Re: 55 newbie Questions

Posted by Michael C Wauhop On 2017/10/21 7:40:36

Let me put my two cents in I have owned a 1955 400 hardtop since 2003 and in my years of ownership i have learned a couple of things about these cars firstly DO NOT REBUILD THAT ULTRAMATIC IF IT IS DYING! My Ultramatic have up the ghost in 2006 when it was 51 years old. The first one i had rebuilt by a good transmission shop in Phila Pa (where I live) lasted all of 2 years before it blew up. The next one I had rebuilt lasted about 6 months I drove it to the 2009 Gettysburg meet where it died, the rebuilder ( I wont give out his name because I don't think it was his fault) replaced it with another Ultra under warranty and that one lasted 2 years. I was passing a transmission shop in my hometown after this one self destructed and saw a man that looked to be in his 60s working on a 1940s Mercury. I asked him do you know anything about Twin-Ultramatics? He said is that the Packard automatic? I said yes could you rebuild one? He turned to me with a furrowed brow and said listen I remember those when they were new they were a pain in the ass to work on then and you cant pay me enough to work on one now! So I purchased the bendsents conversion kit for the 700r (GM) transmission. My car is a pleasure to drive now and get way better performance and especially gas mileage. The other thing I have to say the Bendix treadle vac is a reliable master cylinder the problem is ppl out there rebuilding it who do not know WTF they are doing-if you need your unit rebuilt send it to Ross Miller and FOR GOD'S SAKE DO NOT SENT IT TO WHITE POST RESTORATION!