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Take a look at my project blog, I cover installing an exhaust I got from one of those guys. I just cant remember who at this moment.

Here is where it starts in my Blog.

https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?post_id=71737#forumpost71737

Also, I see this the was Kepich (KlossKollection) on eBay at the time I believe.

Several have also recommended Waldron Exhaust as a good vendor. I looked into both Waldron and Classic since Kepich is NLA. I had used Kepich on the 56 and unlike others had very little problem so would have used them again. Body was off on that install.

Waldron is a bit more expensive but if it fits without issue as some have said then maybe worth the extra. Since your body is off and you have full access from the top, if you are looking for an absolute repro Waldron would probably be the choice. Their exhaust pipes run the length in one piece. Don't remember if that length is an issue if you have resonators but without them the single length from muffler to exit could be fairly long. Don't remember what that is on a 55 but if over about 3 1/2 - 4 feet you also pay for that single length in freight. Waldrons ships by truck so their freight was over twice the charge as Classic. They do offer to cut the exhaust pipe down to a shorter length for shipping but even doing that their freight was still much higher.

I have body on with the 47 and it would have been difficult to install the 5' length of exhaust pipe on that car in one piece without a lift etc so went with Classic and ordered off ebay. Shipped via UPS and they provide a slip joint in the now two piece exhaust pipe. Haven't installed it yet to see if the bends go south after the first one but looks nicely made.

One thing Classic could do better would be to offer the correct size clamps as an option with their pipes. Nothing comes with the tubing so you are on your own to buy those. Waldrons has a section where you can order clamps as needed at a decent price.

Stewart- I like the Waldron, they are right up the road. I could pick up for you and meet you in Indy one weekend save ya on freight.

Thanks for the info about the exhaust. I checked out the Waldron page and with all the positive feed back I go with them. Beside, Troy made me a offer I couldn't refuse.

Also to clarify about the upholstery. I'm not asking what colors to buy. I'm just not sure what types of cloth to look for.

Went out to the shop for about 30 minutes tonight. Cleaned up all the grounds and bolted the control box in good. Got larger lead wires (everything that was recommended I think) and still got nothing.

I guess I'll drill out those rivets and open this sucker up like the other one and clean it up too.

Do to the cold I brought the two T/L control units (old and newish) into the house along with my week little bench tester.

Right from the beginning I noticed something was wrong with the older unit. See the picture below. Both of the thin copper pieces that have two contacts each, were curved away from the grounding contact. So when the coil energized and pulled the copper piece forward the two contacts never made grounded the unit.

I don't know what was wrong with the newer unit. I cleaned the contacts and wired it up and it seemed to work well. It worked better if I moved the ground closer to witch ever coil (up or down) that I was using.

I am almost certain that my main problem is not getting a good enough ground. When it gets a little warmer I can get back out there and give it another try.

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You are absolutely right. Those contacts should be straight and appear to have been severely stressed -- it appears there was some kind of short or severe overload. If I were to guess it almost looks like voltage had been applied to the switch terminal and when the relay came in it shorted that voltage to ground.

I was just thinking about my grounding issue.

The chassis is painted.

I removed some of the paint behind the control unit so it would get a ground. I also removed some to ground the battery.

Should the bracket that holds the compensator also have a good ground? I did not remove any paint when I bolted it in place.

Motor should have a good clean ground but since the motor is running when you ground the small solenoid terminal wires at control box we can assume it has found an adequate ground.

I don't remember if the control box has thru bolts with a nut and washer or if the bolts thread into the frame. A clean frame plus a toothed lockwasher that will bite into metal should provide a good ground.

I don't have a picture of it but both the nut and the bolt that holds the control unit in place have an "attached" lock washer that are toothed.