Its interesting to also note that in 1955 the Nash and Hudson models with the Packard Clipper engine (320ci) were still 6V Negative ground cars.....while the 1955 Clipper and Packard models were 12V Positive ground (in 1955).... There were quite a few minor differences between the actual Packard V8 engines in Packards and the ones that were in the AMC Nash and Hudson models.... The oil pan, fuel pump, oil pump, water pump, carburetor, transmission cooler, head gaskets are a few that come to mind.... I used to come across Packard V8 engines in the local junkyard that had 6V coils on them....that is how I could identify them as engines from 1955 Nash/Hudsons.....

Hudson was indeed a rebadged NASH in 55/56/57, but there were still a lot of difference between those 2 models that get ignored... In 1955 and 1956 the Nash had a narrower tread in the front because of the shrouded front fenders....outside door handles were different...rear window was different...different dash and dash set up...the Hudson has slightly stiffer springs to make for a more steady handling.... Hudson had an antenna mounted in the middle of the front roof and Ambassador had it on the fender....On the Hudson you could still get the Triple Safe Brakes that had an emergency cable back up on the standard brake pedal in case of fluid loss (only with non power brakes).... Interiors and paint colors were different....They both shared the same V8 (Packard 320) but offered completely different six cylinder engines....Front end sheet metal was different for all three years offered as were the tail lights different..... Just like Ford shared the same Mercury body in 55/56 and Chevy/Pontiac did also.....so was the case with Nash/Hudson.... AMC tried and give each car a different identity....but the loyal return buyer was lost and the public was not fooled about them being similar cars and sales were too few to make it viable to continue their manufacture......

I have both a '55 Patrician w/Ultramatic AND a '56 Nash Ambassador with 352 Packard V8 and Ultramatic. Nash Ambassadors and Hudson Hornets used torque tubes for all their V8's in 55/56/57. There seem to be slight operational difference between my '55 Packard Ultramatic and my '56 Nash w/Ultramatic. Its most likely due to the change from the cast iron case in '55 to aluminum in '56 AND to some slight valve body alterations between '55 and '56 Ultramatics. A car with a torque tube will by its nature shift a little rougher than a car with an open (Hotchkiss) drive shaft.... One of the differences between the Packard and the Nash/Hudson with Ultramatic is the transmission cooler. It looks the same from a distance or from a photo but they are different and do not interchange....The body of the cooler is a different design and so is the mount... In theory it works the same way as the Packard cooler, but they will not interchange.....

Yes, it sounds like you have a car with factory air conditioning...congrats! The parts to restore the system should not be too hard to find.....just recently someone on here posted a compressor for sale..... is the condenser still present? It would look like a finned radiator and should be located in front of the normal car radiator.....

This is one of the most fascinating threads to come along on the 55/56 V8's in a long time......I'm enjoying it immensely....thank you for all your effort in posting the photos and your most welcome comments. The negative posts about cost/seller and this car ARE extreme....I'm ignoring them at this point and hope most others view this for its historical content on the construction of the early '55 models....

The big mistake with the 110 was calling it a "Packard". It was absolutely necessary for the company to survive in those years it was produced......but we must remember when Cadillac followed the same marketing practice of making a 'cheaper' Cadillac... GM didn't call it a "Cadillac", they called it a "LaSalle"......and when things got better with sales they discontinued it.... Naming the cheap car a "Packard" just cheapened the whole image of the company..... Hence the fact that the cheaper cars like the 110 and the Clipper outsold the senior cars many times over....and it was on those senior cars the company set its image and higher profits.....Marketing is a very tricky thing when dealing with a very fickle public... and Packard management failed miserably to ever learn this....That once the stellar image of their brand is diluted....its a difficult if not impossible thing to bring it back....especially in a timely fashion.....

The Packard 352ci engine that is in my '56 Ambassador does have a number stamped in the usual oil filler location similar to the Packard built cars. The number on my engine is "P27774"....but unlike Packard, this number does not correspond in anyway to the actual serial number on the data plate for my '56 Nash. I also have a spare Packard engine removed from a Nash parts car....the number stamped on the back of the block shows its a 352ci....the number near the oil filler is: "P23734".....

I have had three '56 Hudsons with the Packard V8 in them....all with Ultramatic. I believe that a standard transmission could be special ordered for Packard supplied V8 Hudsons.... but have never seen one so far in any of the AMC's with the Packard V8. The 55/56 AMC Hudson Service Manual does show a standard transmission, but it is the AMC/Nash transmission, either with or without overdrive...as ordered from the factory. I don't believe any 55 or 56 Hudsons were made coupling the Hudson wet clutch transmission to the Packard V8. I currently own a '56 Nash Ambassador with the Packard V8 and the block stamping lists it as a 352ci, which is correct for '56 V8 Nashs supplied with the Packard V8. It has the aluminum cased Ultramatic, which again is correct for '56 models.... I also own a completely original '55 Patrician....and it is amazing how many actual differences there were between the Packard installed V8 and the V8 supplied to AMC..... Also: Nash and Hudson used a torque tube instead of an open driveshaft...and there are very unique differences in the Ultramatic shift qualities because of that....

Packard Auction, no bids....October 2013....Latest on the Packard Plant from Hemmings Motor News.....
http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013/10/02/packard-plant-gets-no-takers-opening-bid-falls-to-21500-for-october-auction/?refer=news

I am installing a battery cut off switch...the type that clamps on to the battery terminal...and then the cable. My 55 Patrcian is all original with the standard 12+ ground system. That would make the Positive side of the battery the ground side.....and the Negative side of the battery the hot side...... am I correct that I should put the switch on the Negative (hot) side? Or should the cut off switch be on the grounded side of the system? Ive seen this both ways and heard it debated both ways. My past electrical skills incline me to think it should be installed on the Hot (negative) side of this system, so the hot side opens when the system is disconnected. What is the general opinion on this?