This is a rare Packard Twelve V12 engine from 1937. It has a displacement of 473 cubic inches (7.75 liters) and it’s capable of 175 bhp and 300 lb ft pf torque – heady figures for the 1930s.
These V12s were installed into some of the most expensive, luxurious Packards of all time, the American equivalent to the Rolls-Royces and Bentleys coming out of England. Due to the cost and collectibility of these cars, most of the engines stay with them to preserve their value – so finding an engine for sale on its own like this is relatively rare, and it could make for an interesting hot rod power unit.
By the early 1930s, Cadillac had stolen much of the limelight with its industry-leading V16. Packard needed an answer that would be as powerful, or more so, and return their bragging rights. In 1932, the company revived its twelve-cylinder lineage with an all-new Twin Six V12 engine, renamed the Packard Twelve a year later to avoid confusion with the earlier engines. Image courtesy of Packard.
History Speedrun: The Packard Twelve V12 Engine
When Packard launched its first V12 powered cars in 1916 it set a new standard for smoothness and torque in the world of high-end American motoring. Known as the Twin Six, the 424 cubic inch V12 delivered 88 bhp and 180 – 190 lb ft of torque – these were exceedingly high figures for the era, and remarkable when you consider the poor quality of fuel available.
The level of refinement of these Packards made them a favorite among the elite, military leaders, and wealthy buyers alike. For nearly a decade the V12 powered Packard’s top models, but economic pressures in the 1920s saw the engine quietly retired in favor of more practical straight-eights.
By the early 1930s, Cadillac had stolen much of the limelight with its industry-leading V16. Packard needed an answer that would be as powerful, or more so, and return their bragging rights. In 1932, the company revived its twelve-cylinder series with an all-new Twin Six V12 engine, renamed the Packard Twelve a year later to avoid confusion with the earlier engines.
This new V12 began at 445.5 cubic inches with a torque-biased 3.5 inch bore and 4.25 inch stroke. In 1934 displacement rose to 473.3 cubic inches, and output climbed from 160 to 175 bhp. Torque comfortably exceeded 300 lb ft, allowing Packard’s long-wheelbase sedans and limousines – often tipping the scales at nearly three tons – to accelerate and cruise with ease.
The side-valve layout may have been a little conservative as the world moved towards overhead valves (and even overhead cams), but it was nearly silent, and paired with Packard’s excellent chassis and suspension engineering, it gave the Twelve its reputation for speed and turbine-like power delivery.
Hollywood figures and industrial leaders gravitated to the Packard Twelve, ensuring its presence was well established in the popular social columns as much as on the boulevards of Hollywood and Beverly Hills. Image courtesy of Packard.
In the 1930s, the contemporary road tests marveled at the lack of vibration from the engine and the almost uncanny quietness at higher speeds. With a 3-speed manual gearbox and tall rear axle ratios, the Twelve could sustain 80 mph cruising, something relatively few luxury cars of the Depression era (or earlier) could manage without issue.
The Packard Twelve’s prestige extended far beyond US borders – heads of state favored them even over in Europe, and Franklin D Roosevelt’s decision to gift a Packard Twelve to Joseph Stalin at the height of the Second World War was a major sign of its diplomatic significance. It became Stalin’s favorite car for years, well after WWII was over and the Cold War had begun.
At home, Hollywood figures and industrial leaders gravitated to the Packard Twelve, its presence was well established in the popular social columns as much as on the boulevards of Hollywood and Beverly Hills.
While the engine itself changed little beyond the displacement increase in 1934, Packard’s use of the Twelve grew more elaborate – buyers could specify formal limousines, sport phaetons, or even custom-bodied creations from the likes of Dietrich and others.
By the late 1930s, however, even Packard could not ignore the realities of the market. The Depression had thinned the field for ultra-luxury cars, and Cadillac’s push toward advanced V8s had reshaped customer expectations. The Twelve quietly disappeared after 1939 right as World War II kicked off in Europe, marking the end of what is now widely considered to be Packard’s grandest era.
The 1937 Packard Twelve V12 Engine Shown Here
The engine you see here is a 1937 Packard Twelve V12 that has been removed from its original car, and placed on an engine stand. The engine is largely complete, with a Stromberg EE-3 downdraft twin-barrel carburetor, an intake air-cleaner elbow, a water pump, fuel pump, starter motor, generator, distributor, coils, oil filter, pulleys, and a clutch.
The engine is largely complete, with a Stromberg EE-3 downdraft twin-barrel carburetor, an intake air-cleaner elbow, a water pump, fuel pump, starter motor, generator, distributor, coils, oil filter, pulleys, and a clutch.
It has an iron block and aluminum heads, the are both for weight savings and to help a little with heat dissipation. It’s finished in green with black-painted intake and exhaust manifolds, it has four main bearings, hydraulic valve silencers, and mechanical zero-lash lifters.
It’s now being offered for sale out of Arena, Wisconsin with the rolling stand on which it’s mounted and a bill of sale. If you’d like to read more about it or place a bid you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Bring a Trailer
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
