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Since Kev's 54 deluxe is the same as my 55 Deluxe, I am confident that the 54 Panama is the same as a 55. Here's a 55.

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Here is what they look like on my 53 carib. Same style as the 56 shown before. Next question is what color should your's be? I guess blue to contrast.

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Thanks for all the input! I never would've thought that robe rails would be so interesting. Howard, I had no idea of the internal construction, so that information is very helpful.

It looks like my rails are the same as the '56 Patrician and '53 Caribbean. You can see the imprint of the chrome piece left on the seat (picture is rotated.... Taken in portrait mode, but the website changed to landscape).




Color is good question. The blue would give it good contrast. But would it be me of the seat material, or would it be the same as the windlace? The '54 Caribbean had it the same color as the top of the seat, so who knows.

Kevin

Yes, they must be the same as the Caribbeans style. The 54 sedans only use a single screw on each end which goes through the end, through the loop on the chain and into then metal on the seat back frame.

Many have said Packard started going cheap after the 50 models and it certainly appears to be true. 47 robe rail chain fastens onto a 6 piece spring loaded shock or plunger affair that is in the seat back at each end. The later models took that down to a single pot metal piece at each end and apparently no shock mechanism only held by a couple of screws.

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Can confirm there's definitely no shock mechanism in my 55 Deluxe. Kinda wondered about that before. When you yank on it, it don't budge.

Of course the 55 400 has a completely different design.

Switching gears for a second. I had to shuffle the Panama out of the shop for a work party, and had the hardest time getting it started. Electrical issue. Basically just loud click and nothing, over and over. Battery fully charged. Finally got it started, warmed up, driven, and moved to a different spot. Looked at my new battery cable and noted what looks like burning on the inside.




My assumption is the starter is drawing way too many amps and causing these burns. I plan to rebuild the starter this winter. Am I correct in this assumption?

If there is oxidation on the battery terminal or inside the cable terminal or a bad fit and poor contact between the battery and cable terminals the high current can cause overheating and a bluish color on a shiny connector. Oxidation can develop in a few hours and what was a good fast start one day is not happening the next. Symptoms are exactly as you describe with either a very slow crank or nothing but clicks from the solenoid.

A poor solder or crimp connection or corrosion developing between the wire and terminal can also cause concentrated heating of the terminal. If there is a hidden corrosion condition in the wire to terminal connection it can become bad enough there is no contact with the terminal at all.

Couple of questions.

1.) I'm wanting to clean up and paint the engine this winter. I'm seriously considering pulling the engine. The more I think about it, the more it seems like the logical thing to do. I have a few leaks I need to fix (front and rear main seal, and oil pan), I'd like to have the manifolds cleaned up and coated, and I never pulled the water distribution tube and cleaned the block out. All of this (especially cleaning and painting the engine) seems easier with the engine out.

Is it easier to pull with or without the transmission? What exactly are the steps to pulling it? I've never done it on my own. Unhook wires, throttle linkage, hoses, remove fan, etc. Where do I lift from? Hood off? I would love some guidance here.

2.) Are these holes in the hood (4 in the front, 2 on the sides) supposed to have rubber bumpers in them?

Round bumpers in the front, wedge shaped bumpers along the sides.

Pulling the front clip makes getting to motor out much easier, otherwise that's a long heavy awkward motor to get put over the top of the core support.