Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

I will try to check my car tomorrow afternoon and report my findings.(The car is not at the house.) I am going to guess No notch. Till tomorrow. Brian

ok. so we have factory documentation to confirm that a gas tank filler neck change was made for the 1950 models to have a notch.

But how long did that continue in production??? Apparently not well onto 1956. Probably only the 50 or 51's.

So if it was a SHORT LIVED change then WHY was it abandoned???

Probably becaause it leaked gas.

MOREOVER, is there factory documentation thaat might indicate to replace or otherwisse modify the factory notched tanks to prevent the leaking or to fix what ever problem there was with the notched tanks.

SOMETHING made Packard abandon the notch. No???

Are the NEW REPRODUCTION tanks (with the notch) supplied WITH cap or withOUT cap.

I retrieved this from my horde of Service Counselors.
It documents the change in gas tanks and shows the "notch" which is VERY small. Since the "notch" only shows up sporadically in 51-56 I wonder if they were using up filler pipes which had already been manufactured? They obviously dropped the notch, but didn't want to discard parts already formed and for which they had time invested. Note that this notch is very much smaller than the notches on the new tanks.
You can click on this picture and blow it up to get a good view of the notch.

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Boy oh boy, I can't get over how much guessing and speculation people will go on and on about without checking the history of the issue.

I see there is still "guessing" that the pronounced notch inn our '52 tank might be from seamed tube or an error in formation. THE NOTCH IS NOT FROM SEAMED TUBING AND IS NOT A MALFORMATION, IT IS CLEARLY FORMED ON PURPOSE !!!

I get a bit incredulous that anybody thinks they can "measure" the size of the notch in the service counselor and compare it with the notch in our repro tanks. Are your eyes calibrated in inches or millimeters??

After all this talk it turns out that lo and behold, Packard designed a notch and for what reason, to provide a vent. THIS IS EXACTLY THE REASON OUR MANUFACTURER PUT ONE IN OUR TANKS..DOESN'T ANYBODY BELIEVE THE TRUTH ANYMORE???

As an engineer familiar with mass production it is incomprehensible that Packard would use "leftover" filler tubes.

Get a grip

As an engineer familiar with mass production it is incomprehensible that Packard would use "leftover" filler tubes.
Does anyone know if Packard made their own tanks? or if they bought them from one or more suppliers. I don't and doubt if anyone else has documentation.
Why did they stop using the notched tanks? I can't find anything in the Service Counselors that says they changed back to NOT using a notch. So all we can do is make an educated guess. And just for info I drive my 56 400 regularly and usually FILL the tank once every two weeks. I have never noticed gas leaking out and I do have the original cap which is vented. And western Pa roads are notoriously hilly with multiple curves.

11 pages on a gas tank notch.

64Avanti:
Go back and read post #1 of this thread. Someone named Jed has a problem due to the notch. GAS leaking!! We're trying to figure it out.

The problem is not yet resolved.

I believe we have resolved the problem and all questions:

1. Yes Packard did install tanks with notches per submitted SC

2. No they were not on all tanks

3. No, Packard purchased their tanks as most all mfgr's did

4. Yes,the problem of leakage did exist when these cars were
new as our all orig '52 leaks at the neck.

5. A spot of JB Weld does the fix, takes 15 min but some people believe they should not have to do that, they want to weld on a new neck which takes hours???!!!???

6. We are working on sourcing a gasket to be inserted into the cap 1 minute

7, Be prepared for 11 more pages, there are rumors afloat that the filler necks are from long secret surplus Soviet guided missles or from a home shop project that Harry Truman was working on. Yes, in the White House basement he was making Packard gas tanks because his salary was not big enough.

8,. And other fairy tales.

God Love ya Fred, no good deed goes unpunished