Fackard Transmission ,,or LaSalle alternative

maybe another time

 

very nice discovery and research ...

 

Nice trans, but be careful, its not as strong as everybody thinks, I have 2 with twisted output shafts, and iI have a chevy six in front of it.

 

The earlier ones had issues,,most often cracks in the case as it was to thin,,this ones a 48,,and the OD of the shaft is more than the LaSalle

 

Weird- just last night I was reading an article in a 1955 Hot Rod Magazine that explains how to modify the Packard transmissions for use behind Chevrolets and GMC's. When I get home I'll scan or post the info.

The article was about using the Packard transmission because it had favorable close ratios for drag racing as apposed to the ones available from GM at the time.

 

yeah well, the output shaft is plenty big, I dont think thats the problem, its what its made of, havent had any problems with the case, btw, the packard-chevy article from hotrod has been posted by squirrel on here before, there a nice trans, I just couldnt imagine them holding up to some real power, The cad-lasalle trans is much stronger..

 

I don't know---Frank McGurk had a Packard top shift box behind the hopped up 261 in his '54 Corvette. As with any transmission, all it takes to break one is a driver that's cross threaded between the ears. Is it really that simple to use the '36-'38 top shift cover on a '39-'54 sideshift transmission? I've been told that, while the bolt pattern lines up, the shift forks do not.

 

Yes ,,you need a wider fork

 

Now don't be shy Cheyenne, what we need is a "how-to", as there are guys out there (Read ME) who would like to see how you did this!!!

Buffalo Stribley told me there is a bit of work involved is doing the top-shift coversion.

When I was at 2009 World of speed I went for a ride in Larry De Moss's "special", 302 jimmy, Packard overdrive trans w top-shift, 4.44 early V860 rear end - 31-32" tires - I have to say the ratios were perfect!!!!

 

I dont know--- george montgomery ran cad boxes behind blown cadillacs, cross threaded between the ears, I like that, any real hot rodder, thats run early ford trans behind anything has taken at least one trans out in there lifetime, The packard is a little tougher than a ford but not much, Its the packard ratio that makes the trans desirable, overdrive is cool today, but its not what any hotrodder wanted in the old days. I'm sure frank mcgurk never broke a packard trans.....