PackardV8,

Does not have sighting glass.

HH56,

I went with power condenser primarily because of the temps, humidity and heavy traffic in the metro-Orlando area and because of the difference in physical size of condensing units. You are right to be concerned about the extra draw on the electrical system. I switched my generator for a standard, early 1980s style GM (Delco) alternator, bought locally and converted to positive ground. The generator would keep up in normal daytime driving in heavy traffic but, at night with the lights and AC on, lights dimmed noticeably and battery charging current at low speeds and idle was insufficient. The alternator neither overcharges nor undercharges battery and lights work at steady intensity. Engine temp increases slightly when using AC but remains well within acceptable operating parameters. My engine was completely overhauled and radiator re-cored two years ago.

HH56,

I ordered the following parts from Classic Auto Air:

#1-1014 Heat/Cool/Defrost Box
#12-1001 Standard "O" Ring Type Drier
#5-128 Sanden (R-134) Double V-groove Compressor
#7-1001 Sanden Swing Plate
#7-182 Universal Adapter Plate
#11-1027 Power Condenser

Lines, connectors, heater control valve and defrost control came with the kit.

There is no problem routing air to the original dash vents and defroster. The AC controls (Compressor on/off, temp control, fan speed) are located on front of heater box and not difficult to reach and I am using them. Defroster and heater control valve are cable operated and are tied in to existing dash controls. Suspect that, were I inclined to spend the time doing so (and I may, later), one could shade-tree engineer the compressor/temp/fan speed controls to work with the original controls as well but, I live in Florida and it was HOT. Have driven car, both locally and a couple of 400 mile round trips on the road, for upwards of 18 months and the system more than adequately cools the car. Temp control automatically cuts compressor in and out according to set temperature. I like the system. It does the job and parts are easy to come by if one needs them (I haven't). This was my main consideration in purchasing this, somewhat pricier, package rather than some of the less expensive ones that I found.

"What did u use for an evaporator and where did u mount it???"

Actually I wound up replacing the whole system with components ordered from Classic Auto Air in Tampa, FL, except for the compressor bracket and the original crank pulley. The drier is mounted in front of and to left of radiator, power condenser is mounted in front of radiator. The compressor came with a, "universal," adapter plate but found that simply lining up one hole in the original bracket and drilling three holes in the Sanden swing plate that came with the compressor served to put the compressor in the right position. Has worked like a charm for going on two years. Used a replacement heat/AC/defrost box that fits under the dash in approximately the same position as the old one and has controls built in. The original had been allowed to leak, at some time, for so long that that it was, literally, a hunk of corroded metal. As with everything that I've modified on the car in order to use it as a daily driver, system can be returned to original if someone comes up with original parts. I was primarily interested in having air conditioning and there wasn't enough left of the original AC to work with.

My '55 Patrician with factory air had the same bracket that is is in HH56's photos and oil filter mounted on left side when I bought it. Lehigh compressor was frozen, evaporator was gone and lines had been cut. Made an adaptor plate to fit the factory compressor bracket, hold new Sanden compressor and line pulley belt up with original crankshaft AC pulley for new AC system.

John, I've got a '55 Patrician, acquired a little over two years ago, indirectly, from a museum. Car had, evidently, been sitting in storage for many years but was all there and did run. Most of what was wrong with it was from disuse and, from all that I can tell, being used as a parts car for another that probably required less work. At least they'd exchanged the canibalised parts with ones from whatever car they were finishing and it was all there and would start and run. Replaced the entire brake system, a good bit of the wiring, rebuilt the engine (main and rod bearings shot and one cylinder wall scored), replaced the partially remaining original air conditioning with a modern system from an outfit in Tampa, Florida and replaced every bushing and piece of rubber on it as well as the kingpins/inserts, etc. Surprisingly, with all of the slander and negative publicity that the Twin Ultramatic has been subjected to, my experience was the same as Turbopackman's. Many people had evidently worked on this car since it was last on the road in 1989 but, after adjusting all of the linkage, dropping the pan to see what may have been in the bottom, cleaning the filter and changing the fluid a couple of times, it works surprisingly well. My direct-drive clutch slippage went away within a week after putting B&M Trick Shift in the thing. Had been driving it, regularly, around town for about a year and a half and experienced occasional clunky lock-ups going into direct drive but, after (my first) four hundred mile road trip about two weeks ago in combination city/highway (75 to 80 mph) driving, all problems seem to have cleared up and you can't even tell when it shifts unless you're paying close attention. I can tell little difference in acceleration between, "mush," drive (torque converter) and, "shift," drive (planetary side) and it seems to like being driven in, "mush," better so that's where I usually leave it. When they're sorted out these cars seem to behave better when they're driven. I know one person who has done the Torqueflight conversion on his and he's unhappy with it and, from my (admittedly limited) knowledge of transmissions, were I going to replace the T/U would probably go with a 700 R. As long as the T/U works and/or I can get it fixed, I'll stick with it. It is uniquely Packard and perfectly adequate to its purpose when working properly. Must admit that I am intensely interested in Turbopackman's T/U overdrive research, however, and looking forward to seeing what he comes up with.

If my memory serves E. L. Cord's corporate empire included Cord-Auburn-Duesenberg, Eastern Airlines and Lycoming - possibly others of which I am unaware.

Parts Book shows only one P/N. Mine is original to the engine in the '55 Pat, has no holes and has original, "Packard Ivory," paint on it.