Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Here's another small project for manana. Clock's not working. First thing I notice is there is no fuse. Don't know if taking it out was intentional due to some other problem, or what. First things first. I need to put a fuse in. What amperage to use for clock in 56 Clipper Sedan?

Here are specs from owners manual and size of fuse.

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Dammit, HH, where are you getting these materials? For God's sake, this must be the 5th time you've whipped out stuff like this. Seriously, thanks. And, please, tell me WHERE are you getting all this? Where's the link?

That one was from the 56 senior series owners manual.

packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/article/view.article.php?64

On the Packard Articles page everything is listed by category. You should see a page like this. When you click on a category, another page will open and list all available under the category.

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That's what I'm talking about! I thought the articles section was newspaper clippings and magazine ads. I was going to service index link and seeing much, much less. Cool. I will have to start downloading all this. What a fabulous resource!

Easy enough mistake. The service index is a work in progress project Brian (BH) started to cross reference all the available tech bulletin type info. Brian, Kev and I think others are still working to compile everything. When done, you can click on a category and every bulletin on the subject - no matter the year published - will show. Will make it so much easier to find info that may have been corrected or talked about long after the car was made.

The fuse may not correct the clock problem. There is a set of points inside that may be burned and possibly can be restored by dressing, but more likely the age has hardened the lubricant.

Will see on that. Do you have any experience with changing instrument bulbs? Mine work, but they seem so dim. That's pretty much the case in all 3 of my old cars. Specs call for 2-candle bulbs. If I replace w/2-candle, will the instruments show bright again? Or should I use a different bulb? If so, what do you recommend?

Shouldn't be that dim. Is the dimmer control at maximum. The headlight knob turns. All the way to L turns on an interior light, second notch turns everything off, then next notch turns on instruments lights brite and continued turning to right dims to nothing.

Changing lights, don't think will help because of size, shape & socket must be as type mentioned. Also anything brighter will be hotter and may do some damage to cluster.

I see. Well, they're okay. At night you can definitely see how fast you are going, and you have to look close, but you can see the fuel needle. Kind of like that. It'll be okay as is. It's just these days' cars' lights are so much more vivid.

Thanks for all the help. Good night. Talk to you later.

The dash lites on my 56 Exec. is as nearly blinding as borax fireworks and even compared to my '01 Dodge.

THe problem is the rheostat in the headlite switch. Use some electrical contact cleaner and VERY DELICATELY an ignition points file or other suitable unstrument to clean the rheostat coil (IT IS DELICATE!!!) and the contact arm. Tehn use some silicone 'GREASE' on the rheostat and contact arm. NO!!! NOT silicone spray. Must use the grease type silicone.

I've had to do this to several different such rhostats that were very old over the years. Had to do it to my 56 Exec to when i got the car.

Mite be able to just get away some WD-40 and work the dimmer back and forth several times real fast AND THEN apply the silicone.