Projects 1941 Packard 120 - Engine swap

If 6 volts is crucial to a component, a voltage regulator can drop the feed from 12 to six volts.

 

I also vote for an inline, either the original, rebuilt, or a Ford 300.

 

As has been suggested, a 6 cyl, AOD, would be a great installation and wouldn't destroy the basic
foundations of the car. If possible Save the original running gear for that future when/if sale...
Then with a possible running driving vehicle you could concentrate on the
dash and instruments, finish up your interior with the bucks saved on a more difficult engine conversion. It is a good looking Packard and will definitely turn heads out driving.
Good Luck and thanks for letting us in on your project !
Randy

 

On the OD:
I do not know how many amps is needed for the initial pull, then for the hold. However, what might work, is a voltage-drop for the gauge-pkg(all factory gauges, with *rare* exceptions, 'till ~ 80's or later, were 6v) from the at least the sixties into the late 80s. Ford had a nice little unit, cheap & very reliable. Think it was electronic, but the prior units were mechanical. 12 volts in, 6 volts out. No F'n around. If you've never got to use one of the old BW OD's, you will really like it. Or one of the old ceramic ballasts voltage drop things, they work too, just can get hot, so keep them in air flow. Again, 12 v in, 6 v out, no F'n around needed.

Building your own intake & headers isn't that hard, unless you can't weld, then you'll need a buddys' help. But the hard part, fitting, can still be done w/o a welder(or weldor). Use witness marks & duct-tape or better, aluminum ducting tape will hold pretty well, to get it in place.

Did they not offer a single 4bbl & also a 2-4bbl manifold? Buick did, can't remember about Packard.

& then you have the possibility of adding a centrifugal supercharger(McCulloch would be period-correct. (I don't have any - much less to sell, but I know of some guys that do), or another kind. Up thru '64 actually gives a wide range of choices, most aren't cheap. The engine will take it nicely(& btw, so will that trans, even though very tough, isn't for drag racing starts), the key here is stay at ~ the factory redline. Better valve springs if you want, could raise it a little, *maybe* a slightly warmed-over cam(but not too much), & check the squish(which is usually lacking on the early stuff) but these are torque-fiends, not rpm screamers. Not even wot downhill from the top of Pike Peak right over the side. Good engine for anything else.
Marcus...

Oh, I would look at any 6 as a temp engine 'till the S8 gets completed, even though that's kinda not how things pan out... .

 

Another opinion that
1. resale is going to be best with the OE. A SBC is going to be a far second with many other v8s, and only slightly ahead of a nicely done 6.
2. SBC aftermarket availability is great, but how many different parts do you need? Just the standard running stuff and maybe an air cleaner that looks nice, since the hood is shallow and should be closed most of the time.
3. Get plugged in to the Packard community. I'd guess that the knowledge will be valuable in dealing with the body, chassis and interior anyway. Put feelers out for a good running engine while figuring out who has the other stuff you need.

 

Thanks for the suggestions. Yea, I guess I could do a line drop for the OD wiring if needed.

I did find a 288 on Facebook for $500obo.. That would give me the option of using a GM trans... Anyways, a lot to mull over...I need to decide what to do soon though because I'd like to have this car on the road in the spring and time is ticking away.. For that to happen I would need to start ordering parts quick and get my butt to work.

 

FAST cheap, good. Pick 2.
Hope you have the money to do it right...

 

One of the icons of the salt (Arias?) ran a 327 Packard and held records with it thru the 90s at least. Some Packard inlines still hold records.
Hot rod stuff; Edmunds. Not a cheap date but the kool factor is just, well, kool. Headers n carbs? Nah. The return on seat-of-the-pants performance is nil. The engines have the valves coming in at an angle like the vaunted Hudson engines of Daytona winners fame. If you want to do anything hog out the exhaust manifold bigger than the block (just a little, maybe 1/16) and the block a little bigger than the intake manifold. Of course maintain gasket seal. They were designed for high velocity and excellent cylinder filling. From there you can jet and tune and have something very respectable, and this applies to the 288 as well. In the end this is a car about style and substance, and it's heavy. Its not a flyweight Ford begging for a fire breathing V8. I see it warmed up, dropped an inch or 2, skirts, sort of nod to the "bomb" style and having enuff zoot to be sure you're not the last one to show up at events. Getting over the 6V O/D thing isn't, or shouldn't be, a deal breaker. Volt reducers work well, you'd be ok. Why bring it up again? No fab means faster progress. Get some Packard books. The more you know the less you'll want to change. I'm 66. At 14 years old I drove a 1934 Packard 1101 Club Sedan all around our Allen Pk neighborhood. Had a good dad.

 

The small block chevy has not been factory in a vehicle in about 25 years, and parts are available but not as much as
they used to be. Look at all the postings that people find they have to order valve cover gaskets or points. It will
only get worst as time passes. It is no longer a valid reason to choose what to put in your car. If you like the sbc
and want to use one fine, I put one on my truck, but it should be for better reasons than parts availability.

 

Because I'm a glutton for punishment, I'd keep that engine. Nothing sounds like a straight eight! Then I'd make some sort of adapter to bolt a 700R4, 200-4R, or 4l60 to it. I haven't seen the end of the crank but it probably wouldn't be too difficult to adapt or fabricate a flexplate.
Here's a shot of a Packard with a T5, if you prefer to shift it yourself:
That steering system looks a lot like the 49-53 Chevy car. I'd probably try to build a cradle mounted power R&P to steer it, and would add disc brakes.
Depending on the port layout, I'd definitely use multiple carbs. Dual exhaust, for sure.
Anyway, my thought would be to add some invisible modern driveability to the car while keeping the original powertrain aesthetics with a couple of hot rod touches.

 

An old timer here, thought I ought to chime in with a bit of personal knowledge.
In the summer of 1963, I was acquainted with a family that owned a '41 Packard 120 coupe that was fitted with a Fire-Power Hemi and push button Torque-Flight.
Not saying that would be a great choice today, but just pointing out that it was performed by a couple farm boys in their hay barn in the early '60s with not half of the equipment that is readily available nowadays.
That Packard was for sale, and I wanted in the worst way but as a 14 year old, its price was way out of my reach.

 

"Why do you push for a Packard engine?" Well;

The more you know...

 

Packard's are elegant and special. Known for their high quality and their engines were no exception as Highlander points out. The engine looks pretty clean and since you have it, I'd try to keep it. Mate it up to a newer trans if you must. Your car looks fairly complete. Repro plastic dash pieces are expensive.
I have a 41 Coupe sitting and waiting. Bought it (cheap) as a roller years ago. It was used as a parts car for a Sedan resto (!!). No engine/trans, front clip, etc. Over the years I've managed to find most of the parts including a dual side mount front clip. Still need taillights, front bumper, etc. Considering a straight 8 for mine.

 

found some tranny swap stuff
https://transmissionadapters.com/collections/packard
https://packardinfo.com has some threads on trans swaps

 

I’d love to have a dual mount front clip for mine! But I will be content just to put the car back on the road.

 

That is one looong piece of machinery!

 

I agree with many of the others here that say that getting the original engine running reliably would be my first option. If the engine has good compression, everything is moving as it should, and there are no mechanical defects with the block or internal components themselves, and oil pressure/supply is sufficient, then your best bet is going to be to get that engine to run. The reality is that if you have reliable fuel delivery and reliable ignition, you're 95% of the way there. Nowadays that isn't even a difficult task. You can adapt a basic 2 bbl or 4 bbl carb to that factory intake, you can use the points distributor or convert to a pertronix, and you can use a basic fuel pump off of Amazon and you've achieved everything you need to get that engine to run and run well for probably less than $500. With that route, there is no reengineering of the entire drivetrain, which is a task that can nickel and dime you to death.

I agree that transmission options are a significant factor, but since an adapter is available to a GM transmission, that should take care of that.

 

If you were considering the later 288 Packard motor as an option don't forget the 327 motor
used in the 300, Mayfair and convertible. These came with either a 2 or 4 barrel intake manifolds.Some of the Packard websites have had discussions on installing these motors in the 35 - 41 junior series cars

 

Looks like a cool project. Lots of great ideas for engine and transmission. Car looks like a real solid start. I do like the idea of doing a more "newer" straight 6 either Ford or Chevy. Makes me think what I should do with my '28 model 526. Anyhow please keep us posted. ✌️