Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

I read a reprint of the HRM article on this hot-rod Clipper decades ago, and was pleased, years later, to learn that the car had survived.

I'm even more pleased to find, now, that it has been restored, and I'll bet that Ross Miller had a lot of fun with this one.

Though it is not a factory creation, it is still an important piece of Packard history.

Are those Rochester carbs???? They look like a much more modern carb to me. Maybe not.

Note the rather odd brake pedal stem on the automatic brake pedal.

WIlly's gears in the rear axle???? Unless they used somekind of WWII Duece truck axle gears there is no way the Willys or Jeep gears would ever hold up to ANY V8 not even a flat head ford. I don't think Willys produced anything greater than maybe 3/4 ton at the max prior to 56.

Very Nice car. Excellent resto.

Looks like a pair of Holley's to me....

But I'm usually wrong so they may not be..

Quote:

Why don't you call Speedwell Garage and talk to Ross Miller?

The owner has a lifelong aversion to Rottenchesters so we put on some new Holleys (or were they Edelbrocks--geez, I can't even remember now) which worked fantastic right out of the box. I was relieved as I am not a multi-carb pro.

The car has manual brakes, and that is the normal pedal shank you can see.

Mr. Hatch had said the gears were from a Willys, and they were 4.88 IIRC. There was no need to mess with them as everything in the punkin was hunky dory.

Two things are striking in driving the car. One, excellent traction on launch coupled with a rise of the whole car. second, this is the only torsion-level car where I've had the opportunity to replace every last rubber bushing, including the body mounts. The ride and over the road smoothness is fantastic.

The use of Willys gears makes perfect sense since it has a Dana 44 in it, and so did/does Willys, I think even now.

Quote:

FIRST:

CRAIG! I'VE BEEN WAITING NINE YEARS FOR YOU TO TALK ABOUT MOVING AHEAD ON THE PACKARD PANTHER! Yours was the very FIRST site that I found on the V8 Packards, and it whetted my appetite to explore further. First, to the AACC site, then to Packard V8 club, and finally to this fine place. Congratulations on the resurrection of an incredible, worthy project in the PANTHER.

Second, regarding Ross' quote. Thanks for affirming my contention that, properly set up, the Torsion Level system will absolutely reverse any "squat" on acceleration. I still remember watching our '55 Clipper when my dad pulled away with his foot in it-- the back end ROSE about 3 inches as it accelerated from a stop. I think cars like the one referred to here are tapping into the possibilities of this suspension for straight-line performance, and also on the twisties: when these suspensions are working right, the car will corner almost flat at high speeds. The tires will let go before the body rolls more than slightly. I've done it many times.

I'd really like to take one of these cars on a well-banked oval and show what it could do... or maybe I'll leave that to a pro. No, I want to do it myself.