Re: 1956 Packard Patrician from Bring A Trailer

Posted by HH56 On 2022/7/13 14:40:58

I agree with the comment that it looks like you have a very good starting point so don't get too discouraged -- yet. The interior looks decent and most of the stainless trim looks to be in the trunk. As long as the paint isn't covering a layer of bondo over rust the items you mention are all fairly minor details and will hopefully take more of the elbow grease than $$.

On your listed issues, depending on what you mean by rough driving could be a couple of things. If you mean the engine is rough running that could just be from sitting and a few miles or a tuneup and carb work will bring it around. If you mean it feels like the suspension is not there then if it has bias tires, it could be a long sit and low tire pressure has put a flat spot on the tires. My cars rarely leave the garage and believe me, I am very familiar with that issue. Depending on how bad they are sometimes driving will round them out again but other times it will take a set of new tires.

Needing a jump could be a need for a new battery. Depending on if battery is the proper size and how new and how well it was was taken care of while the car awaited a sale, I would almost say start there. A trunk or glove box light that stays on are other places to look. Brake switches are also known to fail and can keep a low current drain going to the brake lights but not enough current going out to light them.

Riki already mentioned the gas sender and those are well known failure items. Unfortunately, unless a previous owner cut an access hole in the trunk floor the tank needs to drop to R&R the sender.

What happens when you try to raise the rear windows? If they grunt or you hear noise but no motion then most likely a mechanical binding issue but if you hear nothing or have absolutely no response from the motor then switch or wiring. Do the windows fail when trying both the rear door and drivers door switches or is it just one? Do the windows lower properly from both switches?

Emblem probably was pried off without removing the clip or nut holding it to the hood thus breaking a stud on the emblem. That one will most likely require a new piece.

Rear door lock issue depends on if you mean pushing the buttons on the rear doors down does not lock the door or if it means pushing one of the push buttons under the dash edge does nothing to activate the optional rear door electrical locking feature. More info needed. If you mean electrical and it has the option, if fronts work, it could be as simple as a wire falling off the door actuator -- but I notice the lock relay is missing or has been moved from the normal location so a question if it was so equipped.

Interesting that the rear seat speaker switch was moved to the side of the radio where the AC control would have been placed if it had that option and the antenna switch was moved to where the speaker control would have been. Is that the switch for the electric wiper motor that was placed where the antenna switch would normally go and wonder why not place it in the original wiper switch location.

Do the brakes and new pedal location work and feel well with the modern booster setup? It looks to be the original pedal but seems higher or farther out than normal so I would be curious what exactly was done with the pedal mounting to work the new booster in the raised location.