For those interested, there is a old stock Minor Kit on ebay. I would rather user new stock. But it way be good just for comparisons:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1952-53-54-55-56-PACKARD-NOS-BENDIX-POWER-BRAKE-KIT_W0QQitemZ160179424510QQihZ006QQcategoryZ34199QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Just out of curiosity, what model brake unit did you use for your conversion and did it fit pretty much in stock location without major surgery. Any info appreciated.

Mr Pushbutton

I've been running one of the (solid state) T/L control units on my car now for a little over a year. Like you, I assume that they're using the 555 timers but haven't taken it apart to verify. Being very familiar with the ice cube style relays from my days selling and installing low voltage card key entry and exit systems in commercial buildings, I would have attempted that, myself, if hadn't been on the road working and depending on someone else.

The solid state control box seems to work exactly as the old one did (until it died) and have made several road trips (the latest being from Orlando to Miami and back through some fairly heavy rain showers, day before yesterday). I've got the '55 Pat adjusted to sit about an inch higher in the rear (just because I prefer it that way). Works for me.

SWAG--shorter chassis,same torsion bars,less "stuff" in the rest of the body=less weight=higher riding height?

Just as a point of discussion, when I adjusted the T/L so that the rear skirt halved the hubcap, the car seemed too low in the rear. I adjusted it to appear level to both our eyes and the skirt was an inch and a half above the center of the hubcap. I looked at the front link and it had no rings. Does the Clipper sit higher than a senior Packard? I didn't think so but this one sits up rather high.

John. Did u get the envelope i sent u???

dr: There was another 51 Packard that ran in the 1952 Carrera Panamericana. Who entered the car and what was race number of the car. The car finished 12th if my research is correct.

John F. Shireman

At the BACK WALL of the RESERVOIR there is approx a 1/16 inch dia. VERTICLE passage that opens from the reservoir and into the rear seal area of the master cylinder OUTSIDE of the the pressure chamber. Brake fluid can travel down thru the hole and then be sucked into the vacuum can.

I too have found brake fluid in the vacuum can of 2 different tradle-vac power units.

Randy: your explanation of the glass with the straw is correct. BUT does NOT model the issues with the treadle vac. If u CAPPED the top of the glass and perhaps allowed only a SMALL vent hole then YES ABSOLUTLEY the vacuum in the straw would remove the water from the glass even tho the straw never touched the water. It is called EVAPORATION! A strong vacuum pump and certainly the vacuum of a gasoline engine would empty a beer glass half full of water in about 30 minutes. The top of the glass would need to be significantly (tho not necessarily completely) sealed from the atmospher to do it.

I never had any treadle vac failures with my 56 Exec. However, it did suck brake fluid that was found in the power can. That is why i did the conversion to a modern unit.

During my Treadle-Vac driving there were probably at least 3 occasions where i had to make hard emergency stops and one pedal slammer at about 60 MPH down to nearly stop. NO failure. GOOD BRAKES!! HOWEVER, i can not afford to chance the possibility of no recourse for recovery if the compensator valve does fail. It's the compensator valve that is a very bad design and allows for no recovery whatsoever under failure.

Joel, glad you're having good weather to tool around in your 400. The one saving grace in the T/V unit is that it is easy to remove, given a bit of patience and the hydraulic kit is readily available.
Frederickr - pay close attention to that poppet valve and spring as everyone has recommended. Remove the reservoir
cap to see if it is still full of fluid. If not, you are going to have to pull the T/V unit and rebuild it. Let us know your progress.

I suspect that the fluid is in the vacuum side of the unit. I have rebuilt a few of these and found fluid in the canister several times. I also drive my Packard around Dearborn Mi all the time and can't say I have had to slam on the brakes because of other drivers. It was a great blue sky fall day here yesterday and the Packard enjoyed the exercise.