Happy Easter and welcome to Packard Motor Car Information! If you're new here, please register for a free account.  
Login
Username:

Password:

Remember me



Lost Password?

Register now!
FAQ's
Main Menu
Recent Forum Topics
Who is Online
160 user(s) are online (105 user(s) are browsing Forums)

Members: 2
Guests: 158

Ozstatman, Packard Don, more...
Helping out...
PackardInfo is a free resource for Packard Owners that is completely supported by user donations. If you can help out, that would be great!

Donate via PayPal
Video Content
Visit PackardInfo.com YouTube Playlist

Donate via PayPal



(1) 2 3 »

Repairing '55 Clipper seat panels
#1
Home away from home
Home away from home

Craig the Clipper Man
See User information
For more than a year now I have been scouring the Internet in search of what must be the most elusive part for a 1955 Clipper -- a left side seat panel for an electric seat. I have seen 1 right-side panel for sale on eBay, but that is the only one I have ever seen.

Sixty-two years ago when it was built, the seat panel for the Clipper was probably viewed as little more than window dressing; so I don't think Packard put a lot of thought into how the panel rested atop a roughly 1-inch-by 1/8-inch steel tab jutting up from the center of the seat. This post is stationary; so every time someone sits into the driver's seat, the seat and panel drop down. This means that the plastic panel is continually being pushed down onto the post.

After 62 years, the seat panel plastic is dry and brittle. It has been repaired many times and I just don't know how much more it can be repaired. I would appreciate any and all advice for carrying this out.

Craig

Posted on: 2017/7/3 10:08
You can make a lot of really neat things from the parts left over after you rebuild your engine ...
 Top  Print 
 


Re: Repairing '55 Clipper seat panels
#2
Forum Ambassador
Forum Ambassador

Owen_Dyneto
See User information
Maybe you've already tried them, but among the first places I'd check with for a replacement are:

Mike Dulinski
Joel Ray (Patrician Industries)
Bob Stolzfus (Bob's Packard Parts).

You can check the Yellow Pages on the PAC website for contact information if you don't already have it.

Posted on: 2017/7/3 11:07
 Top  Print 
 


Re: Repairing '55 Clipper seat panels
#3
Forum Ambassador
Forum Ambassador

HH56
See User information
I believe some repairs have been thin fiberglass or sheet metal reinforcements right around the areas prone to breaking. I think the downside to that approach, aside from the size of the repair area, might be the original piece doesn't seem to bond well to the fiberglass in some cases so the repair doesn't work as intended.

I wonder if there is enough room for something more substantial that would spread the stress over a larger area -- maybe completely fill the top of the panel. Perhaps something like a thicker acrylic or aluminum filler piece with a contour that could go inside the panel and would fill in the hollow area that gets all the flexing and cracking. Screw that in separately from the panel and then mount the panel over.

If there is enough room, something like that possibly could be shaped to utilize original screw locations and also attach somewhere else with maybe a minor modification or addition of secondary screw mounting plate.

If someone has photos showing the existing mounts and panel damage maybe some suggestions for other approaches would come forward.

Posted on: 2017/7/3 11:30
Howard
 Top  Print 
 


Re: Repairing '55 Clipper seat panels
#4
Home away from home
Home away from home

Craig the Clipper Man
See User information
I have not tried fiber glass yet, though I have some at home. I did have one idea: I cut a piece of 1/2-inch flexible PVC pipe about 7 inches long. It fits perfectly in the area inside the top of the panel. I cut a fairly thin rectangular hole in the middle of the pipe where the panel would rest on the metal tab.

Using a generous amount of JB Weld, I think the PVC would bond to the old panel plastic and I could fill in the cracks on the top of the panel with resin.

I wanted to find someone with a 3-D printer who could make a mold for the panel, but I haven't had any luck so far. I believe 3-D printing could revolutionize part replacement for older antique cars.

Posted on: 2017/7/3 12:07
You can make a lot of really neat things from the parts left over after you rebuild your engine ...
 Top  Print 
 


Re: Repairing '55 Clipper seat panels
#5
Home away from home
Home away from home

Craig the Clipper Man
See User information
Owen and Howard:

Thank you both very much for your helpful input. I am definitely going to follow up on each of your ideas. You guys are two reasons why this is the best website on the Internet! (At least as far as us Packard folks are concerned!)

Posted on: 2017/7/3 12:21
You can make a lot of really neat things from the parts left over after you rebuild your engine ...
 Top  Print 
 


Re: Repairing '55 Clipper seat panels
#6
Home away from home
Home away from home

John McCall and Mitch Parker
See User information
Hold the phone! I think--but I am not positive--that I have an NOS Driver side seat panel. It is for a Senior rather than a Clipper as I remember, but now that I think of it, I may have a Clipper version as well. I will have to go through a plethora of parts to locate what I have, so please sit tight and let me see what I can find. It may be a week or more before I can check this out. I don't know what your color scheme is, but these pieces can be easily painted to match your interior scheme. I hope I can help! [I agree that this is a detail that Packard did not think through very carefully. At least the slot should have been reinforced in some way to shield it from the movement/s of the driver/s].

Posted on: 2017/7/6 11:35
1956 Packard Caribbean Convertible
1956 Packard Patrician Touring Sedan
1938 Eight Touring Sedan
1949 Custom Eight Touring Sedan
 Top  Print 
 


Re: Repairing '55 Clipper seat panels
#7
Home away from home
Home away from home

Craig the Clipper Man
See User information
Esquireman:

I do not believe a senior '55 would work on that seat, but if you have a driver's side panel, I would definitely be interested. The panel color is "citron" or yellow. The paint color does not make any difference since I can just repaint it. One note -- my car has a power seat.

I agree that Packard must not have given much thought to the interaction between the seat and the seat panel. I supposed they might have had some more important things to consider ... like saving the company.

Posted on: 2017/7/6 15:00
You can make a lot of really neat things from the parts left over after you rebuild your engine ...
 Top  Print 
 


Re: Repairing '55 Clipper seat panels
#8
Home away from home
Home away from home

sanddoc
See User information
Gentlemen

I to have run into the problem with the older plastics breaking.
Interesting not on my 56 Packard, but on my 62 Ford and my 74
Dart swinger.
I thought I had the answer to all of these problems by using
the (3d printing) but even though I live in Los Angeles, I can't seem
to find such a business that is not flakey , I did just find out that
Office depot does 3d printing.
what is needed is the scanning, scan the parts then have them either
made with 3d or have a mold made...
On my 62 there are to many angles to try and fiber glass it, I tried, I tried
super bonding clue, nothing would hold the plastic.
But I think the 3d might be the way to go...
Anyone have any thought on this.
Best

Posted on: 2017/7/6 19:26
 Top  Print 
 


Re: Repairing '55 Clipper seat panels
#9
Forum Ambassador
Forum Ambassador

HH56
See User information
There is a place in LA that advertises a service for doing 3D prototypes that might work for a one or two off piece.http://www.hollywood3dprinting.com What I suspect is just like finding a place to do small runs of CAD/CAM or CNC work there would be a large up front setup fee.

I think the problem with doing a 3D repro of the seat panel is going to be size. I haven't kept up lately to see if anything other than the experimental units that are doing the 3D printed houses and automobile bodies are available now but most of the units I have read about can only handle something under 12 inches and most of them are a lot less than 12". I would be surprised if Office Depot has a machine capable of doing the long panel. Another question would be could the plastic material used in the regular machines stand up to interior heat if the car is left in the sun and what would the finish surface look like.

I am wondering if a silicone or urethane mold could be made of a good panel face. Spray that with Gelcoat and then apply cut fiberglass strands with some mat or fiber and metal reinforcement at the trouble spots. That approach should maintain some resemblance to the grainy texture of the original piece as well as allow the repro piece to be made thicker and maybe less prone to cracking. Gelcoat can be brushed or sprayed but finding an inexpensive chopper gun for the strands might be an issue.

Posted on: 2017/7/6 20:19
Howard
 Top  Print 
 


Re: Repairing '55 Clipper seat panels
#10
Home away from home
Home away from home

John McCall and Mitch Parker
See User information
One of these I remember to be an NOS 56 Citrine driver side cast for the power seat. I am in Florida for a week and a half but will make this a priority when I return. CAN NOT BELIEVE THIS IS THE COLOR YOU NEED. Although this is probably a senior plastic casting I am fairly sure it will screw right on.

Posted on: 2017/7/7 8:19
1956 Packard Caribbean Convertible
1956 Packard Patrician Touring Sedan
1938 Eight Touring Sedan
1949 Custom Eight Touring Sedan
 Top  Print 
 




(1) 2 3 »




Search
Recent Photos
Photo of the Day
Recent Registry
Website Comments or Questions?? Click Here Copyright 2006-2024, PackardInfo.com All Rights Reserved