Re: Tips for moving a Patrician that has been parked for 35+ years?

Posted by Packard Don On 2024/6/27 19:00:49

You can put tubeless radials on the stock rims and Diamond Back even makes them that have the original bias-ply look so no problem there but converting to 12v and to disk brakes is overrated in my opinion. The brakes themselves would need to have a lot of engineering and a different pedal and arm to get a pedal that will work with a modern booster (Packard's Bendix system was 1:1) and it would also move the pedal considerably closer to the driver and probably put it higher up too.

65mph and higher is no problem and the original carburetor is more or less bullet-proof and very easy to rebuild. Changing to something else would require re-engineering the throttle system and transmission kick-down. The Ultramatic isn't the fastest from a stop but they are excellent, dependable transmissions and one of the first - if not THE first - to use a direct drive. These engines have a lot of torque compared to a period V8 so you'll probably be amazed at the power of a stock driveline.

As for the transmission replacement kits, they are not plug-and-play and require designing a new rear support, driveshaft modifications and much more.