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Choke tube is installed. I also cut 1/2 inch off the top side of the tunk divider, and it fits well on the trunk side. I still have to get the proper board from an auto upholsterer. My grill moustasche tips came back with new chrome on them. And, I scored an Autronic Eye setup. I know these never came originally on packards of this year, and I would likely have to cut a hole in the dash (hurts me already) for the Eye, but I am *thinking about* using this on the car someday. It is 12volt (so is my car) so I could probably get it to work....Anybody have experience with these things. Did they actually work?
-Mike

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I can only attach 1 pic per post

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grill 'stasch

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Yes, from reports of the time the GM "Autronic Eye" worked as advertised. There was at least one installed on a 55 or 56 Packard; I don't recall the details but it was pictured and discussed in an article in The Packard Cormorant quite a few years back. With almost absolute certainly it was a dealer or owner installation.

Autronic eye is on the shelf for now, but one day I might do something with it. In the meanwile, I got the car ready to go to the paint shop! Stripped off a lot of parts from the inside fenders, dash, and put the ends of the wire harness into a plastic bag in the passenger compartment. I also started painting the IP with the red "cast blast" rustoleum paint. It looks pretty good, but next to an original speedo, it is a little more red and less burgundy. Not perfect, but perfectly acceptable. I tried it out on the gas/temp face before painting the clock face. I'll put the clock back together tonight when the paint is dry.
Hope March is a warm month!

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I painted the clock face last night, and put the clock back together this evening. Since there was some oil on the metal face from my clock clean and lubrication service, I cleaned it first with marine clean. Then 2 light coats, and a third thicker coat. (about ten minutes between each coat) That is according to the instructions on the paint can. Anyway the clock color looks closer to the color of the speedo. I may put another coat on the bezel for the tank/temp gauges, or I may not. It's decent looking.

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I've been thinking about doing something of the same for my Mayfair (red/white) as the green doesn't match the car at all. How did you get the old green sheen off the aluminum facing? Your repainted instruments look great and will probably look better in your dash. Congrats.!

Hi, my gauge faces were not faded to green, but faded to grey. I just took them apart, cleaned with a degreaser, and painted with rustoleum cast blast clear red.
Could it be the junior gauges turn grey, and seniors Turn Green?
And thanks for saying they look good nice to hear!
Mike

My mistake. I thought your dials were Gold-Silver-Green(with white lettering). Mine is Gold-Green-Silver(with gold lettering). I have seen some with a gray and black coloring in one of the circles but usually the extra color was green. Even seen Gold-Green-Green(with white lettering) somewhere. Packard's subtle hint at differences in product lines were very small for 51-54. Good luck on your project.

The red looks great! Did your clock hands just pull off or did you need a creative way to get them off?