Alright spill the goods. What is with the Packard 440 wire everybody seems to be lusting after? I can get solid core plug wires so what is the difference?
I don't think it's a performance thing, it's a period look detail item. It's only really desirable if it has the old style printing on it. Same as using old style band clamp hose clamps instead of modern looking worm drive ones. I have an NOS box of Packard plug wire ends I'd be happy to share if someone is looking.
Ya I have box of Packard electrical connections with the end terminals. I just wondered if they were special somehow.
It is just one of those things that was -the- thing back in the day. Heck, it was the only wire Dad would ever use on his American cars from the '60s on. Whether it truly was different and/or better than other solid-core wire of the era is irrelevant. Like real Torq-Thusts, Mallory dual points, or Helling & Stelling air cleaners, Packard 440 is just another thing that checks the block on a '50s or '60s period build.
In case you want the wires: https://www.brillman.com/store/conf...ac-delco-spark-plug-wire-sold-by-the-foot-302
That is the weird part. All the old cars that I have yanked parts off that were parked in fields and old mines never had wires that looked like that. Only the over restored vintage car club guys ever had those type of wires.
You can say that, but the well used, nearly depleted roll of 440 wire that I dug out of Dad's garage is a testament to its popularity. He had Packard wires (probably off that roll) on everything from his first car, a '57 Bel Air that he street raced in the early '60s, to the '60 Chevy Station wagon that carted me and the rest of the family around in the '90s. I'll probably use the last of that roll on Dad's Studebaker pickup that I'm bringing back to life too. Also, don't be confused by the brand. Packard wire was made and distributed by AC Delco (General Motors) and not by the Packard the luxury car maker. It was Delco's top-of-the-line solid core wire from the '40s through the '60s IIRC. The kind of cars that got left in fields and mines probably weren't the kind of cars that were getting the expensive plug wires anyway...
In the time period that it was used it was "high performance" wire. I usually keep a roll or partial roll around for when someone comes up short on a resto, I find it at swap meets every once in a while. I probably got 20 feet now that I paid all of 3 dollars for. The old stuff was stranded copper with a stainless (nickel?) coating on each strand, the idea was that it did not corrode inside the insulation which was a common nemesis for ignition wires 50+ years ago. if you look you can find it new with the old style markings on it but there is nothing like the real deal.
As noted, 440 was an aftermarket wire not used as far as I know in production, and it was top-end, not what would normally be installed by Joe's garage in a tune up. It usetawas the ONLY respectable wire for a hotrod. Generally paired with Rajah terminals, the type with bakelite top...
Simply put...440 wire is like a pr of Levis....Lots of jeans on the market nowadays.But nothing like Levis...same with good ole Packard 440
you wouldn't find it on most '50s-'60s era stockers, or even most "high-school hot rods", it was used more by the hard-core performance crowd. And with Rajah clips, like Bruce said.
The other good thing about it, it took solder very well for putting the cap ends on for a bullet proof wire loom DND
^^Yes, tinned copper core. Dumprat, FWIW, I am using the red fancy pants stuff on my '39, because it doesnt have a hard-core performance edge, and it seems more appropriate for that than Packard 440. Horses for courses.
Funny you could buy the wire and the Raja ends from Whittney up into the '70s. I have a points distributer that I keep for backup that I may make up a set of Packard wires for actually. I like the wire because it is noisy as hell. really screws with peoples unshielded electronics.
Hah! Solid core wire and non-resistor plugs make for lots of good "what the ****?" looks from the modern m***es.
And people's TV sets at least those who had rabbit ears when I was a kid. @bobss396 if you are running electronic ignition you are probably running spiral wound wire, the old Packard wire was what they called solid core, basically just wire. I have seen it with one solid strand, but most was stranded wire and pretty fine strands. They actually still make Packard 440 wire but the script is not the same as the old wire. I am pretty sure that unless they have gone off shore that the quality is still there. I know that I made up a set for a car in the '90s for a guy and it was pretty good wire.
Looks like it is made by Delphi not delco. And comes in all sorts of colours and patterns. Yellow and green. Up to 8mm. So the new stuff is not like the old stuff.
That is not entirely correct. The Packard Electric Company was founded in Warren, OH by James Ward Packard in 1890. He became quite successful, making light bulbs, and decided to buy a Winton car, which broke down on the way home. He complained to Alexander Winton. Winton said, "If you're so smart, Mr. Packard, why don't YOU build a car?" He did The Delco thing came much later
I worked after school and Saturdays at a local grocery store. Neon lights on store front was all wired with packard 440. All weather, high voltage, the best you could get. Harley
If you want true early hotrod wire this is the only print that would be era correct. Not what you can buy new today. I just went to ol school on this wire and was a student to the guys who really know the right stuff for early hotrods. Good luck it's still out there just look around and yes you should find rajah ends.
Rajah is kind of a misnomer. They made a couple of dozen different types. From hooks to nut and washer to clip on. The little Packard box has a bunch of different styles, I will probably just run the br*** clip on or nut style.
Packard was a top quality brand of wire. Hot rodders and racers used to use Packard solid core wire because it was thought to give a performance and reliability advantage over resistance wire. Solid core wire is necessary when you use a magneto, not so much with points and coil ignition. I bet a lot of guys used it because the racers used it, without knowing why. If you want to run solid core wires, use a resistance wire for the coil to distributor wire. It will prevent electronic interference. Or add a capacitor. There is really no reason to use it on the street unless for the nostalgia kick.
[QUOTE="porkn******, post: 11572985, member: 1613" I like the wire because it is noisy as hell. really screws with peoples unshielded electronics.[/QUOTE] Yuppers, they work great for ******* off the audiophile in the next lane when he can hear your engine fire on his high end sound system. I ran them on a lot of rigs up though the 70's but changed away from them when I got a decent sound system and wanted to hear the music rather than the spark plug wires.
Yuppers, they work great for ******* off the audiophile in the next lane when he can hear your engine fire on his high end sound system. I ran them on a lot of rigs up though the 70's but changed away from them when I got a decent sound system and wanted to hear the music rather than the spark plug wires.[/QUOTE] LOL I have probably only had one vehicle since high school with a decent sound system. That's not because I am a hot rodder but because gasoline and cheeseburgers are more important to me.
Yep,used a lot of the Packard 440 wire.PNB.Are you sure that the coating on them was`nt silver?The B29`s entire wiring harness was extruded silver because of problems with the copper harness at operating al***ude. Good luck.Have fun.Be safe. Leo
Someone said earlier that they were tinned that would have made them silver or a silver amalgam as opposed to stainless or nickel as I suggested. Sorry for the confusion. The harness on the B29 may very well have been shielded like on the corvette. I don't know just a suggestion.
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