Re: '55 autronic eye system

Posted by Leeedy On 2009/2/7 18:34:36

A lot of people have forgotten that factory-authorized accessories and accessories offered by dealers were two different animals. There were several Packard dealers that offered GM/Delco's Autronic Eye- even though it was not in the salesman's book of official accessories.

Earle C. Anthony offered these units in 1955-56 and possibly earlier as their own accessory. I bought a 56 Patrician many years ago from an old lady in Hollywood and it was equipped with Autronic Eye. She hated it because she could not understand how it worked and got stopped by the LAPD for flashing her headlights at them (the unit was not adjusted properly)! They also sold a vacuum ashtray accessory as well. So did other dealers. I had both a '55 and a '56 Four Hundred so equipped with the ashtray.

One of my 1956 Caribbeans came with a GM/Delco Autronic Eye laying in a box in the trunk. It had never been installed but was painted to match the vehicle interior.

Also there was the Packard Esquire (as written up years ago in the Packard Club's Cormorant magazine). These rare cars also featured Autronic Eye.

And GM sold the Autronic Eye unit- as an accessory in general as well as official dealer and factory-installed options. You could buy a whole Autronic Eye kit through a Delco Electric dealer.

Eventually, these units came with a special 3-position floor-mounted headlight headlight dimmer switch which eliminated the need for two switches.

So. There is every possibility that your car had this item installed when new.

I understand that Packard had planned to have this feature anyway for 1957. Lincoln, Imperial, Continental as well as several GM cars would have it. Ford and Chrysler licensed their units from GM anyway into the 1960s.