Re: 1956 Clipper Radio

Posted by HH56 On 2020/3/8 10:38:21

Interesting on the extra switch for the emergency brake working a pump. Packard offered an optional light that would activate when the emergency brake was applied and light up a BRAKE indicator. Switch was maybe in the same place yours is so perhaps the one who did the changes on your car used the same bracket.

On the Packard installed factory option if the car had a standard trans or the pushbutton Ultra the normal shift quadrant lettering was replaced with a plastic piece which had BRAKE written out. When sitting, the brake lettering was barely visible and there was just a dark spot on the dash. The 3/4" x 2" long piece of plastic lit up bright red whenever the emergency brake handle was pulled out enough to have any brake action. No ignoring that.

On cars with non PB trans which needed the shift quadrant, there was a small red indicator light on a bracket bolted under the dash. Have also seen the under dash bracket used on cars that did not need the dash space so possibly if a dealer installed the kit they found it quicker and easier to just bolt the bracket on rather than disassemble the dash to install the plastic. Not nearly as visible as the dash piece but still got the point across.

I had never thought about the PS on RHD. Not quite picturing the space limitations but wonder if there were mirror images of the steering control unit or the ability to turn it 180 and reverse the hoses and brackets to have it work on the right side. The pump should not have needed to move but no clue what else might have needed to change in the linkage. No idea if electric steering could be made to fit but if so I suspect it would take more current than the generator would provide. There are kits that can handle some of the street rods built on some 50s Chevy or Ford chassis so I would imagine something large enough could be found but maybe not for RHD. Would probably require a lot of fabrication as I doubt any of the original items could be reused. I think the electrics are all rack and pinion so a lot would need to change. 56 might not be too bad since it used the stub column. I assume they kept that with the conversion so adding a piece of shafting with couple of universal couplings and supports might do it. If something like a 55 with a solid column was used with the conversion, I think it would be a show stopper trying to get a new column to look anything like the original if that is a consideration.

I had my clock converted to quartz and it kept perfect time -- even the second hand was still working although it changes to a smooth sweep instead of the jumps. To a judge in a show that plus the silence is an immediate give away and maybe a point deduction. There was a company which advertised doing conversions on the older model clocks but I see the company that did mine no longer advertises anything earlier than 60. I know they had to fabricate and mount an extra gear train to get the time adjust knob to reach the smaller mechanism so maybe they no longer offer that part or it is a situation that needs a phone call to confirm if they can make the mods to fit in a particular shape clock.