I Rebuilt This Ancient Packard Engine (2024)

I Rebuilt This Ancient Packard Engine (1)

The engine sat there on the stand, seemingly glowing in the low morning light that streamed into the shop: a flat-head, 327-cubic-inch Packard inline eight, circa 1950. In its heyday it was one of the finest engines Detroit ever built, producing 150 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque. It idled so smoothly you could balance a nickel on its edge atop the block's head. It was big and beautiful in a way that never made sense for a passenger car. It was unabashedly American.

Mine had logged more than 100,000 miles and was due for a major overhaul. But engines are complicated things and require expertise to assemble properly. Luckily, I'm an auto journalist, and I know lots of people who've built engines. And with the Detroit Auto Show coming up, I figured a lot of these guys would be in town. So I sent out a few invitations and called in some favors. Word spread, and soon I had an engine-building party on my hands.

Assembling a short block is the closest thing to a sacrament we car guys have. It's the heart of the engine—the block, crankshaft, bearings, and pistons. That's a 10-minute job in the factory, but we'd need to take our time. And crude old behemoths require a delicate touch.

I'd pulled the engine from a rough 1950 Packard Super Eight I bought for $1200 from a dying man who wanted to find it a home. The sedan had rusted-through panels, a thread-bare interior, and a rotted gas tank. I'd walked away from it the first time, but the owner called me back and told me he'd scrap it if I didn't take it. Despite its looks, it drove well and kept pace with traffic on the way home.

The day before the auto show was sunny and warm for January. As people arrived for the build, I cleaned the shop spotless. That's important when assembling an engine—a metal shaving in the wrong place can ruin a bearing. On hand were Jim McCraw, who ran Hot Rod magazine in the 1970s; Car and Driver's Aaron Robinson, who once rebuilt a Lamborghini Espada V-12; Automotive News' Richard Truett, who has more British engine builds under his belt than is sane; and a few other industry stalwarts. The experience level of this motley crew varied, but everyone shared a desire to help resurrect my rare masterpiece. Plus, it would be a chance for us to share years of accumulated wisdom.

We gathered around the engine block with bagels and coffee, marveling at the 300-pound slab of hardware while also figuring out where to begin. McCraw, who has seen his share of builds, set about sorting the parts with such neatness that the shop resembled an operating room. Truett arranged the tools. I prepped the block with brake cleaner and compressed air.

We started on the crankshaft bearings and progressed to the rear main bearing, which serves two functions: controlling forces from the crankshaft and the transmission, and keeping the oil in the crankcase. It's fitted with a graphite-impregnated rope that seals the crankshaft—old but reliable technology. The factory service manual specifies pressing the rope into place with a round wooden block. We didn't have one, so I plucked a Coke bottle that looked to be the right size from the trash. The idea of using garbage to finesse the seal drew incredulous snickers, but it worked. It then took four of us to hoist the 3½-foot-long crankshaft into position.

It didn't fit. Since there's no elegant way to jam an ill-fitting part into place without breaking something, we carefully removed it for examination. A micrometer revealed that the faces of the thrust bearing were oversize. Robinson identified the issue as intentional: The part needed to be narrowed by hand to fit the crank, an idiosyncrasy he learned rebuilding his Lamborghini. Truett cautiously tapped out the bearing, but it would need to be shaved down with a fine emery cloth. Since nobody wanted to screw up something so delicate, the task was left to me. I applied light, even pressure until I'd removed 0.02 inches—about the thickness of 10 sheets of paper from this magazine—from each side of the bearing. This time the crankshaft dropped in as if it belonged.

Mounting the bearing caps was straightforward until we got to the rear main cap. I noticed two keystone-shaped slots that looked awkwardly empty. We searched the gasket kit and found two pieces of balsa that we'd mistaken for packaging scrap. The group stared in disbelief as I tapped them into place.

I Rebuilt This Ancient Packard Engine (3)

After oiling and stuffing the pistons into the bores, there was only one thing left to do. We couldn't end the party without testing the crankshaft with a pry bar. If it didn't turn, that meant something was binding. Everything would need to be stripped down and parts sent to a machinist, shattering the collective dreams of a shop full of gearheads. I gently pulled the bar and nothing moved. However, it just needed more muscle, and soon it was turning with a satisfying lope. Sure, the build had taken 4 hours, but it concluded with a smoothly rotating short-block assembly. We all watched as those polished valves and eight massive pistons did their syncopated dance.

The next day, at the auto show, the party was the only thing anybody wanted to talk about. Assembling a hunk of obsolete pig iron had become a bigger conversation topic than the new Corvette Z06. We auto journalists sometimes forget the long story. The news may focus on the most high-tech features of the most expensive cars, but revisiting the industry's glorious past is nourishment for the soul.

The next day, at the auto show, the party was the only thing anyone wanted to talk about.

I Rebuilt This Ancient Packard Engine (2024)

FAQs

What was the last true Packard? ›

The last fully Packard-designed vehicle, a Patrician four-door sedan, rolled off the Conner Avenue assembly line on June 25, 1956.

What is the spec of the Packard 327 engine? ›

This 327 cu in (5.4 L) I8 engine, equipped with a four-barrel Carter carburetor, was rated at 185 hp (138 kW; 188 PS). For the 1955 model year, the Cavalier name was retired and the line was absorbed into the Packard Clipper Custom series.

Was a Packard a nice car? ›

Packards had large, square bodies that suggested an elegant solidity, and the company was renowned for its hand-finished attention to detail. In the 1930s, however, the superior resources of General Motors and the success of its V-16 engine pushed Cadillac past Packard as the premier luxury car in America.

Who bought Packard Motors? ›

Studebaker-Worthington was a diversified American manufacturer operating the various business units of Studebaker, Wagner Electric and Worthington Corporation. The company was in turn acquired by McGraw-Edison in 1979. In 2008, the Studebaker and Packard trademarks were acquired by Silver Knight Group, Inc.

Who owns the abandoned Packard Plant? ›

Peruvian developer Fernando Palazuelo bought the majority of the plant plant in 2013 in a county tax auction with intention to redevelop the plant as a mixed-use site of offices, events space, and art-themed attractions.

What is the most expensive Packard ever sold? ›

But a stunning 1934 Packard Twelve Individual Custom Stationary Coupe by Dietrich brought $4,180,000. According to RM Sotheby's, that's a new world record for a Packard sold at auction, not to mention the second-highest sale from the Andrews Collection.

How much HP can a 327 handle? ›

Capable of supporting over 600 hp in normally aspirated trim, our relatively mild 327 was not taking full advantage of what they had to offer.

Does a 327 have more horsepower than a 350? ›

The bottom line here is simple; no matter what you do to a 327, if you do the same thing to a 350, it WILL make more horsepower and torque than a 327 will, period.

What is a 327 engine worth? ›

If its a 327 from a Bel Air, it's worth less than a 327 from a Camaro, even though they were the same casting number and mostly the same engine. I think if you sell it to the general public you can get $500 for it. If you are able to find someone restoring whatever car it came out of, you could probably get $800-1000.

How much did a Packard car cost? ›

From 1915 to 1920, the Twin Six was the sole offering from Packard. Production was 30,941 automobiles. Prices started at US$3,050 ($85,400 in 2023 dollars) to US$5,150 ($144,200 in 2023 dollars) for the Imperial Limousine.

Why did Studebaker go broke? ›

The 1930s and the Great Depression proved to be a difficult time for Studebaker, and the company had to declare bankruptcy in March 1933. Fortunately, the company was able to reorganize and continue to manufacture great looking automobiles.

Did Studebaker use Packard engines? ›

The initial 1956 Golden Hawk was the only Hawk powered by a Packard 352-V8. In 1957, the Packard V8 was dropped and the Studebaker design 289-inch V8 became standard in the Golden Hawk class.

What was the last Packard built? ›

Some automotive historians have said that the Packard nameplate should have ceased with the 1956 Packard models, which were the last actually made in Detroit, and sales had been much better in 1955 and 1956. For many years, Packard had been experiencing difficult times and funding for new products was scarce.

Why did Packard Motor Company fail? ›

Packard did not have the resources to design new cars, so they fell behind their competitors.

What does the word Packard mean? ›

English: from Middle English pak(e) 'pack, bundle' + the Anglo-Norman French pejorative suffix -ard, probably a derogatory occupational name for a peddler.

Is the Packard Plant still standing? ›

The Packard Plant currently sits empty and partially demolished, with many parcels still remaining.

What was the last year of the Studebaker? ›

Rejecting Grundy's request for funds to tool up for 1967 models, Studebaker left the automobile business on March 17, 1966, after an announcement on March 4. A turquoise and white Cruiser sedan was the last of fewer than 9,000 1966 models manufactured (of which 2,045 were built in the 1966 calendar year).

What is the oldest Packard? ›

Model A(1899): The Model A was the first automobile produced by the Packard Motor Company. Only five were made. The last one produced was also the first Packard sold, to a Warren, Ohio, business man named George Kirkham. Model B(1900–1901): The Model B was the second model produced by Packard.

What happened to the Packard? ›

After surviving two world wars and the swings of the auto market, the last true Packard rolled off the assembly line on June 25, 1956. The company closed in 1958 after a failed strategic takeover of Studebaker Corporation.

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