Thanks both of you for your responses! I gotta get on it sooner over later.

In the unenviable position of needing to replace a single tire to keep the 2255 mobile in its storage spot. Car has ancient bias plys on it that are just for rolling and holding air, but one of them gave up the ghost finally.

Rather than shell out the rather expensive $250-$350 for a nice DB wide white radial that would sit for who knows how long, thinking it'd be best to replace all (or just the one) with a set of black radials that will fit. Hell, I'd take used tires to put on it if I could. It just makes no sense to spend $$$ on a nice tire that will flatten from sitting too long.

Advice on inexpensive blackwall radials that will fit? Could I get away with replacing the single tire, or do I really need to replace them all to be consistent? Car is not driven. 700-15 seems a hard size to get a regular radial tire in these days without it being a trailer tire - hey maybe I should consider that since it's parked most of the time?

BTW - where's a good place to rent the puller required for popping the wheels off? Unless folks think it's worthwhile to buy one? This is the only car I have with tapered axel ends, so don't anticipate needing it too much.

Thanks for the assistance everyone, I appreciate the help!

Does anyone know if the 1948 custom club sedan trunk lid and a 1948-49 22nd series club sedan (standard, Deluxe) will physically interchange?

The trunk lid on my custom club has a badly rusted edge all the way around, and I'm thinking it would be more financially efficient to replace the lid completely with an acceptable donor and drill new holes for the Custom trim, over trying to repair the original lid since I do not yet do my own sheet metal work.

Thanks for the details and the great information on the 54,55, and 56 models

I agree, getting my 48 roadworthy so I may enjoy the car as Packard originally intended is my first priority. I don't wish to buy another Packard at all until the 48 is hitting the pavement.

My first car was a '51 Plymouth Cranbrook club coupe. A bare-bones vintage ride from the KT Keller era of fashion austerity for Chrysler. But I remember driving that car was never a problem with manual steering, especially when the car was moving. So your point about not missing power steering is well taken

And yet, I was living in a small town in the Midwest at the time, so there wasn't a ton of parallel parking to do. Living in Los Angeles is another story, and I have been sincerely glad to have power steering on more than one occasion in some of my other cars. Probably the biggest headache of manual steering is having a larger number of turns, lock-to-lock than power. But I will have to consider it.

Seems there are a lot of details to understand between the 54's, 55's and 56 models, especially when it comes to AC. Glad you brought up the 6V AC systems issue vs. the 12V. I hadn't considered that!



I didn't know who made the AC components for the Packard systems, so I'm happy to learn who supplied them.

for the recommendation of the Packard Gold Portfolio book. Glad to say I think I have a copy knocking around here somewhere. You've piqued my interest to go grab it and read what they have to say.

for the expanded info! That's sound reasoning that the first Ultramatic sacrificed accelerating performance to be a smooth and refined as possible. But it also makes sense that they'd realized they needed to increase performance by the mid 50's.

I'm glad I was wrong about the actual operation of the transmission: it didn't make sense to me that the first gen Ultra would make you shift the column lever while driving! Would have defeated the purpose of it being an auto trans



Regarding the rear taillights of the 54 models, I was referring to the Clipper taillights as "fin lights", those which you say are impolitely called 'sore thumb' lights. In poking around, it looks as though this style of light was intro'd in 54 with the optional round white reverse lights mounted separately down near the license plate on either side. I see how Packard began integrating the reverse light within the sore thumb style light in '55. My original question was about senior models using this style of taillight. It seems none of them did...


In researching dashboard design between '54 models , I see how the Clippers used the more horizontal grey-backed dash, and the senior Packards used the half-round silver dash, but confusingly, I also notice the Clipper Super Panama HT (5467), used the 51-53 dash design. Weird to have that design overlap

Thanks for answering my question about the availability of Overdrive with the Ultras. I guess that's one reason to like the three-speed manual trans...

If anyone else wants to chime in with additional information about some of my other nit-picky questions about optional equipment like power steering or air conditioning, please do. All ears.

Thanks for the quick responses and great information! I realize what I'm asking could likely write a small novella and probably is better suited to a conversation.

By "wee--wa"and "it's.......automatic", you mean verrrrry slow? I have heard early Ultras had 'leisurely' acceleration. Was this issue because of the lack of multiple gears to allow the engine to operate at its greatest torque?

Appreciate all the tidbits of knowledge here.

I love everything my 48 Custom Club sedan offers, but though I haven't gotten it driveable yet, I already know it lacks some more modern features that can make touring a little easier and dare I say it, pleasurable. Power brakes, power steering, power windows, A/T, air conditioning.

Always thought that I might eventually own two Packards (what a novel idea), and though that day is likely farther down the road for me, I do wonder which model of Packard from these years might give me what I wish for?

The '54 models jump out at me because they still used the L8's, because I like the interiors and exteriors, and because they came with some desirable "modern" options I like. But I'm asking these questions to get more familiar with some goodness I might be overlooking about the 51-56 models.

The dashboard for 54 look classy to me. Is this the only year for the half-round speedo? On that subject, which models in 54 (or other years) used the half-moon speedo with the turned silver backing, vs. the grey?

I like both taillight treatments from 54, but I wonder what senior cars came with the tail "fin lights"?

Are power steering and power windows easily-found options for '54?

And now, about Ultramatics...

I've been curious how driving an Ultramatic A/T works for some time.

I read that the first iteration of Ultramatic starting with the 23rd series did NOT shift through its two gears from Low to High (Drive) without the driver manually moving the column shift lever from Low to High range every time the car started moving from stop...is that correct? I feel like I misunderstood what I read, for that wouldn't be a full A/T.

Is the Ultramatic tranny in 49-50 different than the Ultra for 51-53?

I have been reading up on the "Gear Start" Ultramatic for 54, but I can't find a good description of why it's called "Gear Start". Was the Gear Start Ultra for '54 and up still a 2-speed transmission? Did any Ultramatic-equipped cars come with (either as a standard feature or optional equipment), Overdrive? What years was that feature available?

And now, air conditioning....

Is factory-installed air conditioning for 54 a highly unusual option that is nearly impossible to find when looking for a a 54?

I'm curious if all cars equipped with factory AC from 54-56 used trunk mounted condensing units with rear-deck mounted vent tubes? Was there any in-dash integration for AC during its available years?

And last, for 55-56 questions and general driving...

How do 55 and 56 V8 models drive as touring cars, in comparison to the 54's?

Is Torsion-level suspension a game-changer for how comfortable the cars ride?

Did Packard transition to electric windows for 55-56? Or did both years still use hydraulic lifts for power windows?

Was power steering a more common feature for these years?

Thanks, in advance for any responses to my multitude of random questions.

I recall that Craigslist ad and noticing it was a custom 8 club 2255. Glad to hear a member got it - wondering if it's the member I'm thinking about.

Thanks JD. It's clear now I didn't think this through enough. You're absolutely right. Can't remove the valves, can't remove the springs. Trying to keep all the valves in their extreme 'open' position and also have to deal with the springs being in the way? Nuts! This is turning into quite the operation. Any chance you can pull the head and reinstall it without resurfacing anything??

Following this chain of thought though...you remove the head, the valve keepers, valves and springs. Great, so now you have plenty of room to pull the hydraulic lifter assemblies out through the top of their bores. Leaving the tappets to come out through the bottom. Don't you still have to deal with the tappets getting in the way as you pull the cam out? Or is there a part of the tappet body that actually extends up in their bore enough that you can clothespin them in the 'up' position?

I ask because last I had the valve access plates off, I didn't observe any part of the 16 tappet bodies sticking up far enough to 'hook' them...