Re: Retainers for scripts

Posted by BH On 2012/7/21 20:38:45

Buick may not have used rubber washers, but I can assure you that Packard did.

Check the 55-56 parts book, and you'll see that the seal was used on script plates installed on front fenders (Gr. 30.7815), rear fenders (Gr. 30.7928), and trunk lid (Gr. 31.1893) - P/N 444214. IIRC, some that I removed seemed to be made from something more like a very dense foam rather than rubber sheet.

However, unlike the one-size-fits-all rubber washer, the size of the retainers varied, based on the diameter of the pins on the script plates. Not sure about Clippers, but the push-on retainers for script plates on 55-56 Seniors (including the Exec) that I've removed from original unrestored cars were not rectangular, but round - coinciding with the shape of the seal. Never found a "barrel nut" used on those.

For script plates on the rear fenders and trunk lid, the seal was installed from inside the car - sandwiched between the panel and the retainer. The retainer was also pressed on from inside. I can't recall, however, the placement of the seal on Senior front fenders - whether it weant against the inside of the fender or just the ribbed stainless trim.