Push Button Controlled Ultramatic

Posted by Reyman R. Branting On 2010/8/25 0:38:02

HELP!!!

Today I bought a beautiful 1956 Patrician. It was in a shed out in the country - a true barn find we all dream of finding.It has apparently been restored (?) by a true car guy and appears like new.

The owner had become ill four years ago and died two years ago. It has been a year or so since the car was last started or moved. With the help of a new battery and a little either, the engine started nicely. The push buttons cycled the transmission through all the gears except "D".

The brake pedal was hard as a rock, immovable.

When we tried to back it out of the shed, we found all four wheels locked. Shifting between L and R didn't free them, so an hour later a flat bed arrived. In winching it out of the shed, three of the wheels turned. After a 30 mile trip, the fourth wheel freed up as it rolled off the flat bed. The transmission worked, too, and we drove a few feet to a parking space.

After hosing the dust off, we backed the car up for photos to secure an antique plate. The engine raced to move in reverse, but it backed up 30 for 40 feet. When we attempted to return the car to the parking space, the transmission would not shift. We started the engine and punched every button, but no response. When we shut the engine off, there was a clicking sound. Turned out to be coming from what appeared to be some relays on the driver side fender. The clicking continued with the ignition off. It was not a steady drum beat, but intermittent.

In attempting to restart the engine, the starter might or might not engage momentarily. It was if the transmission control was cycling through the gears. The starter would engage momentarily, as if the cycle was passing through the P and N mode.

If this diagnosis is correct, how do I fix it? Until today, my experience has been only on 55's.

If it isn't, I'm in even more need of help.

Any advice will be gratefully accepted.

Thanks,
Bernardi

P.S.
I hope the text doesn't get lost this time.