• From: Portlandia
  • Registered: 2014-08-08
  • Posts: 1,035

Re: It strated simply enough... and now I have a straight 8 Packard motor

Parkwod60 wrote:

I never said it would be hard to find a water pump.

What's going to be hard is finding coil springs that can handle the weight and give some feeling of comfort. I know the leafs off my Duramax will work. If I do that, it has to have a straight axle gasser theme or Wagons East!

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  • From: South of Chicago
  • Registered: 2011-11-26
  • Posts: 750

Re: It strated simply enough... and now I have a straight 8 Packard motor

CPT_Trans_Continental wrote:
Parkwod60 wrote:

I never said it would be hard to find a water pump.

What's going to be hard is finding coil springs that can handle the weight and give some feeling of comfort. I know the leafs off my Duramax will work. If I do that, it has to have a straight axle gasser theme or Wagons East!


I don't think springs would be a problem if the car uses coil springs. You can get stiffer ones and it won't make the suspension "hard" since you have more mass that will work on the springs to compress them.
What you will have a problem with is shocks or struts as the case may be. Upping the mass that much will require much stiffer dampening or you will end up with a car that floats up and down.

  • From: Van Nuys, CA
  • Registered: 2011-02-11
  • Posts: 3,862

Re: It strated simply enough... and now I have a straight 8 Packard motor

I'm fairly certain a 2nd generation F body Camero or Fire Bert would hold it. Those things were engineered with an engine compartment that could hold a 455 Pontiac or Oldmobile, a 454 Chevy, or a stovebolt 6, all of which are heavy engines in the 650+lbs range.

Otherwise, unless you are going to set 1/2 the motor in the cockpit and make your own doghouse in the passenger compartment, the only other thing I can think of that it will fit in easily is an F150, D150, or C10 full size pick up truck. Remember this motor is about 10" longer than a Chevy straight 6, and at least 6" longer than the Ford 300

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  • From: St Louis
  • Registered: 2011-10-20
  • Posts: 2,611

Re: It strated simply enough... and now I have a straight 8 Packard motor

You can put front springs from a chevy ASTRO into a 3rd gen Camaro and these are around 8-900 lb springs. Not sure if they will fit a 2nd gen but I'm sure there is something in the van/truck line that will, maybe shocks as well.

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  • From: Portlandia
  • Registered: 2014-08-08
  • Posts: 1,035

Re: It strated simply enough... and now I have a straight 8 Packard motor

Brett85p wrote:

You can put front springs from a chevy ASTRO into a 3rd gen Camaro and these are around 8-900 lb springs. Not sure if they will fit a 2nd gen but I'm sure there is something in the van/truck line that will, maybe shocks as well.

Moog makes some 625lb for 97-99 Dodge Ram from Jegs for $80, they don't have a huge amount of preload. Try working on a Jag frontend and not shoot a spring across the shop. We are going from 250lb to 400lb in the front of the Jagvair to reduce the Red October effect. I had to push back the firewall about a foot to get the 4.0l to fit, but there is still a bunch of room up front.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/20708720/2015_Corvair_firewall_small.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/20708720/2015_Corvair_engine_in_2_small.jpg

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  • From: Van Nuys, CA
  • Registered: 2011-02-11
  • Posts: 3,862

Re: It strated simply enough... and now I have a straight 8 Packard motor

Wendell34 wrote:

This needs a new engine. Since we are going crazy with suggestions. I am pretty sure it wouldn't be that hard to make this a RWD Packard powered Eldorado.

http://www.murileemartin.com/UG/LAF12/1 … 02012.html

Let us entertain this suggestion. How hard would it be to swap, lets say, a Ford Explorer IRS unit under the back half of the Eldorado? Obviously a straight 8 (or v12) was what GM had in mind for this car, otherwise why the long hood?

I believe this is a complete Ford Explorer IRS set up. Looks pretty self contained to me

http://themustangsource.com/forums/attachments/f726/65097d1224471189-whats-bfd-irs-2hx4rhc.jpg

And this is the best I have so far for what it looks like under the Eldorado

http://automotivemileposts.com/autobrevity/images/eldo1980bodydiagram.jpg

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  • From: Portlandia
  • Registered: 2014-08-08
  • Posts: 1,035

Re: It strated simply enough... and now I have a straight 8 Packard motor

Parkwod60 wrote:

How hard would it be to swap, lets say, a Ford Explorer IRS unit under the back half of the Eldorado?

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/20708720/2015_Corvair_rearend_small.jpg

Not any more difficult than sticking a Jag IRS in the JagVair.

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  • From: Land Of Subarus, Colorado
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
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Re: It strated simply enough... and now I have a straight 8 Packard motor

http://pop.h-cdn.co/assets/cm/15/06/54cfd3839ab48_-_parting-out-pt2-16-0413-de.jpg

The Lexus SC400 rear suspension subframe is nice and narrow, had big brakes, and the differential can (allegedly) take 450 lb-ft of torque. Plenty of these cars at U-Snatch-It.

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  • From: Choctaw, Oklahoma
  • Registered: 2009-11-12
  • Posts: 2,144

Re: It strated simply enough... and now I have a straight 8 Packard motor

Try working on a Jag frontend and not shoot a spring across the shop.

I learned that the hard way. Afterwards I read the correct procedure: one at a time, replace each spring cup bolt with 6" all thread and a nut. Then loosen the nuts in turn until the spring is loose. Installation is the reverse.

35 Reply by CPT_Trans_Continental (edited by CPT_Trans_Continental 2015-09-25 10:10 AM)

  • From: Portlandia
  • Registered: 2014-08-08
  • Posts: 1,035

Re: It strated simply enough... and now I have a straight 8 Packard motor

EriktheAwful wrote:

Try working on a Jag frontend and not shoot a spring across the shop.

I learned that the hard way. Afterwards I read the correct procedure: one at a time, replace each spring cup bolt with 6" all thread and a nut. Then loosen the nuts in turn until the spring is loose. Installation is the reverse.

I usually put it on the lift, put a Jack stand under the spring bucket, take out the bolts and up and out she goes. I use guides for installation. Or just cut the springs to get rid of the 3" of preload (make gun cocking noise).

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  • From: Tustin, CA
  • Registered: 2010-12-30
  • Posts: 3,275

Re: It strated simply enough... and now I have a straight 8 Packard motor

EriktheAwful wrote:

Try working on a Jag frontend and not shoot a spring across the shop.

I learned that the hard way. Afterwards I read the correct procedure: one at a time, replace each spring cup bolt with 6" all thread and a nut. Then loosen the nuts in turn until the spring is loose. Installation is the reverse.

On the XJ12, I used a spring compressor, replaced all the spring bucket bolts with longer ones AND had a jack under the spring bucket.  And still used a long handled racket to get as far away from bomb if it went wrong.  Talk about an aging process.  I don't see how one could put it all back together without allthread or long bolts.

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  • From: Choctaw, Oklahoma
  • Registered: 2009-11-12
  • Posts: 2,144

Re: It strated simply enough... and now I have a straight 8 Packard motor

I don't see how one could put it all back together without allthread or long bolts.

It's only moderately difficult if you're willing to cross-thread one of the bolts all the way down. If I ever take mine apart again, there will be helicoil involved.