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Hi,

I'm hoping that someone on this Forum might be able to help me...

I have been restoring a '56 Studebaker Golden Hawk for the past almost 5 years... in the UK.

I have both Packard 320" engine and Ultramatic trans from another car in the basement of my apartment in a very... very large wooden crate.

I have attached four photos of glimpses of the transmission in the box... plus the two last photos are of the unit that came from Houston.

In speaking with my workshop last week, the question passed to me from them was:-
"Hi Richard it looks as if picture 4 shows what might be a fluid flywheel or torque converter attached to the back of the engine ?
regards Paul"

I guess the question now begs; are Ultramatic transmission unit inter-changeable between Packard 320 and 352 engines? If they are, then I guess it could make sense to rebuild the torque converter from the unit in the box and swap it for the one on the car.

However, before I go the expense of hauling the large box down to the workshop, I would like to defer to the Group's knowledge and wisdom in case I'm about to waste a whole bunch of time... and money!

Thanks in advance for all comments, suggestions and help in advance!
Richard[/size]Hi,

I'm hoping that someone on this Forum might be able to help me...

I have been restoring a '56 Studebaker Golden Hawk for the past almost 5 years... in the UK.

I have both Packard 320" engine and Ultramatic trans from another car in the basement of my apartment in a very... very large wooden crate.

I have attached four photos of glimpses of the transmission in the box... plus the two last photos are of the unit that came from Houston.

In speaking with my workshop last week, the question passed to me from them was:-
"Hi Richard it looks as if picture 4 shows what might be a fluid flywheel or torque converter attached to the back of the engine ?
regards Paul"

I guess the question now begs; are Ultramatic transmission unit inter-changeable between Packard 320 and 352 engines? If they are, then I guess it could make sense to rebuild the torque converter from the unit in the box and swap it for the one on the car.

However, before I go the expense of hauling the large box down to the workshop, I would like to defer to the Group's knowledge and wisdom in case I'm about to waste a whole bunch of time... and money!

Thanks in advance for all comments, suggestions and help in advance!
Richard[/color]

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If you have both transmissions look at the input shaft assy. The 320 engine was 55 and torque converter should be one having wide splines. Assuming your 352 is the 56 GH version, then in 56 Packard changed the input shaft along with several other items and those splines are narrower and more forward. The converter assys will not directly interchange with the transmission but the entire trans assy will on the engines--although there would be differences in the cases between Packard and the GH. In addition, in 56 Packard made some running changes to the front oil pump rotor assy which required some changes be made to converter pump shaft--although I don't know if those changes also applied to Studebaker.

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Hi Howard,

I appreciate your insights and knowledge.

I have a feeling that probably the best way will be to drop the transmission with torque converter and look to rebuild it.

The transmission has already been overhauled with bearings and gasket kit... now it looks like its going to have be the turn to the T/converter... such is life, eh..?!

Thank you again for your response and photos.
Richard

It appears to have a 4 bbl carb????? in that case it mite not be a 320.

Check the engine numbers:
https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=1684&forum=3&post_id=15140#forumpost15140

ANd the trans numbers.

Edit: trans in pics appear to be aluminium case and therefore 56 trans. Also note the cardin type u-joint flange on trans.

Hi,

I'm a member of the 56J Register and I checked with the engine number with Frank (runs the Register), who confirmed that the engine was Packard 320.

When I got around to purchasing and restoring the second Golden Hawk, I bought a fully reconditioned packard 352 from Jack Vines.

Thanks,
Richard

Are u sure the trans in the LAST of 4 pics u posted is a used trans and not a NEW (NOS) or rebuilt unused trans??? That cover on the front over the Torque Converter is rather strange for a trans that was simply removed from a used car.

Howard,

You raise a very good question.... and here's the answer.

I bought an engine and the transmission that you see in the last two photos. I was assured that the transmission unit was NOS. The engine I bought was reputed to be in good condition. However, once both were in the UK and the engine sent for pressure testing, it was later found to have had a cracked block.

As I have written in my earlier post, the transmission unit you see in the last two photos was overhauled using a kit obtained from Max Merritt.

It has only emerged now, almost 5 years later with the car fully rebuilt and road tested last month, that there is a very noticable vibration between 1,000 and 2,000 revs with the car stationery. This led to a series of tests by process of elimination that has determined that the torque converter is at fault.

A classic case of so close... yet so far away!
Richard

I think PV8 noted the question about service replacement but you did bring up something to be aware of. The torque converters were balanced as an assy. If someone did not mark or note the orientation of the halves before separating them, in all probability the thing is not balanced. The usual method Packard suggested was punch or scratch marks opposite each other on the flanges. Your rebuilder might check and see if the thing had been apart before and perhaps some marks are present.

Maybe try rotating the TC 180 degrees on the flex plate. Should be able to do that without removeing trans. If that shows no improvemnet then rotate 90 degrees.

Howard - you're right about the marking of the trans and the converter unit. This has been pointed out to me recently.

There is probably no short-cut to the problem... other than to remove trans, separate the T/converter and then investigate what replacement parts will be required to rebuild the unit.

I know I can go to a number of suppliers for parts.
Richard