Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Is there an available photo showing the correct
battery hold down for my 55 400
Also can anyone recommend one for the car
Using a group 27 battery
Thanks again everyone

I have a frame that is supposed to go on top of the battery, but I can't find the rods that are supposed to screw the frame/battery down. Like you say, to make this work you have to use a hard-to-get battery group.

After a while I decided, screw it, and bought a high-output battery and used a heavy duty strap to hold it in place. In my humble opinion, it is a lot better to have a great battery in your car than one that is period correct -- especially if you intend to drive your car.

After all, who really cares one iota about a battery hold down anyway as long as whatever you have really works!

Yes, there is a good photo, page 1 of the electrical section of the shop manual. Also, see these photos of an original battery hold down.

Don't know if they still do but NAPA used to offer a universal battery hold down kit, you could alter/adjust the lengths of all 4 sides to suit your battery size, and place the hold down pieces for the bolts wherever they needed to be. It makes a neat and tidy installation.

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The Dorman 00580 flattened J shape rods work well with the 55-56 battery tray.summitracing.com/parts/rnb-00580/overview/ They are 10 inches long so will need to be shortened by a couple of inches.

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Finding the proper look holder for a group 27 may be more difficult. I wasn't able to find the universal adjustable type O_D mentioned locally but I know they used to be available and probably still are. At 13+ inches the Packard tray is also sized for an even longer group 30-31 or so battery

I wound up buying a different type holder without the edge that goes across the top length of the battery and opted for one that just clamped across the end width with the rods and only a band along the sides to hold it square. It was for a shorter battery so to make one to fit a longer battery I bought two and cut and welded the sides as necessary to fit the gr 30-31 battery.

Here is a group 24 55-6 Chevy holder that has what I believe is very close to the correct look but would need to have the same cut 2 and weld treatment to fit the longer battery or else cut one in half with sheet metal filling the space. You would also need to make it longer than the group 27 length to fit the tray locations for the rods unless you opt to drill thru the tray bottom and make a new set of mounting holes. There are bolts such as the 47 used that are more like long carriage bolts which could be adapted if you wanted to do something like that.summitracing.com/parts/dck-312/overview/

The Chevy tray comes with J bolts but the flat ended Dorman 00580 works better with the Packard tray. Depending on the actual gr 27 length the straighter ended Chevy J bolts might be long enough to slide and hold in the Packard tray slots from the battery side direction.

Group 27 is to square.

Group 29.works better.. With some shaving of corners..Packards strap will work.

I know I'm replying to an old post but just came up with the same question. I do have originals at my Oregon shop but I am not there right now. At least one of the dealers sells standard j-bolts which won't work as the Packard takes the type with the flattened end which, as I recall, is at least a half inch wide so that the force is evened out across the stamped notch on the battery tray. Anything narrower than the notch (especially if it's round) will probably damage it when tightened. I'll post a tray photo momentarily.