Although radials offer a generally (if sometimes marginally) better ride, better stopping ability, last longer under constant use than bias-ply tires and tend not to track road irregularities as readily the disparity, under most normal driving conditions and with properly maintained suspension and steering, are too slight to tell the difference. Too, the sidewalls of the radial are the weakest points in the construction of the tire. This is inherent in the radial design because the radial belts do not extend all the way to the inside mounting rim of the tire as they do in the bias-ply design. Modern materials and manufacturing techniques have eliminated this weakness to some degree but I will not mount a radial tire with less than an "H" rating on any of my vehicles for this reason.

The principal reason that we have radial tires, today, is that they're cheaper to manufacture than bias-ply tires.

I, too, have had bad experience with some modern repop bias-ply tires having bought a set from one of the most widely advertised sources for my Patrician. They were the proper wide whitewalls and looked great but they were so out of round that they couldn't be balanced. Upon taking them to my old tire guy to be trued (shaved), he advised me that the tread depth was so shallow that he'd rather not true them and wouldn't run them on his own vehicle after he did. As it turned out a friend with a mid-fifties Cadillac show car that is only driven on and off the trailer bought them from me, knowing that they weren't round and not caring one way or the other.

On the whole, I'd rather run bias-plies if I could be assured of their quality than I had radials but, in today's circumstances, generally run "H" rated radials on the Lincoln and the Packard as I drive both extensively.

Flat spots on bias-ply tires are generally caused by their having belts made of fibreglass or some other synthetic material rather than natural fibres. Most times the flat spots will work themselves out when the tire heats up. Sometimes, particularly when a vehicle sits for extended periods of time through cycles of temperature changes, they will become permanent. Back in 'the day' when all tires were made with cotton belts, flat spots were never a problem but, then, cotton belts won't take the punishment that modern synthetic materials will. It's a trade off.

On the whole I agree with PackardV8. Most of the tires made, worldwide, today come from the same seven or eight manufacturers and are made to pretty much uniform standards being simply 'branded' for whatever markets they're going to. As long as I can find correctly rated radial tires for the vehicles I have and the service I intend to put them to, I buy the cheapest ones that I can find that are closest to the OEM height and width. This is my practise for my 'drivers.' If I showed any cars and was likely to loose points in judging, I'd probably take a different tack.

55PackardGuy,

The blower motor at front of engine compartment is located in fresh air intake.

Good point, Bernardi. Most people today don't know that in the early days of motordom Ford's major competition was not Cheverolet or Plymouth but the lowly Willys Overland. They were cheap, dependable and easy to maintain. Although GM caught up with their Chevies in the late '20s, the Overland's replacement (Whippet) was a typical Willys; again cheap, strong, dependable, simple and easily maintained.

While not Packards by any stretch of imagination, they were one of the best of their genre. In the short period that they were used, the (Willys) Knight with its sleeve valved engine was also a highly regarded piece of up-scale (though not in Packard's league) transportation.

"I've always loved the LTD/Crown vic panther platform cars, especially the gas tank location and design. Mounted close to just above the rear wheels gives better traction and you've got to crush halfway through the car the rupture it. The only grief I've ever had with them has been with the modern technology they've incorporated over the years. With the exception of the Lincoln models, I'll be sad to see them go."

Chuckltd, Funny you should say so. After two years of semi-retirement, during which time I drove the '55 Pat and rented one of nearly everything that comes close to being a "full-sized" car - turned out that I wasn't as retired as I'd thought I was going to be. Recently purchased a well-maintained, well-cared for 89 Cartier TC for general road use in lieu of a newer version and to give the Pat a rest. Economy is about the same as the 2009 Signature TC that I had for five days a few weeks ago but the "Panther" platform is so far above anything built, since, in comfort, silence, roominess and overall handling as to be astonishing. Took great pains to obtain one with as few computer-contolled electronic gee-gaws as I could find (non-digital dash, no rear air suspension) and have found that nearly anyone can work on them and that they're just the right age for parts to be readily available and comparatively cheap. AND - the ride is ALMOST equal to the '55 Pat. Personally, I find the 302 a trifle anaemic power-wise but, hey, you can't have everything.

And I stand by Eric's standing by it. Not only did it cure the slipping direct-drive clutch in my Twin-Ultramatic but, as a last resort before the transmission shop, I drained the fluid (which had been replaced yearly) in a 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis and replaced it with B&M Trick Shift. Lo and behold, the torque converter - which wouldn't stay locked into overdrive (at 73,000 miles) - fixed itself and STAYED fixed. It MAY only be Type F with friction modifiers - BUT IT WORKS.

The 14.4 average for city/highway driving corresponds to what I've been experiencing with my '55 Pat for the past 14 months or so of daily use. Recently bought another car so I could let it rest a little.

I'd suspect that the statistics for family members braining each other with the simple claw-hammer would be far more alarming than the statistics for pedestrians speared by hood ornaments. The number of non-problems that bureaucrats can think of to "regulate" never ceases to amaze.

The Twin Ultra is, comparably speaking, not that complicated or mysterious but it is considerably different from what the average transmission rebuilder is used to looking at and working on. Further, as in my own experience, the average transmission mechanic, today, is not used to (or in some cases even familiar with the concept of) mechanical throttle linkage controlled shifts. Everything is controlled by computers nowadays.

You should, if you cannot get satisfaction from the shop that did your rebuild, have someone familiar with Ultramatics check yours out before junking it for something else that won't be any less troublesome in its setup and execution.

Mr. Pushbutton can advise you on that aspect of your setup and there are reputable, experienced folks in your area who should be able to diagnose your problem and fix it. Parts are available from Ultramatic Dynamics.

Leaving drag-racing and hot-rodding out of the equation, these transmission are dependable and smooth operating as most of the competition's were at the time they were built - AND they're PACKARD.

Multi-weight motor oils were just coming into use when your car was made. If I recall correctly, Havoline 10W-30 was on the market and undoubtedly used. If you're worried about the ZDDP content of whatever you're using, order some ZDDP-Plus and add 4 oz. when you change the oil. Use weight/viscosity that was recommended by Packard for the average temperatures encountered where you live. You can use the diesel motor oil if you choose. Many do.

Maybe not for the manufacturers but there was another, more practical, reason for the top colour of two-tone paint schemes to be the lighter one for those of us who lived in the desert South-west.