What a lot of people don't realize when they look at the NADA value guide is that the initial value is for a car in pretty good condition mechanically and otherwise. Read NADA's description of their initial value. A lot of cars aren't in that condition. Parts cars or major fixer-uppers are definitely not included. I think NADA does provide at least a ballpark for better condition cars.
Ken

I guess it depends on how big you are, more in circumference than height, and how flexible you are but I am 56, about 5'9, about 140 lbs., and I can still get up and under to that dipstick, so it might be worth a try. You have a lot more ground clearance with Packards than you do with cars nowadays. I now add fluid through the hole in the transmission hump in the passenger compartment. I have found that if you remove the metal mesh filter at the top of the hole with tweezers, the ATF will go in much faster. Of course, I don't have old carpet to worry about.
Ken

FWIW, I am running a conventional 6 volt system except negative ground on my 53 Clipper. Original coil was Delco-Remy 1115376. I am currently using NAPA's ECH 1C7 made by Echlin, which NAPA listed as an interchange. Works fine on my system but have no idea how it would work with Pertronix.
Ken

Rich,
I own a 53 Clipper Deluxe 4 door same model as you and it came with a oil mesh air filter when I bought it. Like you, I wanted to replace the oil mesh filter with a paper one. You may find one to exactly fit, but if you do, you have done better than me. I went to a cooperative clerk at our local NAPA store and the closest we could come to an air filter that would fit was NAPA Gold Air Filter 6023. Only problem with NAPA Gold Air Filter 6023 is that it is a bit too tall. When you put the domed top over the air filter, the domed air filter top hits the hood. To use 6023, you would have to replace the domed air filter top with a flat air filter top, which would not exactly be stock. I may also have used an extension on the fastening bolt, I don't remember for sure. I suppose you can use the flat air filter top when you "go", and replace it with the oil mesh and the dome top when you "show". Or you could do like I eventually did, which was buy an oil bath air filter which is authentic which provides better filtration than the oil mesh, but not as good as a paper filter. There's a picture of my oil bath air filter that I bought on eBay in my project blog if you want to see it. I have heard that K & N Filters will build custom filters, so that might be another alternative. If anyone has found a paper filter that fits the oil mesh air cleaner on this car I would like to hear about it. Hope that helps!
Ken

January-February 2011:
Bought two Trico classic wiper blades 33-111 from Advance Auto Parts. Understand Trico also stocks wiper arms but fortunately I have those. When I bought my car one windshield wiper was missing the rubber blade refill on the car when I bought it. Used to be you could just buy rubber blade refills but those are hard to find nowadays. Seems like now you have to buy the metal parts as well. Trico classic wiper blades do appear to be more substantial metal-wise than those they replaced. Looks better but I do need to get around to working on that wiper motor to get them to work.

September 2010:
Bought two more 1951-1953 Packard junior dog-dish hubcaps on eBay. Not perfect but a lot better than the ones I had. Now have a halfway decent set of 4. Hexagons painted with Krylon Cherry Red spray paint. Black painted with Pactra flat black model paint.

Attach file:

---

  (39.78 KB)

August 2010:
Changed antifreeze, putting in new antifreeze that supposedly works in all vehicles, old and new, dexcool or not. Afterward noticed Packard was running a little hotter and losing some antifreeze out of the overflow tube after the Packard quit running. Previously temperature needle was over the M in "Temp" on gauge but now it went up to P in "Temp" on gauge. Anybody have any experience with these new-fangled "for all cars" antifreezes running hotter?

August-September 2010:
Bought a new thermostat at NAPA to cool the Packard down a bit. Thermostat, Packard part # 5.0506, is inside of the flange-head water outlet, Packard part #5.0508, bolted down to the cylinder head. The thermostat is held inside the flange head water outlet by a retainer-head thermostat, Packard part # 5.0507, a wire spring for my car, a circular piece of metal looking like a small section of pipe for some other cars. Also, a gasket is between the cylinder head and the flange-head water outlet, Packard part # 5.0509. This is all illustrated on Plate # 91 in the 1948-1954 Packard Parts Manual.

Tried to glue down the flange-head water outlet to the cylinder head three times before it worked. First time I did not take the upper radiator hose off of the flange-head water outlet (trying to avoid having to replace the upper radiator hose) and used gasket cement. It leaked. Second time I did not take the upper radiator hose off of the flange-head water outlet and used a water pump silicone adhesive. It leaked. Third time I took the upper radiator hose off of the flange-head water outlet, used a water pump silicone adhesive, let it dry a day, and forced more water pump silicone adhesive into the joint with a putty knife and let it dry before I cranked it up. Used up all of my tube of water pump silicone adhesive. All three times I did my best to clean off the old adhesive off of the cylinder head and the flange-head water outlet before applying new adhesive. Third time was the charm. Also replaced the upper radiator hose and hose clamps.

Parts:
160 degree thermostat--NAPA--THM 530060

Thermostat gasket--NAPA--THM 1040-ST
Water pump silicone adhesive--NAPA--BK 765-3017
Upper radiator hose--NAPA--NBH 7694 (Molded hose. Cut to fit.)
Hose clamps(not original wire type)--NAPA--BK 505-1232

August-September 2010:
Still having a little problem with antifreeze down the overflow tube. Original radiator cap was AC's RC-3. Found reproduction of original AC cap on Internet for a lot more than I wanted to pay for it. NAPA had a less expensive one that fit fine so I bought NAPA's radiator cap instead. That took care of the overflow. But the car still runs a bit hotter than it did before I changed the antifreeze.

Radiator cap--NAPA--BK 703-1411

Attach file:

---

  (51.75 KB)

July 2010:
Bought oil bath air filter for Packard on eBay. Seller says it is the correct one. It is the smaller round one, about the same size as the oil mesh air filter. Looks similar to the oil bath air filter I had on my previous Packard and fits, so I believe it is. One thing different about it from my previous one is that it has a key sticking out from the filter that you can tighten or loosen to remove or install the filter. That key comes in handy, especially since I frequently have to put a bit of gas in the carburetor to crank the car. The oil bath air filter replaces the oil mesh air filter that came with the car.

Attach file:

---

  (71.67 KB)

When I converted my 53 Clipper from 12 back to 6 volt I put in a 6 volt thermal flasher. Not sure what the situation is on the 39 120 on turn signals, but if it applies, you may need to replace the thermal flasher. NAPA has it. Some people just leave the 6 volt starter in there even with a 12 volt conversion, so you might want to check the starter to see if it is a 6 volt before you run out and get one. Mine still had a 6 volt starter. If they did it right, they should have put in a 12 volt generator (or alternator). If they did not do it right, they may have just left the 6 volt generator in there. Mine had a 6 volt generator as well. My car would run on 12 volts with both 6 volt starter and generator but both would have worn out a lot earlier. Go to an auto electric shop and let them see what you have before you buy a lot of stuff. Could save $$.
Ken

It appears that the Packard Club (Packard Automobile Classics) has now posted the Saga of Packard on their website, (with a few changes, they say) making it available. Perhaps my bringing it to people's attention has done some good. If you want to read it, go to www.packardclub.org , go to the "Site Map", and then the "Library", and click on "The First 50 Years".
Ken