Packard Forum Index » Modification Discussion

Quote:

Some numbers for comparison purposes: As of May 2012, Custom Auto quoted $5,400 to rebuild a NON Gear Start Ultramatic. A local mechanic here in Los Angeles quoted $2,300, and a dedicated top-notch transmission shop promised a stem to stern rebuild for $2,500 all-in.

Tim, yes, George Hamlin is alive, well, and still very active in the Packard hobby. For it's era, the Ultramatic torque converter was state of the art, really outstanding for it's time.

Drew, that price from Custom Auto is outrageous! The other numbers you mention are in the range of what I routinely hear, about $2500.

I have a 1955 Clipper Custom with the 352 V8 and I had the 727 installed in my car. I have over 45,000 trouble free miles (at least with the transmission being trouble free). The car runs and shifts great. I do know people say it would be great to have overdrive, I say I also miss disc brakes, but that's another forum. It was expensive to have someone convert it for me, $3695 in 2003. But my wife enjoys driving the car. So for us it's a thumbs up.

See this website about the various automatics:

charlietranny.com/A518.htm

Heed the warning about the A518 from that website clearly stated:

"There were MANY variations over the years and MANY parts do NOT interchange from year to year or model to model."

Better do alot of research before making your decision. Check into the 700R4 or maybe even the 200R4.

I have an 01 Dodge with automatic and V6. Great vehicle but parts are extremely expensive and not readily available like GM products.

OR to put it another way:
All the hotrodders and custom builders arn't using the GM conversions across many variety of parts/components because they won powerball or have a magic wand that makes parts magically appear in their hand.

You have been WARNED!!!

ive been getting my information about the 727 swap ,
i learned from the threads about a 518 w/ overdrive instead.
the sierra grove kit (975$)will allow for the 518 as well as the 727 with a crossmenber snip and a couple of hole enlargements ,I can use my starter and flywheel BUT i have a 6v pos ground automobile ;
there is a 3 pin connector off the older noncomputer 518 .the two outer pins are ground but the center pin requires a hot wire to run 2 solenoids; one for the overdrive and one for the torque converter lock out;
in various places I read that the solenoid actually runs off 8 volts and some places say 12 is actually too much .So my big question is will it function on 6 v ?
Ive been resisting going to 12v for some perverse reason ,have been happy with a power gen alternator,pertronix 6v point replacement and big napa 6v forklift battery ,

Steve's transmission may actually be good. We don't know not having seen it run. I've driven Ultramatics that were much better than others. I always thought either the overrunning clutch was slipping or there was converter fluid slip in the doggy ones. For sure, if the motor is not top notch the Ultramatic trans is going to really bog the car down. The 727 will do okay with a Plymouth slant 6.

One of the problems is the really good ones put in their 100,000 miles of service and were junked. With the conversion the original transmission can always be put back in.

I don't know anything about this 518 thing, but a 12 volt battery in the trunk can run those solenoids.

IIRC some models of the 700R4 or 200R4 (prior to 2002???) require no electricity???

bengstons kit which does those requires his starter which is a 12 volt

I wonder if theres a little 6 to 12v transformer i could mount on the tranny

theres an excellent site from a place out of bossier city la that has some articals about a 272 to 518 swap with diagrams and everything I think its called PTSD or something like that

I hear the solinoids actually take 8 v
im going to look at the 12 v conversion threads and see if anyone wrote the autorative artical, and ponder a 12 v conversion as part of my cruising ability program

I wonder if theres a little 6 to 12v transformer i could mount on the tranny

Not a transformer. Straight transformers won't work on a DC voltage.

There are 6v to 12v converter/inverters but you have to make sure it is one that specifically states it is OK to use for motors and coils. Most say their units are not to be used with anything containing motors or clutches. The solenoid would fall in that category. Unless the converter is designed and protected from the coil inrush current and back emf when the coil releases, there is a good possibility it will be damaged.

Newport Engineering has one they sell for use in their wiper motor conversions. It's a larger capacity than would be needed for just a solenoid but might be useful if you also wanted to add electric wipers. Someone recently posted a link to another with similar specs but less cost than Newports. I forgot to bookmark that one so hopefully it will appear again.

I was snooping around and found 6to12volt.com itsa company that makes a gizmo that will power a negative ground 12 v device from a 6 v positive ground car
the fellow who runs the place ,Mr Meyer ,has been vvery helpful I sent him a diagram on how to wire up a 518 when doing a 727 to 518 conversion from an artical I found from a transmission company in bossier city La .( i think its PATC) if you google 727 to 518 conversion youll find a couple of great hemmings articals and then a definitive how to by this transmission co . ,maby I can figure how to put the diagram in the threads ,but I sent it to Mr Meyer and asked if it would work, he said sure ,I was worried that if the transmission attached to the engine and the engine is where I ground the pos gr baTTERY what would happen ,

he said no problem .could work around it with a relay and have an off switch for when the car sits ,he was willing to add his wiring diagram on how o hook up his little box from his site ,into the one I supplied him for the transmission ,his device is mainly for if you wanted to use a new radio/cd or something usually .
i didnt know the amperage draw of a solenoids but figure it couldnt be too to much ,the transmission guy said they dont remain energised after the shift ,only while they shift

theres 3 518's they can be distinguished by the electical coupling that hangs out of them

the oldest is a 2 pin this is the overdrive solenoid only

next is a 3 pin this is the one you want, it has a overdrive solenoid and a torque converter lock up solenoid its more eficient than the one without this and i like the ideq of a locking torque converter because its replacing an ultramatic which does that

and the modern one is an 8 pin ,bad, need a computer ,no computers in a packard please
the sierra grove packard adapter guys kit can handle either transmission
but the 518 takes some fussing witht the linkage ,move the mount as the tranny is a touch longer and shave a spot on the case
so there getting closer!!