PB 5682 (converted to lever by previous owner)

I fully understand why Packard needed to try the Executive to placate unhappy dealers, but IMHO the most beautiful car built by Packard in 1956 was the discontinued Clipper Custom. The Clipper grill in 56 (not 55) was gorgeous, while the senior Packard grills looked to me to be a bit too massive. I say this despite owning, and loving, a 56 Patrician.

Dear Randy, What they were talking about was the 2.89 rear differential, new for 1956. The 2.89 was standard on the Clipper Deluxe and the Super hardtop and available on all Clippers and Packards. A Packard Patrician with the 2.89 rearend vice the standard 3.54 gave the same effect as being in overdrive.

I agree, the 56 Packard "bird" seems much more graceful and impressive than the 55. Also the 55 ornament pointed down (somewhat like the early 50's Imperials)in the front while the 56 was level. IMHO the level one looked better. I have always thought that the 56 hood ornament was as beautiful as any ever made.

Diamondback Tires vulcanizes white sidewalls of any size on modern radial tires made by major manufacturers. The set of radials I bought from them for my 1956 Patrician were mounted on Firestone tires. I am very pleased with them and they handle MUCH BETTER than the old bias ply tires. Packard would have used radials if they had been available from U.S. manufacturers in 1956.

The evidence is strong that Nance scuttled the Nash-Packard merger when he found he would not be in charge. One source quoted Nance as saying, "Mason will come back to the table, he hasn't anywhere else to go." Apparently the Nash-Hudson merger took him by surprise. I think that Mason realized that Studebaker was the "sick puppy" among the independents and I doubt he ever wanted them included. Studebaker had an obsolete factory, spoiled workforce and a very unfavorable contract with the UAW, not to mention a somewhat out of touch management. I have never understood why Nance went to an outside consulting firm to survey Studebaker. I cannot believe that a team of Packard engineers and cost accountants would not have recognized Studebaker's fatal weaknesses very quickly. I have always thought that Studebaker bribed the consulting firm to produce such a glowing report. Packard probably could not have survived over the long term without some form of merger, but tying themselves to an anchor like Studebaker (who built some great cars) was fatal.

Steele Rubber will replace the rubber and vulcanize it to the metal parts. I haven't had to use this service, but everything I have purchased from Steele has been first rate, and the rubber will be fresh, whereas the Kanter rubber may have been on the shelf for a long time.

No idea, but I do know that the numbers don't match. It is a 1955 Patrician with an excellent body that I bought from an old repair shop in Georgia. The car was totally disassembled, but all there. It came with two engines, one a 320 and the other a 352 out of a 55 Clipper Custom (same engine as the Patrician)which we have rebuilt. It also came with three Ultramatics, two of which had been cannibalized. The 0127 Ultramatic is complete and the one we plan to use. Sooner of later it should be a super car.

Well I looked at the ultramatic casing. The good news is that it has a number, the bad news is it doesn't look anything like the number on the photo. The number starts with a faint "O" (this is either the number zero or a capital letter O). This is followed by three clear numbers, 217. Does this mean anything to any of you? Thanks for the help.

Unfortunately my transmission is about 40 miles from where I live, so I won't be able to get the number until Saturday. Will let you know then.