"Versatile" Packard V-8 ???

I have run the Vega since 1980 with various engines. I had the Packard. I have always wanted to build a race Packard since they were new. So i did. I expect a motivated person could get around 175 out of it. I went 177 in '80 with a turbocharged 302 GMC in it. And 208 with a 455 Pontiac in '92 on gas.

 

Hey Mart... What's a Henway?...

I'd run a Packard V8 if I had one... I've got an old '26 Willys Whippet frame I could set it in, I've got a couple Olds rears to choose from.. Use the Willys grill shell hood, and cowl, maybe build a woody wagon body.. Or a depot hack body... And I think milk truck wheels or tall wires would be sweet too.. Top it off with a few odd accesories could be very cool... Gotta finish my other mix n' match project first..

 

------------------
Hmmm?? Good question. I don't know the
definitive "official" answer offhand, but since
I'm the Henway Motors Corporation official
archivist and corporate historian, (not to
mention, the assistant to the director of
corporate greed, graft and malfeasance)
l'll search the company records and try to
find out for you. I should have a definitive
answer for you no later than the second
Tuesday of next week.

Mart3406

=======================

 

QUOTE VintageRide: Folks like RichFox have shown the potential of the Packard V-8.

Jimi: Good observation, VintageRide! Lordy, if only that enigne could have been in light cars in '53 when Hudson was still tearing up the V-8s!!! Mart has already covered some of the "what if?" scenarios. Rich, on the other hand, has taken the old machinery and actually PUSHED to see what it could do. And Nads recently aired out his 352 again. Packard: Gone but NOT forgotten!

Given a fairer chance, I believe the Packard V-8 would be remembered nearly as well as the best early "Whale" Hemis.

 

I'd like to see some more technical information about the engine and build considerations folks may have. This is a good place to memorialize it.

Here is an article about a Clipper that was brought back from the brink. It was built for the strip. A bit different from the unforgiving lakes. It does provide a summary of modifications made to the car.

http://www.midatlanticpackards.org/packard_stories.htm

Go to the article called "56 Clipper Super Race Car".

Vintageride

 

Jack Vines who posts here sometimes, has spent years fooling with Packard engines and knows of many interchanges and modifactions that will and will not work on Packard V8s. If Jack would do a tech or just post here some of his experiance it would be very informative.

 

Vintage & Rich, you said a LOT in a few words there on these last two posts. It WOULD be cool to make this thread a good location for some serious info, NOT just on the tech aspects (though that would be invaluable!) BUT also in terms of testimonials from guys who've actually wrung out osme of the power & torque potential of these engines!

Would Jack be reading this? Or, would it help if somebody rings him up and tries to enlist him? I'd volunteer!

 

Okay, Packard guys, I know this gets on the edge of OT, BUT I don't know
a much better group to ASK!!! We're discussing this '58 Pack/Stude quasi-Hawk
on another thread of the HAMB. Of course, it has the McCullough & the Stude 289
-- NOT a Packard engine, except in name.

HERE's the rub: We're trying to actually nail down WHO would have made
this one-off. Now, one of the guys on that thread actually KNOWS the guy who
owns the car (on loan to the museum). So, I am wondering: If the owner could
get the info from the firewall and post plates, shouldn't there be some HAMB
expertise to INTERPRET (de-code) the data and SEE if the prototype was
built in-house?


If the data on the car itself reveals NOTHING, then I'm thinking it was an
OUTSIDE custom job (but right now, I want to believe it was an internal
effort!).


This beautiful and exciting Hawk convertible prototype was actually made but not mass produced. The one-of-a-kind 'vert (everybody's dream) resides in
the American Packard Museum, Dayton, Ohio. This photo was taken by J. Clear
and does have some copyright restrictions. (Basically the folks who own the
image mainly just want credit. Reasonable, right?)

 

You could PM him. I believe he is PackardV8 here on the HAMB

 

Thanks, Rich. I'm not a tech guy, but I should be able to figure THAT on out.

 

jimi'shemi291,
Can't help with info, but can tell you that car, or one just like it was in Claremore, OK in about 1965. My dad had a salvage from '60-90 and we bought and sold that car the same day. I remember it as being a more purple color, but that was a long time ago and my monitor may not show true color, who knows.

When it was in our hands, it had a 289 w/auto. The nose was all fiberglass and already age / stress cracking badly.

 

Ken, thank for the great first-hand info. Went back OUT the dsame day! And that was less than 10 years after the car came ! Sure speaks to how few were made in the first place, eh?

Thanks again!

 

Studebaker's first automatic transmission, built by Detroit Gear, had a lockup torque converter. Ted Harbit, who raced the "Chicken Hawk", ran one successfully behind a Stude 289 for many years. He switched over to a GM turbo 350 and promptly blew the trans up! He wound up running a turbo 400 because of parts situation with the old Detroit Gear trans.
Some good info here--
http://www.studebaker-info.org/text3/dg250.txt

 

FWIW, if anyone is still seriously interested in Packard V8s, I've now got a couple of rebuilt stock 352"s on the shelf and some forged pistons and rods with ARP bolts to build three or four serious performance engines.

We've also solved some of the oiling problems with an Oldsmobile V8 oil pump conversion.

jack vines