For illustration, check out this great 55 Clipper Deluxe I saw at Warren this year. The sculpturing of the rear quarters is fine.

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Great topic, and I appreciate the various comments tho I tend to prefer 55s--I never could quite deal with the headlight hoods on the 56 seniors, or the chrome headlight dishpans on the 56 juniors. I also like the windsplits on the tops of the 55 fenders and the concave scallops on either side of the hood. The view over the hood while driving is great.

But an important detail I'd like to point out, where Packard was ahead of most of the competition is surface development, that is the actual contours or sculpture of the sheet metal. Stand by the front wheel of a 51-56 and site towards the rear. The sculpturing of the rear quarters is taut and quite well done, especially the 54-56 seniors. Likewise the scallops on the hoods. Site along the fenders of say a 58 Olds and it brings to mind standing behind a fat lady in stretch pants at the checkout at Walmart. I'll take the Packard.

That's why 53 Caribs and 55 Senior look so smart with minimal trim on the quarters, IMHO.

I really think it some kind of apparatus for testing spark plugs. Perhaps instead of the word Tensio.....the word should be Tension. As in High Tension. If you look at the hand written notes in the box, then is mention of spark plugs and a power supply.

Also if you look at the large wire coming out of the body of the aluminum gizmo, they almost look like the kind of terminal that plugs a plug wire could attach to. Perhaps this attached to the top of the spark plug, and the the spark plug wire attach to the it.

Maybe something similar to this:

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Randy,

The bottom side of my lock ring is copper plated. But the top of it had all the plating worn off.

The left hand door (Aussie passenger side) has the only key lock, a lot of USA sourced Aussie cars were like this.

John
Thank you for your advice, but I still don't know what it is. Not sure how to explain it. On the aluminum arm it says AC Spark Plug.
Any Ideas?

Joe

Aden, for including Rick's '47 Custom Super Clipper Eight Touring Sedan in the Packard Owner's Registry.

There used to be a trick we used to test starters, once you get the connections right, the solenoid pull-in terminal figured out and you can operate the starter you can take a piece of soft pine, like a piece of 1-by and force the end of the board against the rotating Bendix gear. IIt will sort of function like a chipper-shreader, but it is an accurate test by loading down the motor as is works. Some starters will spin free OK but the minute you load them down they poop out.

My paper elbows were not too bad but frayed at the edges. I slid them over a wax papered wooden form and just reinforced the ends with a mixture of yellow carptenter's glue and sawdust.

There is a big "dimple" on the bottom where the pickup tube goes. I don't see that on the top. Perhaps it was stamped in when they were matching up halves and stamping out the holes in the proper half. I remember my lock ring being copper plated??