Re: 1956 Packard Clipper

Posted by HH56 On 2019/8/5 8:39:15

No suggestions on the paint removal but on the stainless windshield and rear window trim have a look at the body section 19 in the 55-6 SM. Your 56 Deluxe would have the same procedures as the 55 instructions.

Basically, windshield is a combination of grooves in the rubber capturing and holding flanges on the trim and at the ends of the trim, the use of clips with studs that go thru the rubber held by nuts on the inside. At the rear, mostly clips inserted or welded in a channel in the stainless with studs going thru the rubber.

The problem you will run into if the rubber is old is undoubtedly the rubber will be hard and brittle. The trim may be bent when trying to remove it or worse, a chunk of the rubber will break off as you try to flex it to release the trim. The hard rubber could also affect the glass if a chunk breaks off or too much pressure is applied. If you wind up needing to remove the glass, whatever you do cut the old hard rubber off the body flanges and lift the glass out. Do not open the groove and try to bump it out as per the service manual procedure.

Steele does have new windshield rubber and may have the correct back glass piece but several have reported that the Steele rubber is a bit softer than factory and it can be difficult to get the stainless trim flange to stay in the grooves.