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Absolutely stunning! A very beautiful automobile and pics.

Very impressive Four Hundred. Congratulations on your latest purchase. A gorgeous example... of course with pushbuttons!

Enjoy driving a Packard once again.

A pride of the Conner Avenue Plant... and a superb and fitting survivor of the last Packards from Detroit.

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Thanks much...! A lot more great Packard bicycle stuff is coming...!

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Please. Air conditioning systems always cool less at idle and low speeds– especially in high ambient temperatures. "feathering the gas" merely serves to turn the fan faster... which in turn sucks more air across the condenser core... with the expected result. But this is not "just how they were" as if Packard V8s were somehow less or special primitive cases.

This is a universal procedure for ANY automobile with air conditioning. Right up to today. I can do the exact same procedure on my modern Lincoln and marginally boost A/C cooling. The only difference is that today most cars with advanced A/C systems equipped with R-134 also have a "recirc" setting that can help lower the air temp in the cabin (most people today have no idea how "recirc" works or even that it exists).

A cycling clutch on a Lehigh compressor is, of course, a good idea in today's world.

But remember, R-134 is less effective for cooling at idle, in heavy traffic and low speeds in hot weather. It can actually have worse cooling than an R-12 system. So let's not make the A/C system on V8 Packards sound lame. As I have said, it was one of the most advanced, best functioning factory air units in the industry at the time.

IF someone has a Lehigh compressor that is indeed functioning properly AND that person can obtain R-12, then by all means, the investment in R-12 is ginormous (and in some cases, illegal). But the investment is certainly worthwhile in light of the costs and technical issues of an entire changeover and related angsting. Lesser of two evils is still lesser– IF you want a functioning system. Old luxury cars are expensive... and the older they get and more complicated they are, the more expensive they get.

And nowwww... for something really different.

While you may have seen a much larger one of these made as a car accessory, I'm just betting that you haven't seen one of these little guys. We've shown you a few other types of Packard bicycle ornaments in earlier postings on this thread. However this bird ornament (clearly copied from Packard) is an accessory BICYCLE ornament.

Note the wire for electrical illumination at night. A small bulb is positioned under the base of the upturned wings to light them up beautifully. A buddy in Detroit had one of these mounted on his bicycle back in the 1940s-1950s.

Also note the size when compared to a Packard bicycle headbadge! Absolutely tiny. And about four times smaller than the car-sized accessory bird like it.

Pretty rare item today. Finding one of these with metal wings is very difficult. Finding one with illuminated plastic wings that are NOT broken is tougher still. But finding one NOS, illuminated and unbroken? As Tommy Lee Jones said in the movie... "now, THAT'S double-tough, kid!"

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There are increasing numbers of 1956 Packards pictured online and at shows tuning up with wild a'never-were" mixes of colors on the interior. So, sooooo many V8 Packards that end up with confused colors and combinations that never were. A Naples Orange Caribbean with an interior that ought to be orange and white, but is upholstered in blood red!!! EEEeeek! This is usually because somebody insists upon seeing orange as "red" ... or pink as "red"...

If the exterior color of your vehicle is Scottish Heather, that is a rich PINK... and the instrument panel for that color exterior would have been a shade of pink... but not "red" or any variation of red at all.

The odd references to "red" in the listing are quite bizarre and leave actual colors out while referencing "red"...OMG. No idea how this came into being. But for 1955 and 1956 one can always simply look in the original Packard showroom color and upholstery samples in the dealer's showroom album. Both should be included on this site.

And yes, rather than searching for "codes" instantly translatable to today's paints, it is far better to simply take a component with good original paint to a professional automotive paint supplier. Have the supplier SCAN your part and mix a batch of paint for you. Done.

OMG! This discussion of differences between 1955 and 1956 Clippers and senior Packard cars is actually taking place. And the subject vehicle is a 1955 Clipper with a shocking pink interior. With the instrument panel growing a pink beard. With pink overpaint on the transmission gear indicator window. With the vehicle windows tinted limo black. With a 1956 Clipper serial number. For sale in a world-wide auction. With a rusted exterior proudly proclaimed to have "patina"– perhaps purposely created and then proudly credited to a shop. This done via a pop-riveted plate attached to the body a la coachbuilder style! This is actually happening in October of the year 2024.

I am tempted to quote the words of Edward G. Robinson's character in the movie, Soylent Green... as he weeps and says, "...how did we ever come to this?..."

But no. I wont say those words. By the way... Soylent Green was set in the year, 2022. Think about it...

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Hello,

The 1955-56 Packard factory air conditioning system was very efficient and in some ways it was over-engineered. It was one of the industry's MOST advanced A/C systems. 1955-56 Packard A/C was wayyyy ahead of most of the industry with its theater style front-mounted units flowing rearward rather than rear-to front. Or top-down arrangements that could freeze bald heads while the rest of the customer was sweating.

You may want to note that 1955 and 1956 systems differed slightly, particularly in the hoses. The 1955 hoses had a braided covering while the 1956 hoses had no such covering.

But whether you plan on using freon R-12 or newer R-134 refrigerant, I still strongly suggest that you do R-134 grade hoses. The cost of R-12 alone (ask me how I know) and the hassle of finding it (actually illegal in some places) would all offset the cost of R-134-grade hoses.

RE: the original Lehigh V-4 compressor... These look lovely and are certainly original. But finding a working one and /or parts to repair one? OMG! There are a few out there still working today, but how long could Noah tread water? I have suggested that (like some people are doing with car batteries on vintage cars) 3-D modeling on a case facade that could be mounted over a Sanden compressor for display purposes is a possibility. Otherwise it is a matter of how deep are your pockets? How extensive are your parts resources?

IF you want your A/C system to actually work, then you may be looking at a reality of a modern Sanden cycling compressor. Even if temporary. And believe me, I am not at all a fan of modifications on Packards. And I don't put this in the category of "disc brakes" or nitrous.

Meanwhile... things always change, so hang onto your Lehigh compressor. Somebody MAY eventually have another re-build business.

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Two different cars. The Lyle Bohman & Schwartz ended up with my friend Bill Snyder in SoCal for many years. Since his passing it is with his son, Steve. This car was at a recent Packard Club National that was held in Northern California. I took lots of photos. This B&S Packard is in mint condition, but has a few differences from the other similar B&S cars.

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Contact Jerry Turner at "Nostalgic Reflections" in Veradale, Washington. He has been manufacturing Packard items like this for several decades. Everything from serial plates to medallions and much more.