Re: 55 newbie Questions

Posted by Leeedy On 2017/10/31 13:42:50
Quote:

Whippersnapper55 wrote:
I printed out all service literature on the engine, twin ultramatic, electrical, and suspension. Thanks for having that available to download.

The car is at my mother's house and I live in an apartment so I get out there about once a week, if that. 3hour drive roundtrip.
I went this Sunday and got more time and pictures with the Packard.

Before I post pictures, am I doing something wrong because all my last pictures came in side ways after posting them???


I am going to go with the twin ultramatic for now but I can get I very good deal on a toploader 3 speed and I'm up to having a manual transmission, I'd prefer it. But I have to stick with what I got. With no key I can get the shifter to make 3 or four clicks in Neautal and Drive, but I notice the lever in the PN'D'LR won't click into Park or Revesese.

Can anyone please post a picture of their engine compartment because that will help me out due to the lack of parts I'm missing,thanks alot

I will be back soon


There is absolutely no connection on a 1955 Packard between the transmission shifter and the ignition key switch. None whatsoever. Whatever interlock you may be imagining did not appear on cars until the 1980s... the result of so-called runaway cars which supposedly took off on their own while in neutral or in reverse and other conditions claimed. Car makers were forced to devise a system that forced the driver to plant their foot firmly on the brake pedal before the shifter could be moved out of "Park." But this is not the case with your Packard. There was absolutely no such thing as a shift interlock in 1955.

If the shift lever is not moving into all positions, first check the linkage. Then check to make certain the trans has not already been abused or has a stuck park pawl. Get under the vehicle and check movement on the shift arm on the side of the transmission. This will confirm whether things up top are going to move properly. With so much missing, it may simply be a linkage issue. But the only way to know is to get under the vehicle and check.

Of course getting a key made for the ignition switch is a very, very simple thing and this is a step that can be done very quickly and reasonably priced. This should be one of the very first things to do with a car like this one.

The best thing to do when buying a car like this that has been sitting a long time and missing parts is to simply resolve to go through everything top to bottom. That takes a lot of time and cash, but there aren't too many shortcuts. Yanking out original parts and rodding it will only add a lot more work and make it a lot less Packard.

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