Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Yes I am aware of the modern products for repro the undercoating and have used them many times. The more modern cars now use a foam type material between panels in the trunk lid,hood and roof between the outer skin and inner structure for noise reduction and structure. The reason I am asking is the thick tarlike textured substance between the trunk inner and outer showed through the " holes" openings in the inner trnk structure and upon inspection with a flashlight covered the whole inside of the trunk lid skin and was pinched between the inner frame and skin AT ASSEMBLY. My question goes to a much earlier post in this thread. If the factory was using this on site for the trunk area were they also doing it in other areas?
The earlier post for the tri color cars and the 2 tones hinted at this for the lower fender areas and wheel wells.
Just my humble opinion- The coating I witnessed in the doors of my 55 was in a thickness, coverage, and consistancy of application to be highly unlikely to be applied with a wand thru a hole, blind, by a prep person at a dealer.
Just as a side note - in the 80s and poss earlier some mass produced cars of the same body, in the same factory weighed 40-120 lbs heavier due to additional "sound deadener, jute, and hush mat(butyle) foil backed self stick pads used in the upper trim level luxury equipped cars. I have personal Knowledge of this in later production cars. Was wondering if this was the case back then also.

Was wondering if this was the case back then also.

I expect the 55 treatment was similar to that described in the 56 fact book so here is what Packard insulated. Not much specifics on the sprayed on sound deadening other than in prior years it was described as a viscous asphaltic compound that never hardens or deteriorates. They were overly optimistic on that bit. The thick fiber and felt materials was described as being asphalt impregnated.

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Wow! Great Howard. Thanks. Yes I had removed the Impregnated pad over the headliner but was looking where they sprayed on the tar. As I suspected it does show the coating inside the doors. Not called out between the trunk halves on the 56. Interesting. Mine has the inner doors,inner trnk, trnk floor and lower fire wall and fenders done. And the door tar was black but the final paint finish on top in the trunk floor and others. Yes " never hardening" I guess was meant for ave life exp a production vehicle- not 58 or 60 years.

On my car, that same tar-based insulation that was sprayed in the doors, was also sprayed in the area between fenders and the wheel tubs in the trunk. Also sprayed over the gas filler area inside the trunk.

I discovered that mice love to nest in that no mans land when the rear seat bracing, wheel tubs and quarter come together. It's impossible dead space to get into.

I realized this as I was doing the outer body work on the quarter panel. The heat from the torch I was using to shrink the "oil canned" metal ignited the hidden mouse nesting on the back side of the panel.

Luckily the bucket of water I had to throw back in that area (twice!) to extinguish the smoldering nest, poured out through the rust hole in the dog legs.

"Luckily the bucket of water I had to throw back in that area (twice!), poured out through the rust hole in the dog legs"

Getting back to engine bay details, and what I have done specifically to my car, I did get the heat shields from Dwight. I painted them, installed them and they look great; I highly recommend him in case any of you need a set.

I also found an oil filter decal and fitted one of my metal clamps, the one holding the heater hose to the front of the engine hose.

I still need to find where the other three clamps go and get the rubber cover for the voltage regulator terminals.

Getting closer...

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Nice shields! What do the extra clamps look like? Maybe we can offer a suggestion or three. Have you tried Mike Dulinski for the rubber piece. Within his 56 V8 parts cars maybe he has one.

I notice the end of a spring attached to the oil filter. Is that in addition to the regular spring that parts book shows going on linkage directly on acc pedal under the car or the one near the firewall? I've mostly seen just the firewall mounted spring and that is the only one I have -- but suppose there could be two on some cars.

Here is a photo out of the factory AC install instructions showing the one on firewall. Connects between a depression in the lever and a small hole in the flange 8-10" below on the firewall. The flange is just above where firewall ends vertical and starts to angle in.

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Joel Ray had a reasonable facsimile for the rubber cover on the 56 voltage regulator.

Isn't that caution decal supposed to go on the power steering pump instead of the oil filter?

packardinfo.com/xoops/html/downloads/55-56ACInstall.pdf
Picture F7

Thanks! Does anybody have Joel Ray's or Mike Dulinski's email address to look for the rubber part?

Ooops... did I place the decal in the wrong place?

On the springs, my car shows two of them. One in the rod joining both carburators. The other one, going from the oil filter base to the gas pedal rod. Pics attached.

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