I wanted to congratulate you on the beautiful interior you've just completed on your 56 Patrician. Since it is well documented that Packard would do most anything for a new car customer in its final years...your scheme looks most convincing and very "factory". I think it is great that you thought "out of the box" but still worked within factory guidelines with your choices. That's why it works so well.

As you can see from the photo below, I have a particular interest in what you have done since I plan to also replace
the original "mousey gray" interior on my 56 Maltese Gray/Dover White Patrician with a new scheme featuring Vermillion [orange], Charcoal Gray, and Off-White Leather [with a Vermillion perforated headliner by SMS]. I think the Packard Styling division would have approved my dealer's request!

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Oops, sorry; I posted this on the wrong thread! Apologies.

Just wanted to tell you what a nice job I think you did on your interior. It has been clearly documented that in Packard's final years, most anything could be done on a custom basis for customers and interiors were not exceptions. Therefore, I think it is great that you have been a bit creative with your Patrician. It works because you have fashioned it around factory guidelines.

I have a particular interest since I have a 56 Patrician in Naples Orange and Maltese Gray. The future interior (replacing the same "mousey gray" like yours) is to be Naples Orange, Charcoal Gray, and Off-White Leather [with a peforated Naples Orange headliner from SMS].

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This was my car and was purchased on E-Bay while I lived in Moultrie, GA. The car had factory 56 shift quadrant which was still available in 1956 and was standard on this model. Push button shift was an option on the 400 coupe--not standard [it was only standard on the Caribbean series]. The original buyer of this car also purchased some mint NOS interior items for the car but never paid me for the balance. Theatreorganman (Esquireman on this site]

Our 56 Patrician is now safely home in her garage (where she will stay for a good while). We finally came up with the idea of raising the front end utilizing the Torsion Level, and voila...the car was able to shift into neutral. However, she didn't want to take the entire show over, so still no High or Reverse. With the help of a splendid tow man and the Torsion Level to allow tight clearances, we got her home and pushed her in to her berth.

Just wanted to thank all of you for assiting in troubleshooting and responding to the problem. It's still a problem, but it goes to prove, again, that Packard people are the finest on the planet (and non-pushbutton Packard motor cars are too!).

Hey Guys,

Thanks so much for helping me with this. I just went up and checked and when the Reverse button is engaged the back up lights come on. This means the pressure switch is OK, right? The problem is elsewhere? Will make the suggested checks when my partner gets home. Mr. Pushbutton==you can e=mail be your cell phone to: jcmdc@windstream. net.

By the way, our mechanism is the very one posted on You-Tube!

Gentlemen,

Thanks for all these suggestions. We will go over this afternoon and do some checking as per your comments. I do not hear any sound when any of the buttons are pushed. The car starts up fine but no matter what button is pushed it just revs up and goes nowhere. We will check the back up lights this afteroon which may gives us a clue to the problem. Thanks!

Well, after a week away at work in another state, I took my 56 Patrician (equipped with the pushbutton unit that is like taking a "trip to the moon" according to a Packard promo film) to the grocery store (fortunately just a few blocks away). She started up and went right into reverse, then high and drove perfectly to the parking lot. Of course, now she is seized in someway. We have tried taking the battery cable on and off, pushing her gently, going through all the buttons, jacking up the Torsion Level height, etc. to no avail.

Now, mind you, I am not very mechanically minded, so any suggestions as to how to get her home would be welcome, but they will have to be simple! Anyone want to give it a try?
I'd certainly appreciate any tips. The unit was totally rebuilt by "Mr. Pushbutton"--but something is still awry. When this has happened before, after a few days sitting, her pushbuttons will work again perfectly. I am praying this will happen soon!

Here, by request, is my concept for the front end of the "1966 Packard" based on the 1966 Imperial. There is little sheet metal alteration here, mainly just the reshaping of the front prow to resemble the silhouette of the 1956 Packard headlight prow. The parking lights have been extended around the front prow, and the existing Imperial parking lights have become fog lights. Note that the outside ends of the lenses terminate in a point just as the 56 Packard lenses. The hood ornament is a Packard "vee" and crest. The die-cast Imperial grille has been retained but is augmented by the Packard "cusp" at either side of the headlight nacelles.

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Well, gentlefolk...this sure is a lot of fun! Appreciate the comments relative to my "quickie" makover on the Imperial body. Now, as suggested, I'll see what I can come up with for the front end.