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I am so glad to have a place to discuss what I wish to do with my Packard. Pricilla is deffinatly a 6-foot beauty. Ah the dreams of buying a car that was finished and ready to drive! Well I am determind to drive and get out every dry day (St. Louis weather).
First, got to get wipers fixed, they run but do not stop.
Oh wait, needs new front tires and alignment! No, first needs to be raised about three inches. (got the new "pins")but first need to buy tool to hold T Bars! Good done, done, done!
Nearly fell through front seat! So I rebuilt springs and added high des. foam and re-covered!
So I guess I can work on wipers right? Wrong! bad engine noise, yep! new lifters and push rods!
Now I have got to drop pan and check oil pump, I have found the little "bent tube" fix.
However I am driving this car and need music. AM radio around here--UGH!
After three " I have a friend who can do radio work"'s never pan out, I get a professional.
MORE on radio in another post.
Brakes go out completely!!!!! New hoses, wheel cyl's, shoes, Treadle-vac out. Rebuilt and back in.
Now power steering hoses leaking, replaced, power steering control valve rebuilt..now dampener leaking!
Oh yes the trans will not go into PARK. I get the feeling that the "AutoPark"bypass was not done right. Did I say that none of the dome lights work?
Still in love with this car,
Dan White

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Welcome to the Forum Dan! Now here's a little info to get you started....
Before you drop the pan to work on the oil pump, look at this:1956packardpanther.com/PV8C_OHVOPA.html

There's a lot of things that all of us in The Packard V8 Club have done in the past year alone, and more to come.
One word on the Bendix Treadle-Vac, GET RID OF IT!!! It's an accident waiting to happen, no matter how many times it's rebuilt. Just ask Craig H. on here about it, he'll relate his story about three failures of the same unit.

As for your "auto park" not working, I assume you have the Pushbutton Ultramatic? If so, check your wiring under the dash where the connector from the pushbuttons is located, and push each wire back in, I've noticed mine has on occasion vibrated out and lost connection. I solved this by expanding the tab inside the female connector. If that's not it, send me an e-mail, and I can help you get it working again. (I've got LOTS of experience with the pushbutton, and have been successful, thanks to Mr. Pushbutton on here)

Yes I have checked the Panther project out. What a fantastic bit of work! You are doing a great service for all of us that love our Packards and still wonder what if? I carefully read about the treadle-vac and changing it over to a dual unit. I studied the pictures and just do not think that is for me ....at this time....:) I will stay posted on new developments!
In an effort to Cover - NOT HIDE my two ten inch subwoofers in the trunk, I have attempted to create a psuedo-jukebox. I did not want to make an exact copy of a counter top remote, so I gave the suggestion of it. I used a curved plexiglass to give that impression then made a lightbox for the color changing neon over it. Not quite "50's Dinner" but maybe an impression. I used Electro-luminescent wire to form blue archs in the middle, that were taken from the 1956 movie "Forbidden Planet"'s Robbie the robot! I added color plexiglass "wings" to either side of the "Window" to give the impression of Packard's ox-bow grille.
Well that was my intent. My ideas were far greater than my abilities as I have never worked with Plexiglass before.
Still I am proud of it as I have never seen anything like this on any car or in any magizine that I have read.
Someone might do it better, but here is mine!
Dan

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Hi Dan,

Welcome and thanks for sharing with us. You will find some good people here to help you out.

Take care

To only brag a tiny bit:
Every year in Saint Louis, they have a big car show. It is sponsored by the Horseless Carriage Car Club. It is called the Easter Concours d' Elegance. .. Kinda "Uppity" and all of that! It is a rather Grand way to start the car show season.
I have been several times, and I really wanted to go this year, just to be a part of it. I love looking at the "Rolls Royce"s and the Franklin's, this year there were over a dozen model T's. It is not just the same muscle cars and 1957 Chevys, and Camaros that are at every show during the year.
I was thinking that it might be a low turnout because of the below freezing temps. However I think everybody else thought the same way because it was packed!
Long story short, I won a First Place in my class! This is HUGE for me and my car. The honor, I mean, not the trophy. The First place award is an expensive mantle clock. It is only about 6 inches high and made out of a solid block of wood. Looks like an open book with an engraved brass plaque. ELEGANT!
As soon as I got there in the morning and opened my hood, people started to come up. I am sure that you all have encountered this yourselfs! One guy said "Gee, I have never seen a radiator hose like that."
Well, it looked as if it had Swallowed a grapefruit! I loosened the cap and let the pressure out and wondered how I was going to make the 30 miles or so home. I also wrapped a whole roll of electric tape (it was all I could find) around the hose. Then on the way home I swear that I could not shift into third!
So now I await a package from Max Merritt with hoses and belts!
Gee I LOVE old cars!
Dan

Well my package arrived from Max Merritt. They got the top hose right. They also encluded two shorter hoses of the sam length. I may have stated before that I am not a mechanic! Well I got out the shop manual and found that there is a "Transmission Cooler"! However there is no picture of it or any description on how to take it off or loosen it, nothing!
After six hours of grunting, groaning, and trips to NAPA I had the upper and lower hoses on. The lower hose needed to be about 2 inches longer than the two that been sent. The assistant manager at NAPA said that they had Gas tank hoses that large. I ask if that would work, would it stand the pressure. He told me: "Hey, it's not MY car."
Then last night a friend came over and we attacked the middle hose, finally taking to bolts off the cooler at the engine. then we fought the hose until after 10 O'Clock last night when I finally said stop and gave up for the night.
Any sugestions?

Yes, you do have to unbolt the trans cooler from the block to install the hose to the water pump. It's been several years since I changed these on my cars, but I think I removed the P/S pump belt and loosened and moved the pump for better access. It also helps to use a little bit of water-based lube on the outside of the water pump manifold inlet to help persuade the hose on - as that hose has to stretch open a little to fit oer the inlet. Do NOT use petroleum-based lube as it will cause the hose to fail prematurely!

However, IIRC, I installed that piece of hose prior to installing the one that connects the cooler to the radiator. That last hose was still a devil to get on, but the plain rubber hose was pliable enough that I could fold/tuck it into place.

If you can wait until tomorrow AM, I will check my notes and post the correct dimensions of those two straight pieces of hose.

Here are the dimensions from my personal notes for the radiator outlet hose (with trans cooler):

Upper - cut from straight stock, 1-3/4 I.D. x 3" long

Lower - cut from straight stock, 1-3/4 I.D. x 5-1/2" long

The "radiator outlet" hose is what most people call the lower hose. Though it is hard to come by in some places, I prefer to use plain hose, not the wrapped/reinforced stuff.

Hope this helps.

Thanks Brian!
I got the hoses on! She is all filled with 50% antifreeze. I drove her a mile or so on three different times letting it cool between stops and checked and refiled radiator. I thought that I would be ready for a parade this morning (Sat.) Priscilla had other plans.
This morning, strange sounds were coming from the garage. Loud intermittent buzzing from under the hood. I disconnected the battery.
My best guess at this time, is that when "Burping" the radiator, some antifreeze sprayed back and into one or more of the relays.
I readily admit that this is just a guess. I also admit that every joint in my body is aching and I have a bad sinus headache, so I don't trust my foggy thinking.
This weekend, all of the local Packard people are on a weekend trip so I have no body to check this out.
My best friend knows nothing about Packards and has all ready spent seven to eight hours with me getting the hoses on.
Forgive me if I say I feel defeated!
Pity-party,
Dan

After down-loading the Auto-light manual I tried the two-light test. One stayed lite for all but the "D" button. the other just would not light at all.
Then I noticed a large pool of anti-freeze and a large pool of type F trany fluid under the car.
Perhaps I broke the trany lines when I was fighting the third radiator hose?
PLEASE anyone help