Re: Randy Berger's 1956 Caribbean

Posted by BH On 2007/10/28 15:37:33

Randy -

Your #2 pump appears to be a modified version of the early/original 55th-56th Series design.

I had discussed the early and late pump designs with PackardV8 (Keith) years ago at the old CC Live Chat, which fell victim to the bursting dot-com bubble, and again with him and Turbopackman (Eric) at the AACA site, though many of the latter posts are no doubt lost now. While Keith may have mentioned a possible third design, I don't recall any evidence supporting that, but there may have been some confusion with the Hash version.

STB 56T-20 (dated May 20, 195) merely advised that "oil pumps for production have been revised to include threaded plug" and not much else - except the introduction date of April 10 (and starting engine numbers). However, the parts book further indicates a 1" valve in that later design, and I believe it was PackardV8 who tipped me off about that additional change, years ago.

Prior to that introduction, the field trial outlined in the confidential letter to Zones (dated March 20, 1956) recommended brazing the cotter pin holes shut, tapping the hole with a 9/16-24 thread, and fabricating a plug that would place the (original) valve spring retaining cup in the same position as before. However, the valve piston was also scored to permit trapped oil to shuttle back and forth.

BTW, PackardV8 tried something quite similar with an early pump on his Exec, in addition to replacing the vac pump and separator with a thicker bottom plate and upper and lower bushings for the driving shaft.

The follow-up letter to Zones (dated April 24, 1956) advised that an initial supply of sump tube kits was being shipped to the Zone parts warehouses - in advance of the release of STB 56T-20.

If you had found evidence of cotter pin holes closed up, I'd conclude your car was involved in the field trial. If the holes were never drilled, then you might have an intermediate attempt to introduce something into production prior to the release of the later design (and sump tube kit).