Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Low speed manuevering such as making a U turn tends to take a LOT of room compared to many other vehicles i've owned including LWB pick-ups. I can live with that ok.

Everything needs to consider the standards of the day, when the softest ride was "best". TL got there as softly as anyone, but without all the wallowing, which was an accomplishment.

My car is still a terror over bad RR tracks!

Let's not get delusional; my old SUV is a better car in almost every driving aspect. And it has air!

"my old SUV is a better car in almost every driving aspect"

Does your old SUV have REproduction period correct tires for 1956 on it, or lite duty passenger car shocks or monroe or bendix power steering of 1956 vintage or negative caster setting????

My car is still a terror over bad RR tracks!
Please define terror My 400 handles well over varying RR tracks, but I do have new bushings installed on top.

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Good points. The Packard T/L, as a product of it's time, may very well be "Best of its Day"-- and the writers of the day were not dreaming when they said that body roll was, compared to other cars, almost negligible.

Regarding the "Dive" characteristics on braking, that may well have been over-hyped, but the "Squat" on acceleration was truly almost non-existent. In fact, when set up properly, the rear of a Packard T/L car will actually RISE on acceleration. Significantly. Watch from the side of the car when someone accelerates away briskly from a stop. I've witnessed it many times. That rear end goes UP not down.

As far as this being some kind of blindly loyal homage to the T/L and its advantages, I want to reiterate, that is not my intention. It had its limitations. But for a 100% bonafide NON-ELECTRONICALLY enhanced and NON-AIR-BAG self-leveling suspension, T/L is an elegant, almost unbelievable (for its time) achievement.

I just think that there are more true stories out there that attest to real-world capabilities of the T/L, and I'd like to hear them. Sometimes it seems to me that there is an unwillingness to celebrate this achievement, even among Packard people.

Critical commentary is certainly welcome, and we need to give other makes credit where credit is due, but to me, the T/L suspension makes the V8 Packards more special than the V8 does.

Yes, i'd like to know what kind of "terror" the TL produces on RR tracks too. Mine handles them just fine. Large humps (some RR tracks) or dips in the road often give a sensation of mommentary flight followed by a gentle landing but not what i would call the least bit of a negative experience. Kind'a enjoy it in a way.

"Today, almost all roads are very smooth..." Wow, you can't possibly have been to the NorthEast lately!! They're so bad just about everywhere it's scandalous!

Amen to that!! And the ones that seem to get repaved in the Spring are the ones that needed it the least.

When I finally get my '55 on the road the conditions of what passes for paved streets here in Portland will give it a real test. I can't wait!
Must be all that "Sinful Gambling Money" that allows Nevada to have smooth hiways and byways.

California too. We are the 6th highest taxed state yet an article in the last few weeks said we had more miles of roads overall and more in poor condition than just about any other state. There were several huge bond issues approved to improve roads but so far the politicians have doled it out miserly or some with enough clout, to their pet projects--not where it is really needed.