Heart - Never

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Yeah buddy congratulations you got it be sure to tune in tomorrow for another super interesting overlooked car 1929 willys-knight big 6 =)

At 18 years of age in 1966 1967 I owned a beautiful low mileage 1955 Packard 400 two door hardtop in Bright Ultramarine Blue and Moonstone White, It was gorgeous and I never drove anywhere un-noticed. The car was very rare even then. But it was my daily transportation to my university classes, on dates, to the job I worked in college. It was a wonderful car. The handling and stopping and lack of body roll were incredible for a car of its size. I owned that car for 12 years and it never failed me. It was my car. It was my transportation. When I sold it a collector purchased it and his family has it to this day and the car is still beautiful and glorious.

Back in the day, in the early 60's, I owned a 1956 Ford Fairlane with the Thunderbird 292 V8. My first introduction to the Packard V8 was in a short drag race when I was left in the dust. Probably the largest production V8 on the market at the time. Needless to say I had a new respect for Packard.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Probably sounded really good as it walked away from you.. they are drastically underrated engine all things considered.. but they were heavy. Reading reviews from back in the day about the hawk that’s what a lot of automotive journalist said that it was really nose heavy

@albertcarello619

9 ай бұрын

@donstanley8021: No doubt the Packard V8s especially the 374 cubic inch V8 would even leave Cadillacs in the dust from a traffic light standstill. The Packard's Twin Ultramatic Transmission most likely have a short final drive ratio( higher numerically) to give them that performance edge to their 2 speed heavy duty automatic transmission.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

That is a car I really want to drive one day I don’t really care about the model I think it would be really cool to drive a Caribbean but those are so expensive it’s so rare at this point and I just found out today that all of the Packers offered torsion bar suspension so that’s really cool you can get a basement Packard with torsion bar suspension..

@rickstenquist8831

9 ай бұрын

Golden Hawk and Caribbean would be my choices.

@theodell6697

Ай бұрын

Haha I believe this. These 352 v8 where the fastest on the road until 64

One of my favorite utubers Jonathan W just rebuilt one of these 352 in a Golden Hawk, up on jackstands without pulling the motor. Made it look easy. "No issues" he says.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

That’s awesome I’ll have to check that out thank you for sharing that =)

A deceased friend of mine had one of those 374 Packard V8s and it was dynamite. What an engine. Sounded real good with dual glass packs at 80 mph. That Super Hardtop 2 door was a nice ride. 56 Golden Hawk choice/56 Packard Executive 2 door choice.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Awesome thank you so much for sharing those memories =)

I had been under the impression for some reason that the new Packard V-8 had been designed by their renowned engineer Colonel Jessie Vincent who designed among other things the company’s famous Twin 6 engine, but I discovered that he actually retired around the time that the idea for a new V-8 first began to materialize. It was actually someone called W.E. Schwieder who was its principle designer and the main blueprint for the engine had been developed by 1949 although it didn’t get off the ground in earnest until late 1952 when Jim Nance became Packard’s new president. It was supposed to be ready by the time that the new 1954 models were introduced but ended up taking at least six months longer than had been anticipated and with its cost being twice what had originally been planned. The Packard V-8’s were very powerful engines and could have been made even more powerful horsepower wise had they been in service for more than just a couple of years. When Studebaker used that engine on their new Power Hawk they named it the Thunderbolt V-8, but when it was utilized in Packard automobiles I do not believe that it was ever given an actual name, like other marquees of the time. Packard had since the year 1950 renamed their reliable straight 8 engine the Thunderbolt 8 but they never considered using that name again for their new V-8, but should have because it was a great and appropriate name for that high powered OHV Packard made engine.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for taking the time to share all of that I really appreciate it some of the information it’s really hard to find on this engine like trying to find out why they stop making it or who designed it the Internet would have you believe that committee designed it just like a lot of other engines..

Thanks Jay for featuring another great engine history episode from the Master Motor Builder, Packard.. First pick, the "56 Golden Hawk, the second, the "56 Packard Executive. I still mourn the loss of Packard too due to egos and bad management. just think if the 4 way merger would have been successful AMC would have been a powerhouse company that would have made it to the 90's with all of the innovations of Packard Studebaker Nash, Hudson and then add Jeep, they might would have ending up buying Chrysler, instead of Chrysler buying AMC and closing them down.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Totally agree Great picks glad you dig this episode =)

@keithstudly6071

9 ай бұрын

Of the four, only Nash had reasonable body production facilities. Hudson was not terrible but Packard had always contracted with Briggs for bodywork and Briggs was bought by Chrysler to build Imperial and not available to Packard any more and Studebaker had capacity problems that were limiting their production and really needed a new production facility which they could not afford. Packard had just poured money into the new V8 facility AND the Ultramatic transmission. One thing not mentioned in the vid was that the deal with Nash for the V8 was linked to the Ultramatic. Nash already had a deal for automatic transmissions, as did Studebaker and the Ultramatic was not something they really wanted to buy. Hudson needed new engines but they were tied to Nash. When Geo. Romney took over Nash that was the end of Packard's chances to sell the numbers of engines and automatic transmissions they needed to keep their plants running. Honestly the engine AMC did produce was a good one which fitted with their product line better than that big Packard ever would have. Imagine Chevy, Ford or Plymouth using big block engines as their only V8 offering.

WYR: 1956 Golden Hawk (beautiful car) and either Packard Caribbean (also beautiful). Had Packard merged with AMC they would have had a full product line to rival Ford and Chrysler. Sad to see the mark go…..Thank you as always for all the great content and hard work! ~ Chuck

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Glad you dig this episode =) yeah it was super sad to see them fade away great choices that 56 Caribbean that was a car that I would really want to have one day it doesn’t have to be convertible I’ll take a hard top could you imagine driving down on the road now it would look like a spaceship against all of the appliances haha

@albertcarello619

9 ай бұрын

@charlesdalton985: I think Packard probably would have lasted longer if they merged with AMC and there would be a really wide range of car sizes and engine choices!

Remember that during the war, Packard was the only US company to make engines for Rolls Royce. That company knew Packard could build their aero engines for US aircraft and do it right. packard did some changes to the engine to make it easier to produce and improve reliability to great success. The Packard V8's can even today be built to make a great deal of horsepower.

@keithstudly6071

9 ай бұрын

Interesting history about Packard Merlin. Ford built them in England and signed a contract to build them in USA but they really wanted to build their own engine and produced test examples of a bolt in Ford engine that they wanted to produce as a replacement for Merlin. Ford tried calling the Pentagon's bluff on this and lost as the contract was canceled and a new contract was awarded to Packard. Ford's design was never produced as an aero engine but was made as a tank engine without the aero engine's supercharger. The GAA V8 engine used in the M4A3 Sherman was on this design with 4 cylinders removed and the V12 used in some prototype heavy tanks was even closer. Ford did end up producing Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engines.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much both of you for sharing all of that anytime I hear Merlin I get shells because that is the engine does responsible for winning the war and its absolute shame I think packard died in World War II because once they came back they had a hard time figuring out where to pick up. To me 5556 is Packard swansong those cars are absolutely gorgeous and they live up to what Packard was not saying the other cars didn’t but they were boring and looked kind of bloated..

I always love to look at all the different v8s that were made in the auto industry! Awesome video as always!

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Thank you glad you dig this video trying to figure out what engine episode is next really want to do an independent I was thinking maybe Hudson twin H not sure tho

The 56 studebaker hawk

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Sweet =)

Amazing how when Dick Teague left Packard and went to Pontiac within a couple of years Pontiac v-8s went from being boat anchors to the rompin-stompin mills that are now legendary.........just a thought.

1955 Hudson 1956 Executive My understanding is that Studebaker wast not forthcoming in their financials when the merger occurred.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Great choices yes Studebaker sort of catfish Packard and then for reasons I can’t explain Packard just went to the Wayside and Studebaker took its place I like both companies don’t get me wrong.

@davidpowell3347

9 ай бұрын

I believe a crime may have been committed and I think some dirty politics may have come into play as to what happened to Packard when it ran out of money.

I believe during the brief takeover of Studebaker-Packard by Curtis-Wright, the latter purchased the Packard production facilities including the Utica engine plant causing all Packard construction to be shifted to South Bend in late 1956.

It was unfortunate that both Packard and Hudson saw their plants closed after the mergers. Both makes were just badge engineered examples of the smaller Studebaker and Nash. The story of the merger between Packard and Studebaker is very convoluted. Both company's had cooked the books to make it look like they were in better shape. When in truth they were both awash in red ink. There was talk early on about Studebaker-Packard and Nash-Hudson merging but when George Mason died, Romney seen what bad shape Studebaker-Packard was really in and nixed the deal. The Packard V8 was designed for the bigger true Packard cars, after the merger it was too heavy for the smaller body Studebaker cars.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for sharing that insight =) yeah it was sad all around might do a video on the companies lost in different decades.

@danielulz1640

9 ай бұрын

Not necessarily. It had been used in the 56 Studebaker Golden Hawk.

@michaelwalston2438

9 ай бұрын

What really sucks is Hudson offered to merge with Packard in 1951, but the Packard board chose Studebaker. So stupid. I would love it if they had done so and then snapped up Willys/Jeep, leaving Nash, Studebaker, and Kaiser to fend for themselves.

@keeganandersson4281

9 ай бұрын

Packard was actually in good financial shape until the merger with Studebaker. They really should have merged with Nash and Hudson much sooner and they would have survived much longer

@seanhoward8025

9 ай бұрын

@@michaelwalston2438A Packson? 😂 I agree with the comment that said the engine was not too heavy for the full frame, junior and senior Packards. Packard was in such straights by 1955, they had moved out of the Grand Avenue assembly plant (3.5 million sq ft) and into the much smaller Connor Avenue facility (750,000 sq ft), previously occupied by Briggs Manufacturing as a body plant. Although some have commented that the 352 V-8 was not that much heavier than the supercharged Studebaker V-8 used in the 1957 Golden Hawk, I’ve read magazine reviews from back in the day contrary to this regarding handling characteristics of the 1956 Golden Hawk. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t in the acceleration area; the Packard engine was a torque BEAST, it was the manner as to how the heavy engine was mounted and the weight distributed in the much smaller and sportier Hawk. Especially when compared to the 1955 President Speedster and the 1957 Golden Hawk.

1956 Packard Executive

The folklore story is that GM considered buying up the tooling for the Mk IV Chevrolet. Yet the internet children are unable to cite source to a real world link, just as they will tell you that Kurt Cobain was a cast member in “Glee”.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

I’m not an Internet child by any stretch of the imagination I was born too late Kurt Cobain was lead singer of Nirvana not glee, and I honestly don’t believe that he committed suicide same thing with, Soundgarden front man,Chris Cornell And maybe even Chester Bennington from Linkin Park.. but his easier to believe because he had all kinds of issues if you just listen to his music you can tell he’s been dealing with stuff since day one don’t lump me in with those people I’m more like you than you think. I use the Internet as a source I don’t think it’s God of knowledge because it’s not there’s tons of stuff that they get wrong you should play what I play ask Google, fact check it because if you ask Google what was the first car to use disc breaks in America it will tell you it’s 1965 Corvette but that’s not true the first car to use disc brakes in America was the 1949 Crosley hot shot.. we might do an episode like that it might be on a live thing because I technically work for Google and that could be a conflict of interest. But there is tons that they get wrong

Steve Magnante is going to love this awesome video! Thank you for creating it!!!

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much glad you dig this video I would love to collaborate with him one day, or anyone in the car sector =)

the engine had a 5 inch bore spacing, that give the engine posable large displace=mint, it couldn't be bored to 5 inches, or the bores would intersect each other.

‘56 GH with the Packard 352, and a ‘56 Cah-rib-bein’ for me. While Packard bought Studebaker and infused the latter with needed capital, they didn’t examine the books closely enough. Studebaker presented a rosy picture of sales, but lost money producing cars. When the pile of cash was depleted, Packards became Packardbakers and things went from bad to worse. Because Studebaker had more dealers, and there was no money to manufacture a true Packard, the line was discontinued by Studebaker management. Romney was right in not wanting anything to do with these two struggling car companies.

For 1956 only the Packard 352 V8 was put in the Studebaker Golden Hawk. It was called the Sky Power Engine. Not many were built. I seem to remember that the 374 maybe the dual 4bbl version) was the most powerful V8 in 56. Of any American Mfg. Also remember...even Chevy didn't come out with OHV V8 until '55. Man, I'd like to Hot Rod a 374.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Technically they had an overhead valve V8 1916-1918 sources conflicts but Chevy was an independent company the engine wasn’t produced for very long it didn’t make that much horsepower and it was riddled with problems. But they did not have a V8 until 1955 that was a continual production It’s an absolute shame that the 374 was only produce for one year and super rare because they only made it was like 500 maybe 600 Packard Caribbean’s with a powerful 310 hp version but realistically that’s just with an added carburetor so if you had a 374 and could find a intake manifold that would accept to carburetors.. you could get that power figure If you’re interested in seeing the episode of the Chevy V8 original here is the link kzread.info/dash/bejne/iGx9yamkpJy-Xc4.htmlfeature=shared

@davidpowell3347

9 ай бұрын

Remember,the Chrysler 331(?) V8 introduced for 1951 "Firepower" had in 1955 or so been brought to 300 horsepower for the new Chrysler 300,also a sportsman/automobile enthusiast/race car builder had adapted a "built" version of that engine for his "Cunningham" sports cars this engine was physically smaller than the Packard engines I think but bigger than the Dodge "Red Ram" hemi

@mylanmiller9656

8 ай бұрын

@@davidpowell3347 in 1956 the 300 Series Chrystler had a 354 Hemi with 355 hp. Chevy likes to say they were the first to have 1 hp per cubic inch, the Chrystler was first By one year.

Great video!

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Glad you dig this one =)

There's a local (to me) who has a N.O.S. 352 in a crate. He will NOT part with it. People have tried to by it, but no luck.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

That’s crazy.. I wonder if it still runs or if he’s ever filled it with oil and started it

56' Caribbean all day - Heart - we cant go on

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Great choice the band is heart the song title is never

Hudson first 😉 Packard Carabian TRI color 😱 very unique color combinations 🤷😜... I think Packard in the mid fifties were over engineered suspension and lacking in performance??? Technology for a very small market 🤔?? WW 2 and Korea changed the Buyer?? Conservative Thinking was the Past !!!!!! Adventure's and looking forward to the Future after 10 years of conflicts 🤔 was the New Market..... Another great episode 😉👏👏✌️

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Glad you dig this episode I want to drive a packard Caribbean one day those cars are awesome I wish I was around when they wasn’t worth a fortune.. the 56 looks so aggressive and mean a bankers hot rod. Torsion bar suspension would be really cool to test

After building Merlins for WWII, Packard should have had a leg up on their V8 engine before all of the other automakers post war.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Totally agree What would’ve been cool is if they would’ve made a smaller version of the Merlin V 12 because that engine is the engine that one World War II anytime I hear Merlin I get chills

56 Golden Hawk 55 Caribbean It's no surprise that Packard made great engines. Just look at how many they cranked out during WW II. They made over 50,000 Merlin license supercharged engines and also PT boat engines.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Awesome choices it would’ve been totally awesome if they made a miniature Merlin for the consumer market.. that could have really putting them in a totally different spot especially if they merged with Pierce arrow and peerless

Had a '55 400 w/352 and a '56 Caribbean w/374 dual 4bbl carbs in late 60s/early 70s. Stupidly sold both. Still curse myself. They were likely the best cars I will ever have owned.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Oh wow.. what was the Caribbean like that is a car that I really want to drive one day for the torsion bar suspension but I found out that I guess Packard offered torsion bar across the board which I did not know until just recently.. I think everybody that is in the automotive sector has watched Jay Leno‘s garage I’m a huge fan I’ve always been a fan of his since 2005 when I was watching big dog garage on his actual Internet page. He still has cars from 10 years ago that he said that he’s going to cover real soon and he hasn’t gotten back to get it things come up. I’m still waiting for him to do the 48 Packard that he has as well as the international truck he has a KB5 tucked in the corner. Anyway I absolutely loved his Packard Caribbean episodes both of them where he sat on the rear quarter and the car automatically came back up that’s insane especially when you think that was in 1955 in 1956 cars don’t do that now

1955 Hudson Hornet and 1956 Packard Carribean for me.

@What.its.like.

4 ай бұрын

Sweet choices =)

Packard took too long to develop a high compression, overhead valve V8. When they finally came out with one, it was too late.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Yeah but it has potential 56 packards look mean an aggressive and I totally dig

I never had any experience with Packard V8s but it seems like a cool and powerful power plant. I would choose the 1956 Studebaker Golden Hawk (I love these!) and the 1956 Packard Executive.

@What.its.like.

5 ай бұрын

Sweet choice =)

Cool video!😎 I'd pick the Hawk, and of those awesome Packards, I'd take the '56 Carribean! Great song! ❤ is one of my favorite bands, I would have definitely gotten this one!

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

I love heart dad who listen to them from time to time.. so a little bit about my childhood my dad drove a truck for dynamite company and then he came home and cut out stuff for my mom‘s business my mom was self-employed crafter and we did 46 shows a year and we would drive sometimes four or five hours dad would come home after driving truck all day and then load up the trailer and we would go to New Jersey which is about an 8 Hour Dr. from here. We would go as far is Michigan Indiana Virginia New York to do shows sometimes mom with double book a show on a weekend so we would go to New Jersey one day and then hit Washington DC and come home. So many stories I could tell but getting back to the point there’s three bands that remind me of dad def Leopard, heart, The Eagles was his favorite.

I'll keep my factory direct ordered 1955 packard patrician delux with her 352 v8 , twin rochester 4gc carbs, and factory 21inch continental kit. Aka the Diving platform

@What.its.like.

Ай бұрын

Awesome =)

Packard's were Luxury. Truly magnificent in the 1930s!

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Totally agree packard didn’t make a bad car from 1934-1942 But learning they never really made a bad car just some look better than others love packards

Caribbean conv and hawk rode in both yrs ago also rode in fabulous sam Rosenbergs 53 studellac NJ. 2--4s 57 eldorado engine

.....thanks for another enjoyable vid.....Druthers..... #1) '55 Hornet Coupe with the Twin H 308 6 cyl and Overdrive..... #2) '56 Caribbean......I'd take a '53 Stude Commander Starliner Coupe over all of them.....the '56 Golden Hawk is just fugly compared to the "53 Starliner......

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Awesome choices I’m glad you dig this video =) You know me write ins are always welcome

Golden Hawk, for sure.

@What.its.like.

8 ай бұрын

Out of all of the 50s cars that is a car from the 50s that I really want to drive I really want to own one one day

Bigger is better, with engines, especially when you have a 2-speed automatic. Torque and horsepower give the car the boost it needed. Caribbeans are nice, but the leaded hood scoops make the hood almost a 2-person job to lift. The steering column push-button transmission controls were unreliable and a real pain, but with the upper Packards, this is what you got. The late-54 and 1955 Ultramatics were troublesome. By 1956, most of the bugs had been ironed out. I'd probably go for the '56 Packards with the 374 c.i. V8, especially if it has the 2-4 barrel carbs. To fully take advantage of the Packard V8's power, some have been adapted to the later Chrysler TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic's. With the even newer TorqueFlites, both lock-up torque converters and overdrive was added, so, automatic transmission-wise, Packards could be moved decades ahead in technology. The Romney's are definitely NOT the smartest people in the world, but, under George Mason, it was a smart move to buy Packard V8's. Packard was eager to sell it's V8 engines to anyone who wanted them. It was probably a move to help to recover developmental costs. Nash didn't have it's own V8 then, but the Packard V8 was physically too large for Nash's intended direction of going with smaller cars, so Nash wanted smaller V8's. Like the Packard V8, the Nash V8 was over-engineered. As engines were getting larger in the American automotive world, AMC was maxed out with the 327. They had to create a new V8 which could cover small car needs on up to the c.i. horsepower wars.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Awesome insight and information as always =)

@davidpowell3347

9 ай бұрын

Also,wasn't that hood scoop non-functional?

@automatedelectronics6062

9 ай бұрын

@@davidpowell3347 Correct. It was only there for looks.But, being that there was a lot of lead used in the scoops, the hood was considerably heavier. Packard was obviously interested in power, so functional scoops would have made sense.

Another great history video, Jay. Thank you!

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Glad you dig this one trying to figure out which one to do next might let you vote on it not sure yet lol

Hands down, 1956 Studebaker Power Hawk.

56 Stude 56 Caribbean Song, Dunno...

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Great choices =) Someone just got it heart never

The 56 Golden Hawk with the 352 predates the Rambler v8 Rebel by a year. Personally, I would bet on the Golden Hawk with that motor over the Rambler.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

I would love to find out once and for all.. I have an idea of how to make that happen but I’ll have to see if we can open those doors if that would even be a possibility it wouldn’t be until next year at the earliest

@michaelwalston2438

9 ай бұрын

@What.its.like. My thing is most of the Golden Hawks even in 56 had the stude 289. The highest level trim was the only model with the 352 and only for that year. Would not that be a fun race?

@davidpowell3347

9 ай бұрын

Except for the Corvette I believe that in 1956 the Packard engine Hawk was the quickest car,and in 1957 the Rambler Rebel was the quickest car. In acceleration,however above 100 mph acceleration I think the Chrysler 300 was the quickest car and the highest top speed,maybe even topping the Corvette in that arena.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

The corvette wasn’t as fast as they claim remember nothing could be faster than the corvette The really fast Corvette was the non-production version that they only made seven of fastest production car 1957 Rambler Rebel has my money I saw sources claim 0 to 60 in 7 to 7 1/2 seconds I think the Corvette does it in 7.5 to 8 seconds.. it would be a really interesting race it would all come down the driver

@michaelwalston2438

9 ай бұрын

@What.its.like. In 56, if an automotive magazine did a shootout between the Golden Hawk and the Rambler., they probably wouldn't have used the Golden Hawk from the year before, They would have used the supercharged 289 GH. Actually, I would bet on the 56 GH 352 over the supercharged 57 GH 289. As to why Packard dropped their V8, the best place on the web to get the story is a website called Ate Up With Motor. Lots of other terrific content there as well.

Packard 400 and Studebaker, every time.

Also Buick waited the same length of time to bring out their V8. It sure seems like Buick is very much similar to the Packards of that era.

The reason they stopped using that engine, is there was no car to put it in. All Packards after 1956 were horribly disfigured Studebakers, with the 275 hp Studebaker supercharged 289 V8.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

The president was decent sized but very true the Caribbean was packards swan song that car looks awesome now could you imagine driving that on the road now against all the appliances..

@danielulz1640

9 ай бұрын

The Packard V8 and Ultramatic COULD fit into the Studebaker body, they were used in the 56 Studebaker Golden Hawk.

Speaking of Packard V8’s you should do a video on the 56’ Packard Predictor concept, built on a Clipper chassis with the self leveling suspension it shared the same 352 V8 as the Clipper but that’s about all it shared with the Clipper, the bespoke body was built by Ghia and true to it’s name the car predicted many future design elements that rival brands soon adopted such as the t-tops, wrap around windshield, the tail fins, tail lights, and swivel seats surely inspired Chrysler, the roofline seemed to influence Mercury with their 57’ Turnpike Cruiser, and the headlight units look like Chevy copy and pasted them onto the C2 Stingray.

@What.its.like.

8 ай бұрын

I wonder if the car still exist there are a couple kinds of cars that I really wanna do =) Greed episode idea

56 Nasd Ambassador, 56 Packard Caribbean.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Cool choices =)

They were very well engineered V8’s , they used a bunch for marine applications too..

Hawk for me,and the 55 Packard.Loved the Packard V-8,a mechanic I work with at a IHC truck dealership had a Packard V-8

@patrickmcgoldrick8234

9 ай бұрын

I sent before finishing also ahead of an Ultramatic and I remember it being a nice smooth running engine

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

This is a car I definitely would love to drive for a review one day because I believe they’re super underrated for what they were and they came out swinging until the end which was 56 technically because in 5758 they were essentially just re-badged Studebaker

1 & 2: All three so I can go to car shows and have a good time. Tune: Almost sounds like Only You by Yazoo, but not quite.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Great gets on the song but it’s neither that song nor bad you can’t go wrong with any of those choices in my opinion =)

The 56 Packard carrabien

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Sweet =)

Your comment / question above: "... Only produced for 2 years and then dropped for the Studebaker V8. Why?" Packard, the proud company that engineered and built great cars for ~six decades, ceased operation by the end of 1956. Packard cars sold in 1957 and 58 were badge engineered Studebakers that fooled no one. The merger of Packard and Studebaker was a desperate 11th hour attempt to save two failing brands that were skidding into bankruptcy... sadly it failed to save either. They had neither the time or budget to adapt Packard's new engine to smaller and lighter Studebaker models. And the competitors had already spent big money developing their own OHV V8 engines, so there were no buyers for the Packard engine assets.

I'll take the Hornet, and the Executive. Best styling to my eyes. In a perfect world, Packard would have survived and become America's BMW with better quality, and a direct competitor to Tucker (who obviously would also have survived) and become America's Audi.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Awesome choices and greatly said I totally agree I wish they could’ve survived

@merc3331

8 ай бұрын

I have a 56 hornet with a 352 I've been slowly restoring

I suspect that when Packard ran out of money some politics involving some rival military contractors (Packard had been a military contractor for such things as PT boat engines and even jet aircraft engines) and people in Eisenhower's cabinet who had an interest in eliminating Packard as a rival to their previous employers (and prospective future employers after their government service got over) with military contracts may have ensured that Packard's new engine plant got shut down. Also I believe that the "new twin Ultramatic" was so unreliable behind the more powerful Packard V8 that almost any Packard with the top engine and that transmission if exposed to full throttle acceleration through the first/second gear upshift would have almost immediate failure of the direct clutch in the transmission causing a bunch of the 1955 cars to soon be waiting for transmission repairs at the dealers. The 1955 models probably began selling well but probably due to the failing transmissions almost no 1956 models sold. There may also have been a strike at Packard,if so I wonder if it was related to the Studebaker purchase affair. It is possible that the '56 transmissions may have had the weak clutch problem addressed but by then the damage to reputation was probably done. This was only a two speed transmission which had only been upgraded to automatic "gear start" operation a year or so earlier,before it had operated like a one speed similar to Dynaflo although it was superior to Dynaflo in that it had a lockup torque converter which would have allowed much much better fuel mileage than Dynaflo. A few years earlier a man from General Electric had been hired as President at Packard and he may have had something to do with mismanagement at Packard including the poor choice to try to move more of Packard assembly to the small leased Briggs plant,Packard should have tried to move all of its operation out of that plant instead of doubling down on paying more rent after the owner of the plant who apparently had been friendly to Packard died and the plant became property of Chrysler Corp. Which I think then raised the rent. If James Nance was indeed the architect of the Studebaker purchase,then shame on him. I don't know however if he was the one or only one who was responsible for that ill fated decision.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for taking the time to add all of this added information I really appreciate it some of the stuff is it found on the Internet. I really appreciate you taking the time to share all of this =)

@davidpowell3347

9 ай бұрын

Hemmings Magazines have covered some of this stuff over the years. I would like to be able to attend some of the old car shows/exhibitions that are advertised from time to time in the magazines. I think I have seen some Hemmings stuff on the Internet. I think Wikipedia sometimes gets incorrect. There might be something pertaining to the demise of Packard buried somewhere in old news concerning goings on in the Eisenhower administration. Also the famous stories about how GM contributed to the buying out/shutting down of the old interurban electric trolley lines (I think it really happened) as their bus sales business boomed. @@What.its.like. There is at least one Packard forum on the Internet somewhere. Might help with finding parts or connecting collectors/owners with people with expertise in working on/restoring Packards. Would be interesting if any present day Packard family members have archival material about the failed business. Did a piece of the Packard business persist for a while as a wiring/electric equipment supplier to current car manufacturers? I think I remember that for a while "STP" and Gravely Tractor operated as part of the Studebaker business after the car production stopped. The last years of Studebaker may have been as "Studebaker-Worthington"

'56 Studebaker then '56 Caribbean

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Sweet choices =)

The Packard built V8 was discontinued for 58 because Studebaker sold the factory. Same thing with the Packard Ultramatic. I think that the 57 58 Packard would have been more successful if it had used Packard running gear. People could have forgiven the Studebaker body if it had still been a Packard underneath.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for that information I couldn’t find any information on why they stop making it just that it was replaced with a Studebaker V8..

@danielulz1640

9 ай бұрын

​@@What.its.like.you're welcome. Please read edit. The Packard running gear would have fit in the Studebaker body, it had been used in the 56 Golden Hawk. It would have been like the difference between an Oldsmobile 98 and a Buick Super, same body with different trimming but unique running gear.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for that information the Internet didn’t provide any of that knowledge last weeks engine episode was going to be on the Pontiac Straight eight, but I had to shove that one because some of the information just wasn’t there it’s highly annoying especially if there’s something political around it I’m at the mercy of what is on the Internet I need to join the library when I go out to Hershey I’m going to go to the AACA library at least one day I wanna find as much information on continental engines as I possibly can find as well as Franklin those are two engine companies that one hit a brick wall so to speak when finding information on the Internet

@davidpowell3347

9 ай бұрын

I believe that the engine factory was more or less confiscated or taken in return for "a line of credit" to Studebaker-Packard at the end of or during 1956.

I'd choose the 1956 packard patrician in blue and white or pink and white, copper and white, but customized with two spotlights and two rear antennas (like on the packard 400).

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Awesome choice

Packard Caribbean convertible

For WYR: Studebaker Golden Hawk and the Packard Caribbean

@What.its.like.

8 ай бұрын

Sweet choices =)

The Packard V-8's were built in a brand new plant next to the Packard Proving Grounds in Detroit, but when Packard's Detroit manufacturing operations were abandoned, the new plant, which also produced the Ultramatic transmission, was abandoned. All Packard production and services ceased. My family had a 1955 Packard 400 with a 352 V-8. It pulled the car along well enough, but I wouldn't call it "fast" by any means. The only car I ever saw my dad outrun with the big 400 was a Volkswagen Bug.

@davidpowell3347

9 ай бұрын

Was the automatic transmission slipping?

@randyrobey5643

9 ай бұрын

@@davidpowell3347 I don't think so. My father was a service manager and parts manager at a Packard dealership for many years, and he had sources for parts. He also had factory service manuals and a binder of factory service bulletins for 1955 and 1956. My father bought the car used in the early 1960s. The car looked good and it ran very nicely. After five or six years, the engine developed a knock that caused my father to get rid of the car. Before the 400, we owned a black 1949 Packard with a straight 8. That car had overdrive which gave pretty good gas mileage for the time. The 1955 400 was grey and white.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for the story and the memories. And all of the information greatly appreciate it =)

@davidpowell3347

9 ай бұрын

There is a story that some Packard V8 models had vacuum operated windshield wiper motors and that Packard tried to supplement the vacuum supply for the wiper motors by using a peculiar engine oil pump that also produced vacuum for the wiper system,this oil pump was said to have a failure mode where air got pushed into the oil flow output,potentially starving the engine for proper lubrication. @@randyrobey5643

What happened to the Packard Engine Manufacturing line, the manufacturing machinery, the engine foundry, and the associated tooling for the engine when Packard ended its manufacture along with the existence of the Packard car line? Was all that machinery just scrapped when Packard ceased manufacturing? Did anyone else ever buy the manufacturing equipment and license to build the Packard engine elsewhere?

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Idk I’m not sure if this engine was ever used for applications like that I couldn’t find any information on whether they produced this engine for that.. it’s almost like they made this engine to lose money as counter intuitive as that sounds companies do weird things. They is a story about old cars in Quarry’s in Lancaster pa were they didn’t want to have used cars on lots so they took the old cars and dumped them in the lakes at the quarry it’s an interesting story..

@3RTracing

9 ай бұрын

Most of it was sold to Rolls Royce. One of the head manufacturing lines was kept to produce the Studebaker 170 ci ohv inline 6 head

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for that information =) I couldn’t find that information on internet, which makes doing some of these episodes hard to put together like it doesn’t have the whole story next time we do a 58 packard we will add that information

@davidpowell3347

9 ай бұрын

I believe the equipment and tooling got shipped to the Soviet Union which then began making the "Chaika" but have been told that I am wrong.

um,no. 5.0 inch bore centers do not allow 5.0 inch bores. max piston size would've been 4.7 -4.8 ish. due to needing some iron in between to hold the block together.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Thank you for the correction I should have fixed that the first couple sources said it could take up to a bar of 5 inches and then the last source that I saw it said bore center Thank you for that correction

@n.mcneil4066

9 ай бұрын

And even if Packard did bore out their engines to 4,8" they definitely would have de siamese bores, like Ford Clevelands & Chev 261 engines. They likely would have Had to cast new blocks with thicker cylinder walls.

@n.mcneil4066

9 ай бұрын

I have o stand corrected on my last comment. I don't believe any of the w. C. & MC stock engine had siamese bores but some small block ford engines built for racing did.This nade the block more rigid.but the

I'd choose the '56 Stude and the '56 Packard Caribbean. '55 and '56 Packards have what I think is one of the best looking front end ever put on a production car. I've also read about guys getting the Packard v8 up to 400 horse without much effort, they are incredibly sturdy engines

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Awesome choices I totally agree 55/56 Packards look great swan song for packard and the last true packards. That’s a car that I would really love to drive now in a sea of appliances because it would look like a spaceship

It all had to do with stock value and distribution basically making Studebaker in control of the Board of Directors! Studebakers board was full of Wall Street accountants who were only interested in Packards Military contracts. Once Eisenhower's head of Military procurement canceled all contracts that the medium sized companies held and handed them over to GM, Ford and GE the board just didn't want Packard anymore. The only reason that Studepackards were built was to appease the Packard Dealer Contracts and hope they would just ditch their franchises. Many did and they picked up the new loser on the block "Edsel". The few that stuck it out and got Mercedes franchises were the smart one in the long run. Studebaker's board was full on diversification in 1958! It amazed me that they kept the Packard name in the corporate name until 1962!!! Studebaker tried to buy the Oliver farm equipment company in 1957/8 and the Oliver board told Studebakers board that their stock wasn't worth the paper it was printed on! They chose to sell out to White Motor company who was the reason Studebaker had filed bankruptcy in the 1930's. White was excellent at ruining everything they bought! UGH

@What.its.like.

5 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for sharing all that insight and information greatly appreciate it

56 Golden Hawk, any of the Packatdd

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Sweet choices One day I would love to compare a 56 Goldenhawk to a 57 Goldenhawk and drive both of them and see what it’s like because they both made the same amount of horsepower the only difference is the 57 Goldenhawk is super charged to make those horsepower where is the packard v8 naturally aspirated

@eddiebennett2994

9 ай бұрын

@@What.its.like. I had an older friend tell about a 56 Golden Hawk that he owned and he said it would "leave here like a scaled ape" 🤣

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Haha

Oh…without a doubt the Golden Hawk and the Packard…but a two door hardtop. In the second to last slide, it showed the Caribbeans…both the convertible AND the hardtop. 1956 was the only year a Caribbean was offered as a hardtop. Or, if I can’t have that, I’d settle for the 1956 senior series 400 hardtop. The headlight brows on the ‘56s were sooooo much meaner than the ‘55s.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Great information thank you so much for sharing all of that great choices too by the way =) One day I would love to cover a 56 Goldenhawk versus a 57 or 58 Goldenhawk the 58 are rarer with only a slight cosmetic differences over the 57

@seanhoward8025

9 ай бұрын

@@What.its.like. j Jay...don't forget the rarest of them all...the 1958 Packard Hawk.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Very true I’ve seen that car in person and it looks a whole lot better in person than pictures but the front end still looks like a vacuum cleaner very much like a new Hyundai Sonata

@seanhoward8025

9 ай бұрын

@@What.its.like. I've always referred to it as a Catfish. Could've done without the fake Continental spare though.

The name is not Rooney, it’s Romney. Check the news paper clipping at 4:16.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Haha I just checked the article I still have it it says Romney it’s just a little blurry

Actually, Pontiac had their V-8s ready for 1953 production. Executives stalled this move for two years. Proof is in the frame where '53 Pontiacs had frame bosses welded on of which were ready to accomodate the new 8

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Very true

Whatever the shape of the overall company, it's obvious the engineering on these V-8s were excellent from the start for the time and should have been adapted in some way to carry on and continue in something. If spare parts were available, I'd love to have one of those engines to play with, or if I was someone like Jay Leno who could afford to fabricate needed components.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Yeah I’ve read it doesn’t take much to get them to make good power the down fall is they are heavy

The individual components of Packard were more valuable than the company itself was.

@AdamWaffen

9 ай бұрын

No, they weren’t.

I did 80mph in 2nd gear in a 1955 clipper, I think the stubaker engine was cheaper to build Packard Caribbean, stubaker gold hawk. Jay lenno has a nice 1955 Caribbean convertible factory a/c cost 6,000 new

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

I think everybody that’s a car enthusiast Watch is Jay Leno‘s channel he has been an absolute inspiration he not only has a 55 now he has a 56 as well I love when he showed the torsion bar suspension working he sat on the back rear fender and then the car just lifted itself.. that was an awesome Demonstration I’ve read I’m not 100% sure on this but the torsion bar suspension was available and other cars Packard offered like the 400 and the executive

The Reason why they stop making Packards and continued with Studerbaker Was because Studebaker built small compact cars, like the Lark, something that the big 3 wasn't building at the time. After Packard shat down its Detroit operations, Studerbaker built Packards with Studerbakers bodies, called Packardbakers, and they didn't sale.

@danielulz1640

9 ай бұрын

Studebaker was still building full size cars at that time. The compact Lark was not introduced until the 1959 model year.

The reason the Packard V8 was only produced for the '55 and '56 model years and then abandoned their only two year old, ultra-modern, multi-million dollar V8 engine plant only part way through the 1956 model run was because Packard, desperate for cash to stay afloat, signed a disastrous management deal with Curits-Wrght. Curtis-Wright, a major U.S. defence contactor had no absolutely interest in producing automobiles, or saving Packard for that matter and forced Packard to turn their engine plant over to Curtis -Wright to produce jet aircraft engines for the U.S military . With virtually no cash on hand and no credit available to them , and now no engine plant of their own and also losing their Detroit automobile plant, Packard was forced to move to the Studebaker plant in South Bend Indiana were the final two years were nothing more than quickly (and horribly restyled with some grotesque looking bolt-on fiber glass nose and tail pieces ) retrimmed and rebadged Studebakers.😭😭😭

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for sharing that I didn’t know about that. Internet doesn’t know everything and the farther go back the messer it gets with conflicting information and lack of information I couldn’t find anything about why it ended just that it did I really need to get some auto books

@AdamWaffen

9 ай бұрын

@@What.its.like.www.google.com

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Ask Google what was the first car to use disc breaks.. it will say 1965 Corvette not true. 1949 Crosley is the answer Google does not know everything the Internet doesn’t have all of the knowledge humans ever recorded and some of the information is just false. That is an episode that I really want to do one day problem is I work for Google so that might be a conflict of interest

1st choice, 55 Hudson Hollywood Hardtop; 2nd choice, 56 Packard The 400 Hardtop.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Awesome =)

I new a guy that put a Packard 374 in a 1940 mercury cupe mercury s clutch could only take 500 miles because of the power but he could out run the even with 280 gallons of moon shine on bord

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

That’s crazy I wonder if he could get more mileage out of like a truck clutch something that’s more heavy duty I really want to review a 55 or 56 Packard that I can drive I was watching some of Tom McCahill reviews that guy was an imperial man but he really loved the Packards from that era what a cross railway tracks the Packard handle the railway tracks the best. It’s an absolute shame that they had to die in 56 I know they made Packards and 57 and 58 but more or less they were very much rebadged Studebaker’s

1) Hornet 2) '56 Caribbean I wonder how the future would've been different had all 4 merged into AMC? Each had their own strengths and weaknesses. With the acquisition of Jeep, they could've been a force to reckon with... Ahhh, the whatifs 🙂

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

In my opinion packard should have merged with peerless and Pierce arrow.. they could have been the three Ps of prestige under one roof

I'm not sure that big V8 would fit into that Studebaker President/Clipper body for 57. It did fit the 56 Golden Hawk, but was too heavy. This very new V8 would have been used in the Facel-Vega bodied Packard in 59 if development had proceeded, and most importantly Mercedes Benz had not objected. They feared rightfully a car of that kind of exclusivity and beauty would be immense competition for their dowdy, dated 300. Druthers: 56 Golden Hawk, and 56 Executive. That last choice was very difficult, who could pass up a Caribbean? The engine swap with AMC was the first stages of all independents merging. Unfortunately, the egos of AMC President George Romney, and Packard President James Nance ruined a promising outcome. Hence: all 4 eventually died

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

All great points

@mylanmiller9656

8 ай бұрын

In reality the 374 Packard is only 30 pounds heavier than the Studebaker engine The Packard engine is 700 pounds, Studebaker Is 670. The AMC 390 is only 545pounds

George Romney was a tin horn chiseler.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Haha it wasn’t all bad though he is responsible for the 250 V8 327 V8.. The 327 perhaps one of the most underrated engines of the 50s.. He didn’t design the engines but he commissioned the engines to be built

Take a moment and soak in the quality of writing in the pages shown around 2:03 - we don't see this anymore. Simple, concise language with a dash of the how & why of things. This was written for real people - not government inspectors and lawyers.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Yeah when they made things simple and easy to understand so anyone could fix it, I wasn’t around then but wish I was I love the vintage ads =)

my father had a 55 hudson hornet, i had a 56 executive.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Awesome what did you think of those cars =)

@catherinecarman1583

9 ай бұрын

@@What.its.like. my father loved the 308 6 cyl, i drove the packard all over the usa, after getting the ultramatic rebuilt (problematic)

Not 5 inches of bore the bore to bore spacing was 5"" same as the 500 Cadillac, BB Chevy is 4.8 as id Big Block MOPAR. 455 Buick and AMC are 4.75 , (early olds, cad Pontiac are smaller limiting bores) larger than 427 Ford compared to SBC at 4.4 tooling cost 50 million really to bad it was scraped 56 nash

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

I should’ve fix that it should be 5 inch bore center Thank you so much for addressing that as well as providing all the other information and insight greatly appreciate it =)

@jmflournoy386

9 ай бұрын

Even the 460 Ford is not as big as the Packard/Cad@@What.its.like.

As is always the case you leave out important details. I’ll take the Golden Hawk.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

How so what important details was left out There’s a lot of information in the slides themselves as well as this is just an engine history overview we’re not gonna talk about camshaft clearances this isn’t that type of video. Or how to take it apart and put it back together just history overview and specs and where these could be found Your comments never disappoint me.

@3RTracing

9 ай бұрын

@@What.its.like. The Packard V8, many years in R&D and the making was not any where's close to being the high quality, well engineered V8 the Studebaker was. Studebaker brought their V8 to market in a record 2 years of R & D. The Studebaker V8 was a Kettering knock of, al be it, a better breathing engine than either the Olds or Cad Kettering V8 producing more HP per cubic inch, with better mileage and manufactured from far superior materials. A Studebaker 289 could produce 225 horsepower with one 4 barrel carb on pump gas. Some other detail that I think are relevant, the Packard V8 (352, 374) had options for dual 4 barrel carbs. That option appeared in some of the Golden Hawks and perhaps some Packard vehicles and maybe even a Nash or Hudson varient. Incidentally the 56 (Packard V8), 57, and 58 (Stude V8) Golden Hawks were the fastest production cars in the US beating out the Thunderbird and Corvette for many years. Why is this relevant: You state that Studebaker not using the Packard V8 was exhibiting poor judgement (para phrasing). But the Studebaker V8 was far superior in many ways to the Packard. I have owned the Packard V8's, 100's of Studebaker's, and some of the Rolls Royce versions of the Packard V8 too, and the Packard V8 is a bit of a boat anchor when compared to the Studebaker unit. Nice piece and I'd agree that al be it the last few Packard's were boats and aptly named "Clippers", the Packard V8 was not that stellar an engine. Even in the Rolls Royce version, it is considered to be a dinosaur, like the early 60's Rolls and Bentley's that used that knock off. But again thanks for your dedication to the Auto Hobby and History.

@What.its.like.

9 ай бұрын

Studebaker golden hawk was 2nd fastest behind rambler rebel I want to get 10 of the fastest 50s cars and run then and put to rest which one is the fastest that’s just a pipe dream at this point Thank you so much for sharing all that information I guess packard was hoping to be the high end car but never happed. I’m a huge golden hawk fan would love to own on and compare packard powered hawk to golden hawk (57/58) best years in my opinion

Hawk

Not casted, cast