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55Packardconv

Re: Fun with used cars

#21

Home away from home

Quote:

humanpotatohybrid wrote:
Quote:

Kevin wrote:
Quote:

Let the ride decide wrote:
Ross,

Top off looks nice.

I was fortunate to be able to borrow an NOS inner rocker MANY years ago. I had a friend make he and I copies. Attached are some pictures I took before the NOS inner rocke was shipped back to a trusting Packard person.

Questions;

Are you going to modify the outer frame brackets to fit the new inner rockers?

Did you box it in all the way to the firewall?

Will the body come off the frame, so the extra steel strapping can be welded to the frame?

Are you going to use the windshield as is, or cut it down like the Caribbean windshield? Will you add the extra bracing on the inside of the firewall? Can't wait to see how you are going to do the header.

Will you be adding the brace in the trunk, like the 56 Caribbean convertibles had?

I have more, but enough for now.

Holy Blast From The Past! Let the ride decide, that was me with the NOS rocker inners! Nice to know you are still around and still working on Packards!

That post was from 2013?

packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb ... 6086&post_id=127961#forumpost127961

It was indeed! I'd never seen the post before this! I still have the inners sitting in the crate (casket?) I made for them!

Posted on: 2024/11/23 16:47

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55Packardconv

Re: Fun with used cars

#22

Home away from home

Quote:

Let the ride decide wrote:
Ross,

Top off looks nice.

I was fortunate to be able to borrow an NOS inner rocker MANY years ago. I had a friend make he and I copies. Attached are some pictures I took before the NOS inner rocke was shipped back to a trusting Packard person.

Questions;

Are you going to modify the outer frame brackets to fit the new inner rockers?

Did you box it in all the way to the firewall?

Will the body come off the frame, so the extra steel strapping can be welded to the frame?

Are you going to use the windshield as is, or cut it down like the Caribbean windshield? Will you add the extra bracing on the inside of the firewall? Can't wait to see how you are going to do the header.

Will you be adding the brace in the trunk, like the 56 Caribbean convertibles had?

I have more, but enough for now.

Holy Blast From The Past! Let the ride decide, that was me with the NOS rocker inners! Nice to know you are still around and still working on Packards!

Posted on: 2024/11/21 12:50

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55Packardconv

Re: Various CL Pickings

#23

Home away from home

Here’s an interesting one. Kind of saddens me to see the Torsion Level removed from a V8 Packard, but to each their own.
facebook.com/share/18WLpxstho/?mibextid=79PoIi

Posted on: 2024/11/7 8:26

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55Packardconv

Re: Packard Caribbean comparison 1955 vs 1956

#24

Home away from home

Quote:

humanpotatohybrid wrote:
A 55 is gonna be less expensive. Really not a whole not of difference between the two so just buy what you would like to have IMHO.

Anything of concern in particular?

Some people have a strong preference for the 1956 because of the iconic seats and the pushbutton Twin Ultramatic, not to mention the fact that it represents the last Detroit-built Packard convertible and their flagship product.

However, HumanPotatoHybrid pretty much hits the nail on the head. The 1955s have really comfortable and attractive front seats, so it's no slouch in that department. There were more 1955 Caribbeans as well as more 1955 Senior Packards built than 1956s, so used and new parts availability may be marginally better for some things. The higher build quantity usually means the 1955s can be had for a little lower price than a comparable 1956. You're really never going to find yourself missing those 35 extra horses that the 1956 claims. Also, keep in mind that these cars are almost 70 years old, so many of the worst shortcomings they may have been born with have mostly been sorted out by now.

Unless you absolutely, positively, have to have a 1956 because of the styling updates, the engineering enhancements, or the additional features like the pushbuttons or the reversible cushions, there really is no reason not to actively shop the 1955 Caribbeans as well. Both years feature some of designer Dick Teague's best work, and either year will deliver an incomparable top-down motoring experience, as well as bring you great pride of ownership.

Posted on: 2024/10/5 14:57

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55Packardconv

Re: Interference of R/H turn signal light socket with A/C duct

#25

Home away from home

Quote:

Ayden.jakob03 wrote:
Are those Speakers in the kick panels?

Hey man, it was the 70's! These weren't $100,000 cars back then -- they were barely 15-20 year old used cars of special interest! LOL!

One thing that I'm surprised you didn't mention, Ayden, is that this photo shows the presence of those bright stainless A-pillar moldings that so many V8 Caribbeans are lacking. I didn't know they existed before you told me about them, and now I see what you were talking about.

Posted on: 2024/9/28 13:00

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55Packardconv

Re: 1955 MOdel 400 Headlight troubles

#26

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When I had problems with the headlamp breaker tripping on my 1955 a couple years ago, it turned out it was the headlamp wiring harnesses. They connect to a bus on each of the inner fenders just behind the radiator core support. From there, they traveled through the core support, and then through an access hole in the fender. Then they connect to the back of your headlamps.

These were originally made with cloth-covered wiring, so they did not weather their life inside the wheel well particularly well. Also, they are now roughly 70 years old and time has taken its toll, making the covering crispy.

In my case, the cloth had flaked away, and my wiring was shorting out directly against the inner fender.

Reproductions of these headlamp harnesses are available through Max Merritt if you find you need them. Good luck!

Posted on: 2024/9/13 11:34

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55Packardconv

Re: Frame swap under '49 Custom 8?

#27

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Quote:

humanpotatohybrid wrote:
Quote:

Tristar500 wrote:
I'm leaning toward swapping out the front suspension with a crown vic unit and keeping the Packard frame. It would made sense to swap out the rear as well to get disk brakes and wheels would all have the same bold pattern.

Again I simply do not see any convincing reason to do this. Not much difference in braking effectiveness, it might be difficult getting the steering gear to line up with the steering shaft, and the spring load and rate won't match so the car won't handle or take bumps like it was originally designed.

I'm with you, HPH. When this whole proposal is framed with the phrase "Too much time and money to keep it original," yet the OP is implying that he has plenty of time and money to mess around and try to formulate a way make a modern chassis fit an old body. I'm not sure how that computes. The necessary parts are out there for the repairs and restoration. These Customs were perhaps the easiest-steering of any non-power steering Packard ever built. The brakes are more than adequate for the car. They are wonderful tour cars for both driving and riding. Why would anyone want to lose all that?

Posted on: 2024/9/11 23:11

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55Packardconv

Re: Various CL Pickings

#28

Home away from home

Quote:

humanpotatohybrid wrote:
Quote:

39Rollson wrote:
I believe the desk might be a fake. The tag appears to be from a locker. Compare it to the tag from the chair. Tag on chair says property of PMC and is attached differently. Desk tag appears to have new screws.

Personally I disagree. The tag looks to be lacquered over and the lacquer also appears to be worn out.

If it's anything like the old property tags we had at GM's Fisher Body, they had codes for what facility they were from. The chair could have come from somewhere in the E. Grand Boulevard complex, and the desk could have come from somewhere in Utica, or the Downtown Detroit Sales & Service Branch, or the Grosse Pointe Branch, or the Toledo defense plant, or... Unless we find a Rosetta Stone or a 110 year old comptroller, we'll never know for sure.

Posted on: 2024/3/7 18:05