Bet you're right. The 56 Pat I had was blue cloth interior and the headliner was most surely fabric. Not sure the type but much thinner and different than that Fred sold as replacement. Unless it was horribly worn thin, don't think enough fuzz or heft to be like even a cheap seat broadcloth either.

Torque 200-270 in 51 manual. Same axle used so would imagine same numbers can be applied.

Don't see how the bore could get that worn without having the axle in pretty bad shape as well.

Since there are junior and senior axles and drums, could those be mixed in such a way that maybe a senior hub could be installed and be large enough to slide up the axle? I would think there should be something noticeable like wheel bolts or something else that would prevent that but maybe not. Are the drums the same width or depth?

You're right about the Caribbean front seat construction. It does have zig zag springs. The covering over them is a very dense rubber material about 1/4 in thick and covered on the top side with fabric--bottom is the bare rubber. Can't get to the back to check that.

Which made me ask the question of what is the stuff in the seats. All the other foam material used in the all the cars I remember had pretty much turned to powder or a gooey ooze. Same as what is in upholstery shops today. The seat stuff however is holding up remarkably well and in almost perfect shape as is this other rubber base bottom.

As to the headliner, I don't remember the perforations on the sedans but that doesn't mean anything. That 56 I had was some sort of a thin fabric but since an early serial number--1032--, wonder if they might have used 55 stuff. I remember buying one of Freds replacements of the time and was of a completely different material. Remember being a little disappointed but once installed, while maybe not the same stuff looked more appropriate with the rest of interior than what had been there.


EDIT to O_D's question. It must be co-ordinated if yours is copper. My car is MKN and 296. Black or the very dark carpet and while the seat frames are white, the rubber seat bottom and back is black. Seats are the red and gray leather/charcoal gray fabric.

I think that headliner must be another of the products Packard called leatherette. I still have my original 56 Caribbean HT headliner which was removed from car. It appears to be some vinyl like substance on a very thin and fine weave canvas backing. This one is white with small perforations.

Was able to find an extremely close replacement -- in hole spacing and texture and color with a modern which I believe was a Mercedes material. I think the HT's had the holes and the Patrician was the same material but solid. In the very first 56 Pat I had, seem to recall that was a fabric though because it was fairly thin and torn.

EDIT The 54 Pacific also used what appears to be the same solid vinylish material. That one I was able to clean and reuse by having the bow slots redone. The upholster sewed a new strip of muslin over the originals. There was just enough of the headliner material exposed in the areas so he could do it without perforating the headliner.

The Caribbean seats are comfortable which is surprising given it's just the foam rubber. Since it looks nothing like what you find in upholstery shops, wonder what kind it is and if available somewhere. Wasn't there a recall early on to change them because the first version was too hard?

Thanks for good thoughts on the rain. So far, things are very damp but otherwise OK locally. Much worse further south. The old rhyme -- rain rain go away -- does comes to mind though.

Bad thing is, according to weatherman, when it goes away it will be heading your way in the form of snow.

Was hoping Randy or one of the well versed guys would fill in the blanks. Randy had posted on it a little and supplied the pictures. I vaguely remember some history but not enough to say for sure. Don't think it was anything Packard did to develop--but more an inventor tinkerer type. Don't remember if it was done alone or if there was any corporate support from anyone.

Until Randy comes along to fill in the history, here is a link to some photos he posted.

https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=1610

https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=1609

https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=1608

https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=1607

https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=1606

https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=1605

No fancy chrome on 54 engines except maybe the head stud acorn nuts if still officially available then. Exposed rocker covers didn't happen until the V8 engines but believe chrome standard on Caribbeans, an option for the Packards.