Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Question is: "Will it fit?"

Outside dimensions seem to be discussed rarely, but they're important for those of us wondering if we could ever fit one of these in our current storage space... I did the 2-doors because they interest me more.

This stuff may be on the website, but I found a car spec site that seemed to have what I needed to do a little side-by-side '55/'56- Junior/Senior comparison of exterior dimensions. The website is:classiccardatabase.com
for those who want to do more sleuthing.

I'm not sure how accurate these are, but probably close? (I threw in weight for those curious enough to wonder what the shipping charges might be, and threw in a '56 Ford Tudor for historical comparison.)

Interesting they added a whole 1/2" to the '56 Junior length

Width was constant 78" throughout (only 2" wider than the Ford). Probably same for the 4-doors.

The real odd thing is the '55 400 being the same overall length as the '55 Clipper 2-door. This a typo? It would mean they added almost 4" to the '56 400

All of 'em are at least a foot and a half longer than the Ford and anywhere from about 400 to almost 1000 pounds heavier. I used to hear that in the old days they sold cars "by the pound," it looks like "by the foot" counted, too.

I checked the 4-door '55 Clipper Custom, and it gave the same overall length as the 2-door, but 320 lbs heavier.


'55 Packard Junior 2-door

Weight
3,568lbs

Wheelbase
122 inches

Length
214.8 inches

Width
78 inches

Height
62 inches



'56 Packard Junior 2-door

Weight
4,035lbs

Wheelbase
122 inches

Length
215.3 inches

Width
78 inches

(height N/A)




'55 Senior 2-door (400)

Weight
4,250lbs

Wheelbase
127 inches

Length
214.8 inches

Width
78 inches

Height
62 inches



'56 Senior 2-door (400)

Weight
4,290lbs

Wheelbase
127 inches

Length
218.6 inches

Width
78 inches







'56 Ford 2-door

Weight
3,107lbs

Wheelbase
115.5 inches

Length
198.5 inches

Width
75.9 inches

Height
62.1 inches

Any derivative work is subject to typos that can fall through cracks in proof-reading and fact-checking. As such, I prefer to get my information on Packards from "the horse's mouth".

Although several of PackardInfo's features are derivative in nature, I have tried to double-check my own work, and will promptly correct errors when reported. (Forum content, however, can only be edited for a week after their initial posting.)

Basic "Car Dimensions" - wheelbase and overall length, height and width - are included in the Specifications section of the 51-54 and 55-56 shop manuals and Chassis section of the 46-50 shop manual (for 22nd Series only). For many, though not all years, Packard also published this information, annually, in their service newsletters - even years before the advent of a comprehensive shop manual.

While that only tells you about Packards, there is also a factory source for comparative information. Packard published competitive comparisons in their salesman's fact books, with additional dimensions - in an easy to follow format. Although there was no fact book for 1955, that information appears in the dealer showroom album for that year. However, only vehicles in same class were featured; I don't recall seeing Chevy or Ford in there.

Shipping weight is a little more obscure. Packard published some of these figures in the service newsletter, back in the 1930s. It was also included in annual letters to the States for registration purposes, but such documents are hard to come by.

BH makes some excellent observations.

Here is another source:
Encyclopedia of American Cars 1930-1980 Richard M Langsworth.

I make no claim as to Langsworth source nor accuracy. I make no claim because i don't know. But i have referenced the book from time to time.

As to the room needed for your car, only thing I can add is figure what you think you need then quadruple it. My house was built in 1952-3. It was a typical California ranch with a 1 car attached garage. A 56 Packard would fit by touching front wall and the closed door left about an inch at the rear with around 24 inches (less with door open) to squeeze out one side. Forget about any storage or even walking around the car. For all practical purposes, one could say it did not fit. Can only imagine there are plenty of others with similar dimensions built using 40's specs. At least I knew the problem going in so that garage is now a part of the house. Unfortunately the 3 car garage I built having all the room I would ever need was also too small from day one.

YEah. I've got a 24 X 34 garage (3 car garage depending on what standard is used), a 60 x 28 drive in basement, car port and several falling down sheds for just rain shed storeage. They are all full and i've had to resort to other outside storeage for small items such as 30+ mailboxes, an old truck box, 8ight pickup truck tool boxes. Still not enuf.

A great new topic to start would be sharing ideas on various forms of storeage. Especialy for organizing and storeing small low value items not used very often. as well as good ways to disguise the storeage as asthetically acceptable and not attract thieves.

Such storeage frees up alot of garage space...well maybe freed up for just a week or two.


I'm thinking fake bar-b-q'ers and gazebos mite be next.

I'm in a pickle about getting any more space on my property. No place to go. I have a 3-car garage with individual stalls. I could kick one of my tenants out of their garage and knock out the dividing studs, but that's a laugh. "Oh, excuse me, you no longer have a garage and I'm raising your rent too." When you're an "owner-occupier" landlord, resentment issues are tricky enough without that.

I have only rented storage outside one summer for my boat so it would be near a lake. It was very reasonable. The same outfit has indoor storage where I could keep a car, but I never asked about cost. It would just be over winter. I work in the town, which is only 30 miles from my house.

What I'm looking for is a fairly reliable vehicle, suitable for "shade tree" mechanical work, That way, I can get along just having a "garage squatter" in the winter. Of course, the downside is my winter driver sits outside and I clean the snow off multiple times.

Anyone have any experience with outdoor storage lots in snowy winter weather? I'm not one of those "this car will never sit outside or be driven in the rain" types. I want to experience a car in all reasonable environments, speeds, and conditions that it was designed for.

I've never seen a car hurt by sitting under a blanket of snow for one winter. The biggest catastrophic risk i can see in a well-secured lot would be hail.

Any tips on this type of storage would be gratefully received.

And i think the Quote:

Consider the topic changed--my research on dimensions was all about storage and workspace requirements. Moving fake bar-b-q'ers and gazebos our of the way sounds like an excellent start! :)

When I was looking for off-site storage spaces for my Packards I looked at a boat storage facility. It was about 60' long which would mean I could have stored all three Packards end-to-end in one space. The rent was less than three separate conventional spaces, but it was too remote, did not have a concrete floor, and many places for critters to enter. Still, you might want to consider this option. Many storage facilities have outside storage spaces for much less rent. Personally, I need a secure, safe, and dry space. I spend about $125 per month per space at a nearby storage place. But I have a free garage.

(o[]o)

JW,

The first place I'd look to store a car is the place where I stored my boat outside for the boating season. I never looked into their inside storage because I've had pretty good luck parking the boat in my little back yard during the off-season, with a mooring cover on it. Keeping the snow (and snow-melt, better known as ice) off of it is not easy during winters like last year, but I hope this winter won't be such a bear.

I think boat places are a good bet for car storage in areas of the country where boats are popular and winters are long and hard (like Minnesota).

I've also wondered about some of these little "car museums" as a possiblility: how many cars "on display" are just basically stored there? I know for a fact that there was a huge 2-story "museum" like this in a little town called Brooten near where I grew up. The cars were obviously there at the convenience of people who needed storage space, and the "museum" was just a sideline that got some extra money for the storage company.

I think there are places like this dotted around the country, but they might cater to a particular club of private collectors who have many autos to store. One such place I visited in Coralville Iowa. I asked a proprietor, who looked like he would know something, and he told me that this was exactly the situation there. Most of the cars were from a few private collections, and many of the cars were taken out on a regular basis when motoring weather was good, or for events or shows--pretty much when most of us would want to take our cars out.