My personal opintion is to keep the Ultramatic. Unless you're going to race the car, which is HIGHLY unlikely, (unless you're nuts like me!) the Ultramatic will suffice rather well. If you ARE thinking about racing a Packard, I'd recommend using a manual trans, they're so much stronger for the purpose. Anyone needing help on manual conversions for either straight eights or V8's let me know, I've done 'em both.

Mikes may not be good anymore. I gave that link a few months ago and someone checked only to be told the principals had apparently had a difference of opinion and the guy that did the conversion was no longer there or was not doing them.

If someone does find an option, might be nice if they'd post a ballpark figure to reference.

Try here:http://www.1956goldenhawk.com/tran400.htm

And here:http://www.mikestransmissions.com/Classics/UltraOD.html

My casting is 3-19-47 not that early but 5 months older than yours. Anyone with a prewar 356 and 22nd series 356 care to chime in with their motor number & casting date locations.

I thought of that also but the cars were assembled in Detroit since the Canadian operation closed in 1939. The 2103 was sold through a Winnipeg Manitoba dealer,Wright Motors, and the 2106 parts car was sold through Joy Motors in St.Paul/Minneapolis MN. Both are late production 21st series cars. I do notice that the number cast in the block is different than the number stamped on the pad whereas the engine number on my Clipper is cast into the block as is the build date. I did take a really hard look once again at my engine and could find no pad or stamped number on the upper rear of the block as on your engine.

Jack Nordstrom in Texas is doing the conversion for the 56 Packard engine used on Golden Hawk. I don't know how much more would be involved in fitting into the Packard since it obviously would not just drop in having different rear mounts. I believe the throttle linkage is also different.

You can check it out and get his contact info by going to the Hawk site. Once there, click on options, then in the technical information column is the TH400 conversion.

http://www.1956goldenhawk.com/

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This is only true for '54 and up models. The two '53 Clippers I had both had the larger 5X5" bolt pattern, same as my '56 Patrician. My '37 115c chassis also has the larger 5X5" bolt pattern, as well as the '48 Eight two door I used to have.

On the GM wheels, the thing to watch for is the center hole diameter. I had a Cadillac wheel given to me to use as a spare only to find out when I needed to use it that the center hole is smaller than a Packard and would not fit. If you're using it as a spare, you can torch out the center hole to make it big enough to fit on, but I don't recommend doing this on a regular use wheel. Incidentially, I know a wheel off of a '54 Buick Super will fit a Packard, as I used to have one of those too, and stole a wheel off of it to fit my '48.

As for the Junior wheels with the smaller bolt pattern, you also have to watch the center hole, as Ford wheels have smaller holes than Dodge wheels. I used to have a '49 Hudson that has the 5X4.5" wheels and Ford would not fit them, but MOPAR wheels would, as they had the larger center hole.

Keep in mind that MOPAR used an even smaller bolt pattern, 5X4.25, that looks very close to the larger size at first glance. I found a wheel adapter made of aluminum that I carried around with me to junkyards to verify bolt patterns of unknown wheels. It came in VERY handy, but is only for the 5X4.5" pattern. I need to find one with the 5X5" pattern for the same use.

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If someone has any info on this company would you please post it on this thread. Thanks
Bill

Gets curioser & curioser. Was your car originally made or assembled in Canada or did Detroit do something different in that respect for Canadian or export cars?

HH56, Well that is really interesting! I checked my Super Clipper just to be certain and found the engine serial number exactly as yours (passenger side) minus the build date which is on the other side of the block down below the starter just above the rib before the oil pan. There is also no date stamp beneath the head as on your blcok and no pad for one either. The build date on my car is "8 26 47" so a later block than yours also? I have a 2106 parts car and the date and serial numbers are in the same place as my 2103. Maybe I will take some photos for comparison and post here.