Thanks Howard for your replies, and also to others who replied. This afternoon I removed the glove box & glove box door from the restorable Executive & had a look inside, as suggested by humanpotato [sorry, only name I know]. This is an excellent tip, as harness removal doesn't seem so daunting from there as it does laying on a 75 year old back. Since the 2 cars are identical except for one being PB [the restorable car] & the other being normal column shift [parts car], I think everything in the harnesses should be the same, except I'll have to add some wiring for the PB as Howard said. That said, I am going to try harness removal and installing the non-PB harness in the PB car and add wires for the PB. I checked price on new harness from YnZ as mentioned, but they are certainly not cheap- I am in Canada and would be looking at around 3000.00 by the time you add exchange, tax, shipping. That's more than I paid for the car. So, if anyone else has any suggestions on this project, or tips to make things easier, PLEASE add them to the post. Once I get farther into the project I will post on progress. It will be a while before I know any final results, as at this point engine, transmission and seats are out of the restorable car, and I don't work as fast as I used to.
Clifford

Thanks to those who replied to my questions. Reading the initial reply it looks like I could use the non PB parts cars main harness in the other PB car. BUT- are there other differences I'm going to run into other than the neutral safety / back-up light switch ? For example, there is a heavy orange wire from the round circuit breaker on the inner driver's side fender by the relays on the PB car. All the tape covering that was originally on the car's harness was removed before I got the car, and this orange wire runs to a big splice with 3 or 4 red wires [one of which has a butt connector, but the wire it attached is not there- perhaps it went to the starter solenoid??]. This splice becomes one single heavy red wire running along the inner pass. side fender to the voltage regulator. The parts car doesn't have this circuit breaker, so also no heavy orange wire. What else am I looking at running into? I'm wondering if I'm better off buying a new harness, but hate to if the one from the parts car is usable, as it has never been chopped and still has all its original tape covering.

As I pointed out in previous questions, I have 2- 56 Executive sedans, a parts car which has a regular column shift, and a restorable one with push button. Both have torsion level. The restorable car has under hood wiring stripped, wires cut, sections replaced, extra wires spliced in, and wires connected to nothing and is in terrible condition. I suspect there may have been a fire under the hood at some point. I've been trying to sort through it, but am ready to give up. The parts car wiring is all original taped up and looks to be in good condition. I have removed the push button harness and it is ready to go back in, but not until I sort out the rest. After removal of the push button harness, there are still wires attached to start and park relays. The parts car, of course, doesn't have these relays. Here comes my questions:
1: Are both harnesses the same or does the one for the restorable car which has push button contain extra wiring [or are these extra wires in a separate harness?] I'm wondering if I could use the parts car's harness in the other car, or do I need to look at buying a new harness. I see harnesses listed on Max Merritt's site, but no details included.
2: What is the best way to access under dash wiring? I'm 75 years old and don't enjoy laying on my back to get under the dash. Can the dash be tipped back toward the car's interior to get at things from above?
3. If the dash can be tipped back, I suspect the steering column would need to be removed. Does it separate at the rubber connection just above the steering box?
Probably will be more questions to follow, but I'll start with these. Thanks, Clifford

Last 4 digits of the Executive which sold originally in U.S. is 1195, as is the engine number. I realize the other car was built in the U.S., but it sold originally in Sydney, Nova Scotia. The other thing I noticed was when I removed the Ultramatic from this car, it has "export" written on the ring gear plate- don't know if there is any trans difference or not- ring gear plates look identical on both cars.

Finally found engine numbers on both Executive engines, and both match serial number of cars, so both are original. Found that it helps if you look in the right place- you said front of engine, I read rear- my stupidity. Now I'm going to say that the car that came from the U.S. was built with Delco electrics- can't imagine that someone would change starter, generator and regulator, but I guess anything is possible. I'll take a closer look at the regulator mounting to see if I can tell if there ever was an Autolite reg. mounted. Also. this car has a Rochester carb instead of Carter. Thanks to all who were part of this discussion, and for the advice.

What number are you referring to here? The only plate on the driver's door jamb has the car's serial number, and paint and trim codes, no engine number. Are you saying the serial number and engine number should match? I have 3-1956 Packards, and they don't match on any of them, and the engine in my Canadian Executive is certainly original.

Should have added that I have engines removed from both cars with the plan of installing the Canadian engine in the U.S. car, but getting at under hood wiring would be easier to sort while engine is out. Is the push button wiring a separate harness, or are they connected. They all go through the fire wall together on the U.S. car, but with the mess of the wires it's hard to tell.
Clifford

I don't know how to verify whether or not my Packards have their original engines. I believe the Canadian car does, but no idea on the U.S. car- it has had lots of wire chopping and splicing to be sure. Do I need to have a build sheet to check, and where do I obtain one? On the back of the intake there is a number stamped- 440892- same on both engines. The Canadian car [SN# 5672A 2363] has C66 on a smaller stamping, while the U.S. car [SN# 5672A 1195] has A306 on the smaller stamping. I assume these smaller numbers are what would be used to determine originality. Don't know if I'll ever wade my way through the wiring mess on the U.S. car. the Canadian car doesn't have push button shift, and has a Carter 4 barrel, while the U.S. car has Rochester and push button, so lots of extra wiring- lots of broken wires, splices, and sections replaced.
Clifford

Would someone please help on this question. I'm working on a 1956 Executive 4 door[a U.S. car that was imported into Canada]. Also have a 56 Exec. that was originally sold here in Canada. The Canadian car uses Auto-lite electrics, while the U.S. car uses Delco. Main engine compartment wiring [harness to voltage regulator/generator, etc.]on the U.S. car has been chopped and spliced, and I would like to use the harness from the Canadian parts car to replace it. Wiring diagram is confusing- should I be following the upper diagram of v.r. [5680-88] since the car uses Delco electrics like the big Packards? [diagram on pg.65 of mechanics manual]. Perhaps someone would sketch a diagram of this main harness only, rather than everything else that the manual shows. Thanks, Clifford

Sometimes when I push a shift button there is a steady clicking from the shift relay, and I have to push another button and try again. I've changed the shift relay, cleaned the contacts in the push button unit, made sure the wire connector at the fire wall is clean & all connected. All of that seems fine, but the problem persists. Haven't yet taken the unit on the trans off & apart because it is a pain to remove. Any suggestions? Do you think the problem is in the fingers in the shift unit on trans? Thanks,
Clifford