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Re: How to add a PCV Valve to a 1949 Packard
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Beginning around 1966, California smog law (apparently this has been forgotten today) required a specially vented oil filler cap (and/or other similar things) which then had a flexible rubber line that ran to the engine's air cleaner. My 1959 Continentals were thusly modified.
On cars with an air pump (factory for some California cars as of 1966) the oil filler cap was not vented and a small PCV valve (or direct fitting) was placed in a valve cover and again connected via rubber hose to the engine air cleaner. Same thing was done to some cars with road draft tubes. Anything vented out of the engine therefore went into the combustion chambers rather than the atmosphere. I had several Packards that were likewise modified by law in the 1970s in California. I'm sure some must still be out there. Many cars that were old enough, of course were exempt, but some were modified anyway... as was one of my 1956 Packards. Imagine that smog specs for California cars 1966 to about 1976 ought to be adequate for any PCV valve one should want to add.
Posted on: 2017/9/14 18:46
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Re: Instrument Panel Dimmer Switch Problem
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Having owned a lot of old cars and a small fleet of V8 Packards over the years, the one thing that seems to be common with most of them is the rheostat for instrument panel lights stop working after long periods of not being used to dim the dash lights. The most common malady I've discovered is that the coils and /or the contact for same become oxidized. This is especially common when the switch/fader feature is not used for long periods. One very, very easy remedy I discovered back in the 1970s was simply to cycle the rheostat back and forth about 25-30 times. The friction over the coiling usually cuts through any built-up oxidation and everything gradually begins to work again. An even better remedy I have used over the years was a spray can of tuner cleaner or carbon tet... (used to get these from Radio Shack stores). Spray over the rheostat coiling and contact segment, cycle back and forth... and voila! Also worked wonders of Packard V8 Factory Air Conditioning main rheostat control. Same process.
Posted on: 2017/8/21 17:25
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Re: Carpet Floors Mats for 56 Caribbean Wanted
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Yes, the illustration here shows the two rubber mats I described. The one on the right had a color insert that showed the circle & V symbol for V8 Packards. You will also note there is mention of "choice of colors" which I believe applied only to the V8 mats which I have seen in black, gray, blue. However, Car-Pets were also a Packard accessory for 1956 and may have been added too late to make the publication. But they did say "Packard" on the boxes with a logo and were color-coordinated. Eventually when I find time to go through my records in deep storage I may find more info on them.
Posted on: 2017/8/21 16:54
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Re: Carpet Floors Mats for 56 Caribbean Wanted
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"Car-Pets" were one of 3 different factory accessory floor mats offered in 1956. Car-Pets were color coordinated, but they were not multi-colored. Just one color. They came in brown, black, and gray from what I recall.There may have been other colors as well. When my 1956 Caribbean convertible was stolen, I had a NOS set of Car-Pets in the original box in the car. They were in brown color. At one time I had several sets of these, but this was my last set and they disappeared forever. Car-Pets were a Packard factory accessory and were like carpet on one side and textured vinyl on the other. They were held in place with special snaps that were screwed into the floor of your car. Thus they were removable for cleaning. Today, nobody seems to recall this Packard accessory floor mat for 1956. There was also a rubber floor mat that had a color V8 circle and V symbol. I only ever had one set of these and they also disappeared. The third type of floor mat was the black rubber "Packard" ones that are fairly common today.
Posted on: 2017/8/21 15:46
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Re: Carpet Floors Mats for 56 Caribbean Wanted
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We need to define what is being sought here. Are you seeking floor carpet? Or floor mats? Two different things. There were at least three different types of floor mats as factory and dealer accessories for 1956.
The rarest of these mats (most folks today don't even know they existed) were known as "Car-Pets" and were color-coordinated to match your factory carpet and made to snap onto and over your factory floor carpeting. And yes, these were made in colors that matched all Caribbean factory color schemes. As for floor carpeting... patterns do indeed exist and there are sources for carpet similar to original factory floor carpeting-which for Caribbean came in two main sections with smaller sections that went in strategic positions. And... if you have factory air conditioning, another piece went over the lower section of the plenum chamber/evaporator housing.
Posted on: 2017/8/19 17:41
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Re: 55/56 convertible hydraulic pump
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Ford was a leader in using transmission fluid rather than brake fluid. A very wise move since trans fluid is not nearly as likely to dry out like brake fluid. Yes, if you had anything on your power top motor reservoir referencing Dexron II it has to be a modern replacement pump. RE: brake fluid vs. transmission fluid and Packard... As for Packard being behind in using brake fluid in power convertible tops... actually, not so. GM was still using brake fluid in power convertible tops well into the 1960s. They eventually went to fully electric tops. RE: top position for fluid check... Of course, always check fluid level with top in fully raised and latched position. Adding fluid with the top lowered will almost certainly blow out the seals in your power top ram cylinders. By the way... when that happens in an overfill condition, the fluid that squirts past your seals will end up power squirting the inside fabric of your nice convertible top... along with the accompanying stains and odors! So not something you want to do.
Posted on: 2017/8/14 22:00
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Re: Goddess of speed
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A few things not covered in this discussion, but vital to the issue:
? There were numerous knock-off Packard radiator ornaments and hood ornaments over the years. Many of them were sold on the shelves of auto parts stores at least as recently as the 1970s-80s. And these were not merely the bird ornaments. ? Many of the ornaments found today were sold as motorcycle ornaments and even as bicycle ornaments. Whizzer Motorbike Company sold an entire line of fender ornaments-some of which were based right off of car ornaments, including Packard. ? For whatever reason, no one seems to know that many of the crystal ornaments that people think are all Lalique are not. Some were made by the Persons-Majestic Company (which also manufactured accessory radiator screens for Packards in the 1920s-30s. In fact, it was Persons (so I was told by a family descendent) that added the feature of illumination under the crystal ornament to work with headlights. ? Companies like Gem out of Illinois (I have several of their old catalogues) offered amazing numbers of ornaments-many of which were very similar to Packard. ? The so-called "donut pusher" (we always knew it as "donut chaser" in the days of Packard) indeed came in numerous forms forms and there were indeed several aftermarket versions, some with no arms. Some with lighted glass or plastic wings. And there was a series of donut chaser style ornaments made for bicycles... and they appeared in catalogues in the 1930s. ? RE: Earle C. Anthony and Packard ornaments... EC had several special accessory ornaments he personally promoted. One was the elaborate so-called "peacock ornament" that doubled as a radio antenna. There was also another cast peacock ornament. Some were done for special customers. Others were done only for his upper management of ECA, Inc. One of these was a cow standing on part of its own udder and howling with the statement "And you Think You've Got Troubles?" Yes, I still have the one I got from a top ECA man in the 1970s. ? As for pedestrians and whether or not they were worried about radiator ornaments or hood ornaments...NHTSA and other organizations pushed the auto industry on these issues, not so much pedestrians. And as one who worked in the auto industry all my life, I can assure you I've seen photos you don't want to see... regarding hood ornaments and what they can do to the human body. And not merely the pointy ones. There were plenty of very lethal ornaments to go around in the industry...for a lot of years.
Posted on: 2017/7/29 19:02
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Re: 55-56 changes
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One very important thing that needs to be considered is that 1956 changes were planned long before 1956. And such changes were vitally important to a luxury car in those times. There were certainly a lot of other changes, but this was a high-end automobile in an era where much of the prestige for American cars was that they changed in design and engineering every 365 days. Some very obvious, yet subtle changes to 1956 senior Packards were: ? V-trim on cathedral tail lights changed to red reflectorized hexagon with chrome bezel. ? Anodized mesh on instrument panel changed to new textured design. ? Instrument panel clock diameter increased in diameter. Packard gave it their best shot.
Posted on: 2017/7/17 15:09
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Re: Lost Caribbean
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Perhaps I'm missing seeing some of this posting, but with no photo and no vehicle number, there is no way to know which Caribbean this was! What was the number? I have kept my own records on Caribbeans for many decades...
Posted on: 2017/7/17 13:21
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Re: data plate refinishing
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For data plates and refinishing, contact Jerry at Nostalgic Reflections in Veradale, WA. They have a web site. Tell them I sent you.
Posted on: 2017/7/17 13:08
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