Had one behind a 401 nailhead in a 53 Studebaker. Tough as hell but dont even think about speed shifting it. Never tore it up on the street or at the drags and 13.62 in 1962 was plenty fast at the drags. 401 Nailhead Buick, 3-2s, Crane cam, 4.11 gears and home made headers on Ives recapped cheater slicks. That was fast then for a new 409 Impala
I have a 1940 Packard side shift 3 speed that I can deliver to Billetproof for $50. I might be able to arrange a relay to Chi-town, too. Dan
I'd say your best bet would be to talk to Steve "Buffalo" Stribling - Buffalo Enterprises (360) 652-7684 as he has done plenty of the top shift conversions. Best to check the model number of the trans cast on the side of it, as that will tell you if you have the good 'box, or not. They changed (upgraded) the internals over time, and I think its the R-11 or R-12 which is the better box - syncros etc. Tell Buffalo - Mark from Australia - sent you.
Early Packard transmissions are all by themselves, Packard made their own trans up to '55, when they went to the T-85. The shortest versions would be the '48-'50 bathtub Packards, with the earlier and later trans coming in a close second. The '48 and up used the same spline tailshaft as a Chevy Powerglide, I think it's 16. The T-85 also had the same spline, I have both and know they'll interchange. If anyone's interested, I have an NOS T-85 O/D for a Packard on e-bay right now. It'll also bolt up to the early Ford pattern. The Packards before '55 used a totally different trans bolt pattern, and will not interchange whatsoever. I have seen some "Senior" Packards from about '46-'50 that used a 5 bolt pattern trans, but will bolt up to the earlier ones, you just don't use the bottom bolt on the Junior bellhousing. The R-11 O/D unit is the one to have, as it's a 4 pinion ge****t for the O/D, unlike the R-9 that's 3, and can't handle the torque of bigger engines. If you're looking for a trans that'll handle higher torque outputs, get a Packard trans with the R-11. I've never seen one with an "R-12", I thought that was Freon....
I've got a sideshifter with an adaptor to a nailhead... and I HAD a topshifter with and adaptor to a chevy... I bought it at the pileup, and it got stolen at the pileup this year.... I think they're cool as hell.
Don't work like that. But, I do happen to have a Packard top if someone wants to offer me too much for it...
When I recently spoke to Buffalo he was looking at putting an Early Ford ('39) top-shift onto a Packard Overdrive Gearbox. I don't know how he got on, but it was on his "backlog" of jobs that he's been commissioned to do. It may be worth a try.
Hey Kev,remember the hemi powered model A that Keith Vesey used to run at meremere Dirt track ? that had an early Packard behind a long block 331. the shift may have been slow but the car wasn't,especially when it blasted past me( in Al Mardels morry ). I tried to find a packard ****** down here for my hemi but the resto guys in Australia won't let them go to anyone who doesn't have a packard. I was even asked by one clown what the ch***is number of"my Packard" was...
The Packard 3 speed transmission,was a advanced and strong 3 speed . Good early hotrod transmission back in early days. I got A 1936 Packard 3 speed from a 120 series straight 8. Fitting from a Ford y block v8 in A 1936 International pickup truck
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