Truck?

This Guide spotlight installed on a mostly-original car that is identical to mine and I am wondering whether or not it looks period-correct. To me it appears to be more '60s style rather than being the round Unity type that I expected so does anyone know of the commercial cars like this used the same type as the passenger cars or something else such as the one shown here?

In any event, I found and bought the standard Unity type with mirror so I hope it is correct!

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QuietRide offers quite a few firewall panels as I recall but few of them are correct, especially for the 1955-1956 models. Wherever they got their templates, it is obvious that no original blueprints were involved! If you didn't send your original, really not a surprise about the plenum but I was hoping it would be made as I want a couple too.

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Although removable, the fitting described is part of the carburetor and typically comes with it. It has a standard thread in the steel line side. If Rochester, the same carburetor is used in my 1965 Cadillacs and I've rebuilt them several times so the only worry is if the special fitting's threads get cross-threaded into the cast aluminum housing or too worn to tighten properly. When that happened on one of my cars, I took it to a local carburetor shop and they put in a stainless Heli-coil and new fitting so as good as new! On mine, it was a flair fitting but on the Packard it might be 1/8" NPT.

To stop the keepers going into the pan, buy some rubber plugs that most hardware or automotive stores carry or just use a piece of paper towel, making sure to get it all out when done.

For testing the lifters, it was decades ago that I did it but it doesn't take any special equipment even though the shop manual shows a special tool. The tool would make it easier but it is not needed. Don't clean anything in gasoline but use a good solvent and wear gloves as solvents can cause permanent skin damage that goes system deep as happened to my brother so that any petroleum product now blisters and takes his skin off!

The plunger pulls out so remove that and make sure that the ball at the bottom is free and soak in the solvent while apart. Inspect the surfaces for scuffs or scratches and if there are any, those may need to be replaced.

Don't mix up the plungers between their bodies and be sure to mark the lifter assemblies so that you can put them back in the same positions when reinstalled.

Dry thoroughly with compressed air, reassemble with clean engine oil. For testing, I had a pan of clean oil and used a pump pliers to squeeze down the plunger and with the tip in oil, I let it back up to draw some in, then did it again to be sure that there was a stiff resistance once it was filled and compressed. If little or no resistance, then the check ball is still stuck or has a damaged or dirty seat so will need further testing and cleaning. Be careful not to let it suck in air while testing. Not that it hurts anything but it will negate the test.

I have ‘80s era reproductions in my 1954 Patrician but in other Packards I’ve had good experiences in simply disassembling, cleaning and testing the originals too so you might consider that first.

You can get and rebuild a carburetor and pump during the winter for installation next year, during which time you can also get all the proper lines to have ready!

Anyway, it does appear that the fitting was cut off of the chassis line below the pump and it can be flared with a new one but even without it, you can connect the pump in a more tasteful way.

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I said that too some posts ago!

Anyway, maybe it's time to get the proper carburetor that's ported specifically for your car, then reconnect the lines as they should be. Dump the electric fuel pump and connect everything the way it should be after rebuilding the stock pump. I've never ever had a problem with a properly plumbed Packard fuel system even when the cars sit for months or years at a time!

You can try re-torquing it to see of the nuts were loose. Not an actual test and I'll let the experts chime in on that but is a place to start. It seems to me that if the problem started after installing new exhaust, then maybe an already-loose manifold could have been disturbed.

Why all this Rube Goldberg stuff when you can not only get the proper line new or used and the proper filter but also support our suppliers so that they can stay around for years to come? It doesn’t cost any more but looks far less hokey when done. No reason to bypass the original pump either so just connect it properly the way it was engineered.