Packard Forum Index » General

Many Packard owners claim their car is kept as authentic as possible, with correct colors, bias ply tires and actual Packard parts. Others add disk brakes, alternators, radials, mp3 players, air conditioning and other amenities.

have you improved your car to make it safer or more comfortable....or for some other reason?

How do you decide where to draw the line?

Please, no extended rants....

With my two, I aim to limit "improvements" to that which could have been made over the course of their lifetime. Air Conditioning using the Packard unit or a period aftermarket unit in my '55 would be an example. On the '51 I added a period 6v rubber bladed fan - which works surprisingly well. If weather conditions are extreme, then my late model driver gets the nod and the Packards stay in the garage.

As for disk brakes and the like, I suppose it depends on how one plans on using the car. If it is to be your daily driver as opposed to a "Sunshine Driver" then I could see why one would want state of the art brakes. It all comes down to intent.

That's opening a can of worms but not being a purist, here is my

I'm a firm believer in safety related or something to relieve stress on an original component "improvement". I do not subscribe to just randomly changing something because it's new or you can get parts down at the corner store. The original part would have to be proven to be very unreliable and a correct item will likely be the same or if it's all but unobtainable at a reasonable cost and time frame.

IMO, While the original items were state of the art 60 years ago and have worked well for years, some things are just getting tired now. In others, there has been so much progress made it would be nice to be able to take advantage if possible -- within limits of not cutting or otherwise permanently altering the car.

Brakes and tires are such safety items although whether the disc brakes on our cars are totally necessary is an open question to many. My car won't have them. Electric wipers are, IMO, in the could go either way category. Are they safer or just more convenient at times.

I've added relays to reduce stress on the headlight switch and made a few other minor electrical changes. Some of those changes were for convenience. Others just to prove it can be done or to figure out how to be able to use a modern component when the time comes and yet still look original. It will have a modern power brake system eventually.

As to AC, on any car I own that is a given -- even back in the day, I was playing around with adding some form of it to cars that were born without.

Any other "improvements" depends on the item.

Quote:

Which brings to mind something I should have said earlier: If moved to modify, I always keep the parts so that any future caretaker may change the cars back to original. That is the state my cars were in when I took them over and since I hope that my two will outlive me (after many, many years of enjoyment on my part) any future caretaker will have the option.

Quote:
"have you improved your car to make it safer or more comfortable....or for some other reason?"

"SAfer" is subjective. I believe any of the BIG cars (Packard Cad, Buick, Linc etc) built during and after the HP revolution of 1955, if built/rebuilt to EOM SPECS, are just as safe as any modern day car with possible exception of shoulder harness. But the modern shoulder harness is the only exception. THe problem is the modern day avaialability of parts to OEM SPECS!!!!! This is what launches the arguments.

Other than shoulder harness the rest of my modifications are driven by convenience and comfort. Convenience not neccessarily limited to convenience of driving/riding in the car. Convenience also means availability of parts and service. Convenience also means ease of road side repairs and general maintenance and cost effectiveness.

I have various classic vehicles around here. Cars, motysickles, tractors, scooters, small engine powerer equipment dating back into the 40's. They all have some modern day mods. Some of those mods i would have rather not made and resisted to make them for years and in some cases resisted for decades. I did them because i was literally forced into it IN VIEW OF THE FACT that i actualy DRIVE the vehicles.

BOTTOM LINE: I am a purist at heart. But pragmatism will always rule. One has never really owned nor operated a vehicle until they have had to make something actualy work beyond the driveway, trailer, or cellulite phone signal. That's what seperates the gimmicks from the things that WORK!! A lot has changed in 50 years. OEM spec may not always be available 50 years from 1956 and maybe not 50 years from now.

Roll that up in a Zig/Zag and smoke it.

Based on my last post here is a list:

1. NEVER convert to e-ignition. Stay with points. (rare exceptions most not automotive).

2. Avoid Disk brake conversions. SImply not needed on the FLAG SHIP MODELS (Pack, Cad. Linc etc). Dropp a big V8 in a model A ford is a different issue. Model A fords are not flag ship cars. Not even in their day.

3. MEchanical brakes need to be converted to hydraulic. No excpetions.

3. Install shoulder harness. Lap belt not really needed. Shoulder harness, if nothing more, does a good job to placate law enforcement.

4. If the vehicle becomes a moving road obstacle because it's top speed is 55 to 60 mph then IT"S A PROBLEM!!!!! This is 2012. Not 1940.

5. Components that are subject to have chronic controversy are best modified or replaced with modern PRODUCTION parts sometimes aftermarket hotrod. Only exception i can think of is the Powerglide.

More as i think of them. I'm tired of typeing now.

The answer depends very much on what you want to do with your car, your degree of appreciation and respect for the history and engineering of the era, and if you're willing to learn the limitations of your vehicle and the driving skills required for that era vehicle.

To say that some degree of modernization is essential or required is just not so, folks drove cars like the one pictured below hundreds and in a few cases thousands of miles to attend the Centennial in 1999, and cars of this vintage are still quite capable of touring, again with an appreciation and understanding the limitations and driving skills needed.

So, it's a very individual decision.

PS - thats a Murphy-bodied Lincoln on the left, and a Buick Special by Lancefield on the right behind the Silver Ghost dual cowl.

Attach file:

---

  (132.58 KB)

Mostly original and very minty here. I wanted a Packard, and there's something about having one as close to original (i.e. as it left EGB) that's most appealing. When I replace something, I try to get NOS/NORS to maintain it as sympathetically as possible. Exceptions: Fluids. I have modern cars with all the amenities, so there's no need to add them to my Patrician.

The Packard specification for vacuum booster power brakes on the 9th series Twin Six and 10th-14th series cars was "capable of lock up at 55 mph." Addition of a vacuum booster for the earlier cars was an authorized accessory.

The biggest problem with all of these cars is worn drums and non-asbestos linings, but Packard mechanical brakes are very good when set up properly. And the power booster brakes are fantastic; they'll put you through the windshield.

My 400 exemplifies the attempt. Well maybe! Don't ask Craig..... Lol.