I am trying to replace the upper inner control arm bushings for the front suspension on my 55 Clipper with torsion bar suspension and I am having trouble getting the old bushings out of the control arm. Are they a press fit or can they be driven out with hammer and punch? Any help is gratefully appreciated. Thanks in advance.

PackardV8, No to your first question, 338 does not appear the VIN for the car. The numbers on the bottom of the pistons are on the wrist pin boss as you said yours are.

Don't know if the engine was ever overhauled before or not. It just seemed strange to find the number writen on each and every piston. The number on the side of the of the block seemed like it was written after it was painted so it suprised me when I found the same number on the pistons!

While tearing down my 352 V-8 for overhaul I discovered a three digit number (338) hand written on the side of the block with either a crayon or paint stick. This same number is on the bottom of each piston as well as the cyclinder number each piston was installed in. Is this three digit number a production number of some sort?

I have decided to take cortcomp's advise and strip the engine down and have it hot tanked. I wasn't going to do the bottom end but once I have the heads off it won't take that much more to pull the pistons, crank and cam. That way I can get all that old gunk out of the passages.

I just pulled the V-8 out of my '55 Clipper and was wondering what is the best way to clean 55 years of oil, grease and dirt off of the engine and transmission. I would like to paint it after I overhaul it so I want to get it spotless. Any suggestions?

Thanks Randy, Kev and JW. I'll see if I can contact him.

I am also interested in finding someone to rebuild my Twin Ultramatic. I am considering pulling the engine and trans out of my '55 Clipper Custom this winter and giving them the once over. They both leak and the trans gets stuck in Park sometimes. I live in Southcentral Pennsylvania. If there is someone in this region of the country that has experience with Ultramatics would be nice.

For more photos of the PAC meet at Gettysburg my wife has posted some on her photoblog at the link below. She took over 200 pictures that day. Enjoy!http://www.theclicksofmyshutter.blogspot.com/

Here are some photos from the car show today.

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