Is there any difference between the 282 and 288 other than bore size?
The reason I ask is that this company below has a conversion kit to go from manual tranny to automatic. I want to convert my '41 120 to automatic transmission but prefer to retain the original Packard engine. The '41 has already been converted to 12-volt for installation of A/C. (Packard straight 8 owners can install a Chev 700R4/4L80E/2004R/350/400/or Powerglide transmission onto your motors! )

http://www.transmissionadapters.com/Packard%20to%20Chev%20adapter%20kit.htm

Srt. 8 to Chev Auto 288/327 $895.00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Tennessee Valley where it is an unseasonable 74 degrees.

Must pull the pedal up from about 1/2 way down. W/O knowing what's happening here, when I shut the engine down, I always remember to pull the pedal back up. It's 1/2 way or more on the CC but maybe just 1/4 on the Patrician. No real big deal unless in lots of stop and go traffic or stop signs, then it's just a nuisance but it works.

Speaking of check valves, as I recall the check valve function on my '57 Hudson was negated years ago when I reworked the brakes, so it always has the vacuum present. The valve portion of the devicem, very similar to the posted picture, just fell apart...it was seemingly enclosed in some kind of rubber type compound and I suspect the heat of the engine after all the years just ate it up (vacuum source at the front of engine). And I recall now I was going to try to check the vacuum tank way back when for fluid in it but never did it.

Yes, three years later and I'm still driving the car and pulling back up on the brake pedal. Not long ago the same thing started happening to my '55 Patrician although not as bad. The brakes are good, so I live with it on both cars. IF everything were decently accessible rather than through the floorboard and jammed between steering columns and air ducts and what not, I would have tried to address it. It's enough "maintenance" on all four of my Packards ('53, two '55s, and the '56) in keeping the master cylinder reservoir topped off. ONLY have this problem with the Packards and not the Hudson or Nash with similar units. Hope you can diagnose and find the problem on the brake return and fix it on your '56 Clipper Deluxe. The no brake pedal return and fluid disappearance I just tolerate and keep on going.

"He filled in the return channel for fluid with silicone sealer and it was just a matter of time before it was depleted of all fluid and the brakes failed." What does that mean silicone sealer in the return channel? I have one TV unit rebuilt wherein after awhile the brake pedal no longer returns and I have to pull it up with my foot after each application, but the brakes work fine albeit on all four of my Packards with T/Vs I must refill the reservior often, presuming the brake fluid is getting sucked up into thje carburetor because with four cars I figure I'd be able to find a leak if that was the case.

Anyone know if the adapter shown at this site will work on the '41 120 straight 8 282 engine? The site just says "straight 8 Packard." I'm not familiar enough with the details to know if the kit shown would work.
http://www.transmissionadapters.com/Packard%20to%20Chev%20adapter%20kit.htm Edited for 282 engine.

I thought the switch might be suspect and replaced it with one rated up to 50 amps. The wire is 12 gauge I think. I probably should just run a wire from the battery directly as you suggest and see what happens. There are no kinks or pinches in the current wire, but you never know until you try it. I tried to obatin a 12-volt solenoid several years ago but at that time could never find one the correct length. I'd have to look in my old notes, but I do recall this solenoid is opposite most in that it is a puller instead of a pusher (but I may have that reversed).

Update: I went over this evening with a fully charged battery and additionally put a battery charger on it as well and the measured voltage at the solenoid was still in the 5.65 to 5.85 range but as I worked with the switch and cable, I could see it dropping to 5.35, then to 5.15 as I heard the solenoid trying to engage. I now believe it is the push-in cable, i.e., it isn't pushing in far enough to allow full engagement as I did hear the solenoid activate at least a couple of times. I have to pull the cable out to go into reverse. Next I'll try to adjust the cable to go in further if that's possible and then try it. Even though the voltage is < 6V at the solenoid, it appeared to engage at least a couple times. Does this sound reasonable? That is, the cable isn't going in far enough to allow activation and it's just sitting there humming and running the battery down? This solenoid was replaced on the car a few years ago and was "new" at the time and there's less than 500 miles driven since then.
(The only item remaining 6 volts on the car is the OD solenoid. A number of years ago I had attempted to put this big resistor on the firewall to drop the voltage to 6V from the 12V system, but it glowed cherry red and I disocunted that idea.

Well, this car was converted to 12V before I acquired it. I just carry a 6-volt battery under the hood on the frame at the firewall and keep it charged with a trickle charger, but perhaps it didn't maintain it and I did find the water level low. I'll get the battery full charged and even try another if that doesn't work and then as a last resort pull the solenoid. All the connections and ground I pulled loose, cleaned, and put back. If a I recall correctly, I think this one has to be energized to install on the car; I seem to recall it gave me some difficulty.