Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

If I remember correctly, these bolts were mixed in with some of the engine hardware that was in a coffee can when I got the car. They look important, but likely could be off of a different car. There was hardware from the 1940's to 1990's mixed in with what was actually removed from the car by the previous owner. I thought that the pair might be for the fender skirts, but they are 3/8" and not 5/16".

The pair is 3/8" fine thread with a 3/4" head.

The single is 3/8" fine thread with a 7/8" head.


Do they ring any bells with anyone?

Jeff

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They may be fender skirt bolts. 54-56 used 3/8-24 thread instead of 5/16. 55-6 was 1" long. 54 was roughly 3/4" long. Not sure about any differences in the head depth.

What a coincidence!

Motor City Packards has a project for fender skirt bolts and Packards1 supplied the following data to me:

Packard part number 399938 fits 1948-53 All models. This is a 5/16-24 X 25/32" bolt.

Packard part number 448420 fits 1954 all models. This is a 3/8-24 X 25/32" bolt.

Packard part number 6485345 fits 1955-56 all models. This is a 3/8-24 X 25/32" bolt.

Also, the 1955-56 bolt has a larger head than the others. This can all be found in group 30.793 in the Packard parts books.

Hope this is of some help

Thanks for all the info. It looks like I was on the right track then, just the bolts are for newer cars. One of the previous owners must have picked them up at a swap meet sometime in the past. I suppose that the head size matches the lug bolts/nuts so that you can loosen it with the tire iron, saving the expense of supplying a separate tool for the skirts.


Jeff

I suppose that the head size matches the lug bolts/nuts so that you can loosen it with the tire iron

My recollection is, that at least for some years, the head size of the skirt bolt matched the size of the spark plug wrench (13/16ths) which was included with the jack at least thru 1954.

bigmoparjeff wrote:

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The 54-55-56 owner's manuals that I've previously downloaded all advise that (WRT to "Changing Wheels"):

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Yet, when it comes to removing the hub cab, the owner's manuals refer to a:

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...as if to distinguish that from the aformentioned wrench for the skirt screw (bolt).

If you check the parts books' Tool section, you'll find a "spark plug & fender shroud wrench" listed (Gr. 16.011) separatley from a "jack handle & wheel wrench" (Gr. 16.012). IIRC, that spark plug wrench looked similar to what you used to find on a card and hanging on a hook in gas stations, convenience stores, and discount department stores. Yet, I also recall using the lug wrench to R&I the skirt bolt on my V8 cars.

However, both of those tools show the same P/N, respectively, for 22nd through 56th Series, which - at first - seems to run counter to the notion that 55th-56th Series fastener had a bigger head.

Is it possible that the spark plug wrench was stepped to fit more than one size of hex? Is it just dumb luck that the lug wrench fits the skirt bolt as used on 55th-56th Series?

The factory spark plug wrench was double-ended, sized for 10mm and 14mm plugs. You can see it in this picture of the 55/56 jack equipment.

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I'd love to get a suitable pair for my 56. Where and how do I order them? Wed site store does not list 55/6.....

Paul Terhorst sells them in stainless according to his ad in News Bulletin