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Robert, I would like nothing better than to park my Caribbean next to yours and take some pix. My belief that it is the finest-looking 1956 automobile is of course biased, but I can defend my opinion with facts and pictures from owners all across the country. No other 56 automobile can best it in looks and design. With that said here is some pix of the vent wings dismantled. Driving out the small pin that holds the locking handle in place was surprisingly easy. The pin punch I used is in the foreground with the two wave washers per handle. I did have to drill out three rivets per wing and therefore will need to cut down six more rivets. The glass is the heat absorption type with the E-Z-EYE logo.
Oh, the generator?? I took it to be rebuilt three years ago and he called Friday to say it was done. I did tell him there was no rush when I dropped it off. He replaced the rear casting which holds a ball bearing rather than a bushing and put in a new armature, brushes, screws and terminal bolts. Cost? $50.00.

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Dave, if this keeps up, I will be driving barefoot next Spring.

Randy,
Your knowledge and attention to detail is impeccable. I look forward to parking my Carib next to yours one day and comparing notes. I can assure you mine will pale in camparison but I would certainly enjoy the fellowship and conversation.

I am biased as well on the 56 Caribbean. I spent a couple of years searching for mine and it was worth the wait. I never get tired of working on it, learning more about or just going into the garage to stare at it.

Keep up the good work. Here a few pics of mine. I am getting closer!

Regards,
Robert.

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Robert, although it may seem like I'm doing a full restoration I am not. Some things just have to be fixed. You know the feeling of driving your car somewhere and there is something wrong that only you know of, but YOU know it. It will nag at you till you fix it, but no one else will see it. But after all, you are doing the car for yourself, not anyone else. I notice you have your "whiskers" already mounted below the parking lights. I think you will have to remove them when you mount the grille as they are a #$%^&*()@ to get them below the grille.

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Robert, two hearty hurrahs for getting what I believe to be the correct color paint in the correct places. There really can't be any doubt that Packard intended to have the little spot below the front parking lights to be the middle color on tri color cars, and the lower color on two-tone, though there is room to believe they may have gotten a few incorrect. And as to the wheels, real evidence from unrestored cars w/o wire wheels is hard to come by and factory photos I've seen are all B&W or have wire wheels, but I believe Danuble Blue is correct for the wheel color. Mine are still "S" because when I bought the car it was repainted S-M-S and I haven't redone the wheels. It wasn't really an unattractive color scheme though unauthentic as far as I know, and it surely clashed with the interior. Picture enclosed of the car as I bought it from the 1st owner. It was a really good buy back in 1997 at $12K, and I originally said I wasn't going to put much into it but rather just drive it and enjoy it, but I've since put several times that amount into it. Oh well, can't take it with you as they say.

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Randy,

Thanks for the heads-up on the whiskers. I will remove them before I re-install the grill.

Robert.

Dave Thanks.

I was fortunate in the fact that my car is still fairly original. I had the fenders and wheels repainted in the same fashion that I had found them prior to disassembly. My front fenders definitely had the Danube Blue below the parking light and my steel Motor Wheels appeared to have the remnants of the original Danube Blue paint.

I had no idea your car was once repainted in the SMS color scheme. It looks quite good although I prefer the MES and I know you prefer originality. I am guessing the fender mounted dual rear view mirror were not original too :)

It was certainly a buy back in 1997! Buying it from the original owner no less. These cars have a certain way of growing on you. I too have put much more time and money into my Carib than I had ever planned. And since I can't take the money or the car with me, I will enjoy them both while on this mortal coil.

Regards,
Robert.

Interesting observation about the mirrors. When bought 25 yrs ago, my car (which was a 2 owner) also had Packard mirrors in what appears to be the same place on fenders. I removed them when redoing the car because they were, IMHO, absolutely useless in that location. Since this was always a west coast car and as far as I know original at that time, wonder if there was a directive on mounting or a fad at that time.

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I was comparing his SMS picture to his MES picture in the registry. He could have removed them for the same reason you stated but I have no knowledge if fender mounted dual mirror where original or not. Mine happens to be on the driver's door.

With regard to the external mirrors, yes the ones on my car were Yankee mirrors, not the correct Packard accessory mirrors. Since the mirrors were generally (always?) a dealer accessory, I'd guess a lot of dealers used Yankee and either pocketed the difference, or told the customer he could save a few $.

As to the mounting positions, the original Packard template which I have gives both mounting positions, on the door or on the front fender. I could make a copy if anyone wants it. I found the fender-mounted position to be poor, and the door not a lot better as the wing-window post interferes unless you sit way back or way forward. The mirror I ended up buying and installing is the Jay Fisher reproduction, pretty decent and a bit easier to mount than the original as you don't have to get access inside the door; externally looks correct with the little allen head screw.

As to the repainting of my car, there was a 2nd repaint before the S-M-S, Holland Blue over Dover White over Roman Copper. The original owner must have been in the paint business and couldn't stop fidgeting around with the color scheme. But now it's back to M-E-S.

Randy, my windshield and front vent wings have been reglassed but I checked the rear quarter windows ont he car and two I have in the cellar, they are all marked "Solex Duolite", as was the original windshield.