Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Well... it's not a sports car. I drove a 1947 Cadillac with the Hydramatic, and thought it was fantastic. Not having driven my stepfather's Caribbean yet, I can't say if it's a good thing or not.

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Well, I beg to differ on that point.

While factory Trade Letters show overdrive available only on the Junior line, member 56executive provided a copy of document on Approved Codes for 56th Series (4th Revision) a few years ago, in this post, which shows Transmission Overdrive (OD) equipment available across ALL models.

I'd previously seen copies of that document from other sources, but after much discussion in that thread, I decided to change availability in my RPO chart for 56th Series to show overdrive as optional, though Twin Ultramatic (GS) equipment was standard, for Senior models.

However, while overdrive requires Manual Transmission (MS) equipment, I stopped short of adding a row for that until such time as we find a bona fide production order or build code strip that shows such equipment installed on a Senior car by the factory.

The manual transmission is a thread that binds....<div>My '56-400 was slated to have Ross install a 3 speed overdrive..He was able to get the original rebuilt Twin-Ultramatic to work properly. The car remains original. So far so good.<div></div><div>There is nothing like the 55-56 Packard's 3 speed overdrive set up..</div><div>From age 16 to college I drove my father's 55 Clipper..with 3SPOD.</div><div>It raced like big cars...and ran on gravel roads year round. HIGH SPEED drives on the new Intestate tested the upper limits of the dial.</div><div>Life happened and I parked the car at the home farm with over 100,000 miles on the clock...</div><div>Ridden hard it was nearly indestructible...but the car was scrapped.</div><div></div><div>The 38th built '56 Golden Hawk is parked next to the 400..They share the same engine..but the Hawk has 3 speed overdrive..with a Hurst shifter.</div><div></div><div>Installed by the previous owners I am not sure it is original or modified.</div><div>Please post if you have any information on how many 56J models had manual transmission. </div><div></div><div>The 56J is the most fun to drive...the first muscle car..</div></div>

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The 56J is the most fun to drive...the first muscle car..


That statement could spawn 1000 arguments, some would say the first "muscle car" was when Stanley installed an oversize boiler in an early steamer to go for the land speed record - I guess you argue it wasn't a legit factory offering. But many more candidates for that title since --- why wouldn't one consider the 6th and 7th series Packards as "muscle cars"? And on and on.......

PS - a few other candidates; Stutz Bearcats, early Mercer speedsers, Hudson speesters, all pre-1920.

Interesting to hear how much fun the manual is to drive in the '55 and '56 Packards. I'd like to try one sometime.

As Dave said, the first muscle car came long before 1955. Buick lovers like to think the 1936 Century started it all, with the formula of large engine, short chassis. However, Packard certainly used that formula before that in the 6th and 7th series Speedster series. That said, the formula was used much, much earlier than that.

One could argue, though, that the 1930 Packard Speedster would be the first built in any kind of numbers, though only about 118. The Buick Century, of course, many, many more times than that.

I'D be curious to know if anyone has adapted a manual transmission from another VEHICLE to a '55-'56 Packard V-8.

Is it possible to adapt an aftermarket bell housing (e.g. a Lakewood blowproof housing) to the V-8?

MIDan Quote:

Yes. Paul in Las Vegas (1956 Exec on my website) used a Borg-Warner T-10 4-speed originally (after restoration). As I understand it, the input shaft has to be shortened a little bit, but otherwise it bolts up. I'm pretty sure you have to have a custom driveshaft yoke/length too and the clutch disc splines have to match the T-10. As I understand it, there are other manual trans that have the same bolt pattern as the Ford.

Because his Exec has a 4.11:1 rear gear, later he took out the T-10 and put in a pre-1955 Packard 3-speed w/OD.

I'll be doing the same T-10 thing on my Panther and since it has 3.23:1 rear gears, I won't need the OD.


Craig

Craig, earlier in this thread I commented about the shift-it-yourself transmission conversion done by Ross in my 1955 Super Clipper. In that statement I said the rear axle ratio was 3:54:1. The T-U Super and Deluxe Clippers came with the 3:23:1 ratio. I find the speedo error is about 20%, but I can do the calculation in my head when driving (50 mph indicated is actually 60 mph). I do use 2nd gear a lot, especially around town, but on the road it cruises at a most comfortable engine speed. A 4-speed would be nice with this high axle ratio.

(o{}o)

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Many times over many years:

'61-65.5 Ford Borg Warner T10 4-speed
'63-75 Ford Top Loader 4-speed
'68-72 AMC T10 4-speed
'56 Studebaker Golden Hawk Borg-Warner T85 overdrive
'59-64 Studebaker truck Borg-Warner T89 overdrive
'56-73 Ford Borg-Warner T85 overdrive
'01 Viper Borg-Warner T56 6-speed

Are a few which come to mind. Only the Golden Hawk is a bolt in. The others require some combination of modifications to the pilot bearing, input shaft, clutch disc, front bearing retainer and so on.

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This is more difficult, as the Packard uses a cast extension on the rear of the block and a short bellhousing.
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Craig, I've still got a couple of Ford T10s under the bench. If you haven't bought one yet, let me know when you're ready.

jack vines

I believe that this subject has been discussed over and over, but if no production 55-56 Caribbean's were built with a standard transmission, why is there a listing in the parts book?
packardinfo.com/xoops/html/downloads/partslist5556/03_Clutch_Transmission.pdf
Group 3.000 and 3.005