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The Packard V 8

Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2018 1:46 am
by spro
At some point we will know this engine. Not too many around anymore. I suppose there are many links and some better than others. I was "This close" to buying a Studebaker Packard Hawk. It was right there huffing and puffing. It was right there along the curb and dear old Dad took me aside.
"Don't" ! It was along the lines of "that is enough". With four sons and daughter coming to different car ages, he had his hands full without a Hawk at the curb.
It was cool and painted a burgundy sort color. I think the same guy was the one who used bottle oil in the master cylinder. That poor grand engine needed help.

Re: The Packard V 8

Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2018 1:59 am
by spro
From what I knew it was a very heavy engine. The Studebaker front end had to be reworked to hold it. The latest Packards were larger heavier.
There is something about that engine worth knowing.

Re: The Packard V 8

Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2018 12:05 am
by John Evans
Yep , heavy they were !! Back in the day common knowledge was those engines could be bored out a full .250 over. Still didn't help much with their weight though. Studebaker was another heavy engine for their displacement as the first was only 221 CID and the last still only 289. Studies could be breathed on a bit to make quite a bit more power than stock.

Re: The Packard V 8

Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2018 3:01 am
by spro
Thanks John for reminding me that I'm not alone in remembering these cars. I liked the style and not too much fin. It was based on the Raymond Lowery design of 1953 but the chassis had to be heavier for those engines. There were two styles of the Hawks, iirc. The more common one had central snout type grill similar to a Mercedes and the other resembled a grouper fish. That was slick, as it blended into the styling.
I thought they were cool but like many cars of those days, they didn't know about salted roads. That salted sand packed up into every crevice and rotted so many away. It was good steel. Well there was good other we canno...
Anyway, Packard Hawk commanders a decent price these days because more and more realize the history of Studebaker.

Re: The Packard V 8

Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2018 9:57 am
by curtis cutter
Hawks and Avanti's were using superchargers in the 1960's. These were performers in the late 50's and 60's. Any idea what cause the demise of Studebakers? I also vaguely recall something about Avanti's making a comeback maybe a decade ago. Any truth to that?

Re: The Packard V 8

Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2018 7:58 pm
by spro
There is so much history about the Studebaker Company that I can only err by recall. They actually made many the covered wagons back in the day of actual "horse" power. You can see restored examples in smaller museums around the Country. Some were named "Land Cruisers" and really large. On the plaque it may say Studebaker. I thought Studebaker bought Packard while the big 3 were devastating the smaller companies. Nash was absorbed too but the Avanti was something else. IIRC the entire plant went to Canada decades ago. A co-worker, .. owned 3 Avantis and on that level, were totally absorbed about cool cars and restoration. I think he had two originals and a Canadian one.
I Hawk I almost bought, had a Packard v-8 stuffed into it. John E knows more about that than me, obviously.

Re: The Packard V 8

Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2018 8:12 pm
by warmstrong1955
There was an Avanti II built for a while. Looked like the real deal. I saw a couple at an auto show a few years back, along with some genuine Studebaker Avanti's. One had a GM drivetrain, with a 327 cu/in, and the newer one was Ford.....not sure of the engine other than it was a V8.
I think they went defunct, again, a decade ago or more.

Friend of my Dad's had one he bought a year or two Studebaker closed shop. It was a bad fast car!

Re: The Packard V 8

Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2018 2:37 am
by spro
Cool engine but that is over for now. Well it isn't and we like engineering with style combinations. We are who we are. Pack a freakin punch.

Re: The Packard V 8

Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2018 2:11 pm
by Steggy
The Packard V8 was an inefficient boat anchor and a waste of time for hotrodding purposes.

Re: The Packard V 8

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 12:41 am
by neanderman
Can I just say, "small block Chevy?"

Re: The Packard V 8

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 1:53 am
by spro
Anyone can say "boat anchors" but there is a reason to say that. There is knowledge behind saying it. Must be old knowledge and peeling away layers of time. Time and further knowledge outclassed that engine but
It is our history. We should still know about these engines and those who have dealt with them.

Re: The Packard V 8

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 2:17 am
by spro
Okay Ed. How would it have worked back then? They had so much invested into their engine and total fit and tuning.. they didn't want to go down with succumbing to another power plant.
and still go down. At some point we will see some of these engines and the vehicles they powered. It isn't supposed to lost within our shores because they were pigs. They were "our" pigs and we can still see how they were made by the same equipment we like.