Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

hi all u packard fans out there,,im the guy that bought the clipper,its well under restoration ,any one with any stainless or chrome fit this car ,,sure be interested,,thanks,, joe

I wouldn't say that a Constellation with a manual transmission would be all that rare, but I believe that the Twin Ultramatic was the standard transmission with the Constellation. The ad doesn't say anything about the suspension, so I have to assume that it's on the car.

It is a good thing that the car spent its life in California so any rust would be minimal. I have definitely seen a lot worse that have been brought back to decent shape. Overall, I think it would be a good car to restore and could bring a lot of pleasure to its current and future owners.

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Check with Mike Dulinski (218)721-4631. He has about the largest selection of 55-6 parts cars around on your side of the country and could probably help. If you are logged in, you might follow this link & PM an inquiry to packardsouthwestpackardinfo.com/xoops/html/userinfo.php?uid=3792 He might have the chrome you need in one of the warehouses he's currently going thru.

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For both 55 and 56, Twin Ultra was standard on Seniors (inlduing the 56 Exec), but optional on all models in the the Clipper line.

As for Torsion-Level, it was optional equipment on Clipper Custom models throughout the 55th Series run, but the parts books lists no conventional spring equipment details for the 5560 chassis, which seems to indicate 100% install in production.

See the RPO charts in thise site's archive, which were derived from factory-issued Trade Letters.

G'day Joe, point,

Don't forget, you can include your '55 Clipper Constellation Hardtop as well as any other Packards you may own, in the Packard Owner's Registry here on PackardInfo!

ur right, on very little rust ,being a california car,,one reason to buy it,it does have the T L suspension on it,and also it has no power options no power seat,windows,brakes,steering,living in the rust belt its a pleasure work on this car ,in its condition

I'm jealous--that is just how I like my cars; full manual except the two desirable items, the overdrive and the Torsion Level. You own the fastest car in the 55 lineup. A Caribbean with all that extra weight and Ultramatic will not even touch it.

People always talk about it came from Calif so it must be a rust free car.

Just a note, Calif is a long state with many different climate regions. A Southern Calif car will have a dramatically different condition that a northern Calif car. Northern Calif has weather more like the Pacific Northwest then it does Southern Calif. The Sierra Nevadas (North-Eastern Calif) gets snowfall that would rival places back east.

My car spend the first half of it's life near Lake Tahoe and with the rain and snow in that area...it explains alot of the rust I had to contend with.

On the other hand....Hot, dry weather like we have in Southern Calif, Central Valley and most of the Southwest US, destroys rubber, plastics, wire harnesses and sun fades/dry rots interiors. So pick your poison.

My car had an even life of both. So buyer beware... car location is not always a good measure of car condition.