It looks awfully close--at least the operating end does. I don't have a Bendix unit off car easily available to photo, so these are best picts I can get right now of one in car. My hoses are about 1/2 inch away from anything. They are not original hoses but some I had made up locally. Hopefully someone who actually gets their car out of garage instead of surrounded by objects can take some better.

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Hope they are tame spiders, not the black widow variety that seem to like it out here. As to blower, it may be brush noise you hear. Motor is sealed and probably won't need rebuilding because getting it back together might be a bitch because of brushes. After 50 yrs could probably do with some oil and maybe some heat shrink around wires where they exit. I have had luck using penetrating oil on blower fan setscrew and shaft and then sit for a day or so. It's probably stuck pretty well and might need a gentle pry--equally on both sides at once so as not to bend. Some light oil around shaft. In the rear, drill a small 1/16 or so hole carefully over shaft at center of cap and put a few drops down to wet the felt and bearing. Have done that to several & that seems to keep them going.

Don't think you will find a complete rubber kit from anyone. Kanter and Max each have some stuff in kits but for the best selection (both quality and quantity) don't think you will find better than Steele Rubber. As to holes in package shelf, Kev had the answer. Shelf was almost unchanged since 51 and except for items mentioned, probably was originally stamped to be rigid and light. In 53-4 the Frigidaire AC was so big, it had to go in trunk and holes were a given- middle for speaker & return air and and 2 outside for conditioned. In 55 factory AC went under dash, but some aftermarket & dealer (ARA units) still went in trunk and used the holes.

Randy, do you have any more info. That sounds like something that might be nice to add to the reference list. Didn't see anything (quick look only) other than WS on Steels Packard pages.

Believe this started with you and a 47 and not sure exactly what you're wanting to swap or which engine you have. There is an article on later engine swaps to postwar cars with 356 engines in 1953 SC Vol 27 #7 detailing what you need and mods. That only covers the engine so you'd be on your own to figure out trans mount, linkage etc. Suppose you could install eng trans as a unit but you'd still have to figure out how to hold up the back end because I think the frames are a bit different in that area also. Available on website here.https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/article/view.article.php?81

Edit: The URL to articles seems to have been truncated. It is item 14 under service bulletins in case it doesn't work for you.

Starting to sound like someone was into making stretch limos long before it became the ride of choice for the younger set.

my 2c says maybe some fade, glare and/or bad lighting. The seat bottom is green in pict before and in the last pict, back is a different shade of whatever color we're speaking of.

Here's the 3 reasons Packard noted for sticking in prk, but it sounds like your lever is stuck in park but not the actual trans since drive shaft turned. I would have thought these caught early in cars life but maybe not or trans problems were why car was parked.

Anyway, look over manual to get a feel for disassembly, drop pan and check out the valve mentioned. Look carefully at the shaft and pot metal lever that operates valve and park pawl. Both of these are known failure areas..

Ultramatic Dynamicshttp://www.ultramaticdynamics.com/
has remanufactured and improved both--check out their website for some additional things to look at.

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Not sounding good. I'll post pix of a couple of other things tomorrow that cause it to stick besides the linkage. At any rate, you are going to have to take pan off to see and get to them. Hopefully, it is one of them, otherwise its starting to sound like $$. Do you have service manual? If not, strongy suggest you download the Ultramatic section (sect VII) and review.https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/article/view.article.php?119

Big Kev is right about replacing assy. Latch is either riveted or pressed on in mfg and don't think you'll find separately. One slim possibility is taking assy and see if a welder can fill it in and grind to original without destroying it..Again though, thats only a guess as to possibility since I don't know if it's just ordinary steel or something special-- and the cost for that may be more than another one would be.