engines are not cheap to over haul to say the least! The overhaul kits are around $1500 to start and all the extras needed to complete it will drain the wallet too. I have a supercharged 327 5 main with a Frick 2 piece aluminum head, bored .030 over and ported and relieved. running 2 Stromberg 48's with all home made hop up parts. It runs very nice and has the power when ever you want it. It will push my roadster to well over a 100 with out even touching 3000 rpm in overdrive. and will do 90 in second and pulls like a wild pack of stallions. I love the large inline packards and as siad earleir they are heavy. The engine and trans weigh right up about 950# but the power and the looks you will get are worth it all the way. Just be prepaired to answer alot of qustions about it, as most people have only heard of an inline 8. This last week end we went to a show in Moab and I must have said "52 Packard 327" about 200 times in just one day! Do the engine you will not regret it at all.
I have a question / idea. I know we used to do it a lot on old harley shovel and flatheads back at my pops shop, but you do whats called head scaring. Pretty much or putting groves in the head to give the compresion dome a more turbulant surface to promote fuel atomization. Nothing crazy just enough for the air/fuel mixture coming in to have a better mixture. Would this help out any?
Packard's combustion chamber design is pretty good as is, and they angled the valves towards the cylinder instead of having them straight up for better flow. Another good thing is to use the 288 MT head on any of the engines, as it has the smallest combustion chamber of them all. (I don't know the specifics, just what I've heard.) Also, if you're stuck with the Ultramatic trans, I may be able to scrounge up a manual flywheel and bellhousing for it, along with a 3 speed trans. The input spline and diameter is the same as an early Chevrolet.
This valves tilted towared the cylinder thing bothers me. That is the same way Ford V8 flatheads are made and that's why people relieve Ford flatheads. The side of the valve that is closest to the cylinder and in the direction of flow, is shrouded by being below the deck surface. The mixture has to flow up and over the counter bore before heading through the transfer passage. Of course the rear and one side of the valve is facing the walls of the cylinder head and flow very little. A Ford "B" lifts the valve straight up and the flow is not restricted by any counter sinking of the seat. I think.
Yes, relieving the valves will be one of the things I do, along with putting larger valves in it. I have a set of NOS Packard 374 V8 intake valves that will be going in my 327. This will eliminate the shrouding problem pretty much completely, as the valve will be big enough to replace the shrouding. Not totally sure if they will work yet or not, but so far everything seems to say yes.
The Jalopy Journal
