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Hi all.

I got to thinking last night about Packards and transmission options. I'm pondering my first post-war Packard purchase (well, 'dreaming' is more like it), and I guess I have always ONLY considered an automatic. Mostly for it's ease of driving in the city: we have traffic, and there is lots of stant-n-stop moving anywhere you go, even to car shows and the movies. I spent my first 28 years of driving in all sorts of stick shift cars, mostly small British stuff but also old Jeeps, Metros, Corvairs, etc.. And being honest with myself, I find now that comfort of driving is something that factors in to how much I enjoy my old cars, and how often I take them out.

I have driven 3 Packards, and all were automatics: A 52, a 54, and a 56 Executive. Nice driving all, although I admit the strait-8's were fairly... leisurely on acceleration. That is ok. I find that I am focusing more on the 46-54 models anyways mostly to avoid the extra mechanical and electrical complications of the 55-56 models. But I have never driven the 3-speed cars. Yes, I need to try one. That said...

First, I am curious about folks' thoughts on the merits of the manual shift post-war Packards. Good? Bad? Smooth shifting? Do you find yourself shifting all the time, or does the engine allow for less of that? Preference? And why?

Second, I guess I am curious as to why Packard, a luxury brand, made so many manual shift cars post-war? It seems like a low-end option for such a luxury make as Packard. Although I do not shop a lot of Caddys of the same era, I just do not recall seeing as many manual shift Caddys. No?

Thanks.
Mike

If you want to be happy with your purchase I strongly suggest looking at and driving a manual trans model.

Cadillac was so far ahead of the competition with hydramatic they pretty much dropped manual shift by 1949. I don't know exactly when it was formerly dropped, but I have seen 1948 cars with manual and I think maybe a 49.

The public was clamoring for automatics when available; from 1950 onwards Packards with standard shift were a relatively small percentage of total production, more so of course in the more junior models. The senior models from 54 thru 56 were not even offered with standard shift. One could estimate the number of standard shift 55 and 56 cars by a study of the Utica plant engine numbers though I don't know of anyone who has attempted to research that and folks are reluctant to crawl under the cars to get that number so available data is very slim. I don't know of any way to estimate that percentage in the 50-54 cars.

Cadillac offered standard shift, at least on some models, at least into the mid-60s though it's VERY rarely seen.

In proper condition the postwar Packard standard transmissions are very rugged and as smooth to shift as the best of them, though through the 23rd series the shift linkages can be a hassle to recondition when worn (which is almost always). Ultramatic behind the straight 8-cylinder cars was extremely reliable and long-lived, often lasting for the life of the engine; the same cannot be said for the Twin Ultramatic behind the V8 even when driven with a light foot.

If you do go with a manual shift and OD I think you will be pleasantly surprised as to just how little shifting you will have to do.

Considering that automatics were just coming on the scene in any quantity and the fact that small independent Packard was able to design and build their own Ultramatic it was quite an accomplishment. I believe GM was the only other mfg with the engineering talent and resources to do so in house. The others partnered up or outsourced their automatics for several years after Packard had theirs.

Packard did tend to hedge their bets since many of their old and conservative long time customers didn't want to mess with new fangled ideas. The manuals did stick around and I believe Packard was even proud they were a luxury brand and offered one.

If you do go with a manual car, for the most point I believe it will be in the junior or lower to mid models. Relatively few Patricians and other senior cars had them.

If u're looking at the straight 8's i would definately prefer the stick WITH OVERDRIVE or plan to add overdrive if it doesn't already have it.

There were many people well into the 1970's that simply did not want automatics or power brakes. Many rural dwellers did not want automatics. They feelt like they had lesscontrol over the car at low speeds in difficult terrain or mudd etc.

I had a rather baby hughy type school teacher in high school that bought a new Plymount 9 passenger wagaon fully loaded but had to wait for the special order stick and he was a rather youg man at the time and a city dweller. There were alot of people that just didn't want automatics.

Another man during the early 70's that was supervisor on the line at Chrysler in Detroit for 40 years. He got a company car. New Yorker full power EXCEPT with manual brakes. But he rarely did any high speed driving. Just around town.

Thanks. Interesting historical context there (old timers wanting the familiar manuals, development of the ultramatic timing, etc). Explains some of it.

I guess I need to find someone with a manual that will let me drive it. Try it out. Time to bug my local club-mates!

I used to be a manual tranny guy, but in stop-n-go traffic of metro detroit, I admit I have grown weary of it these days. But I keep thinking I would get more umph out of a standard tranny Packard...

Thanks.

In response to your comment re: "Why a luxury maker like Packard made so many standard shift cars" (or words to that effect) I think what you will find is that in '51-'54 Packard was making a lot of less than luxury models, more Pontiac grade than Cadillac, and those customers were both the old fuddys that didn't want the new fangled automatic transmissions, and didn't want to pay for much other than the basics. As you get into the upper series cars, the Patrician 400 in '53-'54 I think you will find that most all of them came with an automatic.

In 1954 Ultramatic was standard equipment in the Caribbean, Patrician, Convertible, & Pacific.

Has anyone ever confirmed if the Ultras on those senior cars were a delete or special circumstance option or were those manuals you see from time to time dealer installed.

Not to my knowledge and I think if any documentation did exist, it would have surfaced by now, given the extensive numbers of dealer, trade, service and TSBs that survived. I suspect, just as in 55/56, they were conversions done by the dealer. I do know there was a power window delete option in 1954 for convertibles.