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At least the wiper conversion is cleared up and my hat is still tipped to the person who did the mod. Very neat and professional looking. Did they manage to keep and use the cable operated switch with that motor like you can with the 56 Chevy motor or need to convert to an ordinary switch as is done when someone uses the Newport electric motor?

Howard

The original dash switch still works, so yes I guess they figured out how to hook it up. The guy who owned the car then was an electrical engineer in the defence forces, so I guess he had a slight advantage!

Cheers Brian

Wire wheels look better with a small whitewall.

Here's a general question for the brains trust. I'm contemplating options for repainting my 1956 Clipper Deluxe. The existing finish (dark blue) was applied about 30 years ago. The top (colour) coat has reacted with the undercoat resulting in extensive crazing on exposed panels - tops of guards etc. Looks like it will have to come off.

I plan to keep the same - or similar - colour. Am hoping to avoid dismantling the body. When the car was repainted, some limited refurbishment was done (eg sills were replaced). The bodywork is generally sound (as best I can tell) with a little bit of suspicious bubbling around the lower left rear guard and wheel cover and some panel damage to one of the sills. Won't know what gives there until the paint is off.

The car is in very good condition mechanically, with everything working as it should. Original black/cream interior which I would like to preserve (with a little renovation). The front and rear chromework is all pretty good, and was obviously refinished at some point.

I'm afraid that if I start dismantling the car mechanically I will encounter problems getting it back into good running condition as it is now. Not to mention the potential cost of this level of work which I would not attempt myself. Also probably a lot more dollars than the car's worth.

My question is: What's involved in removing the stainless body trim and stainless trim around the front and rear windows? What is the best method of removing the existing paint and undercoat (not sure if I'll encounter much filler)?

Professional opinions obviously vary according to what stripping technology the operators have. Some have warned about things like soda blasting because the residue is hard to clean up. Others have suggested the old fashioned routine of remove the trim and scrape or sand it off with/without stripper. I have excluded things like Redi-Strip because it requires removing the whole body and at least partially dismantling the car. But all agree that the trim needs to come off to do the job.

Any advice or personal experience will be appreciated.

Cheers

Brian

No suggestions on the paint removal but on the stainless windshield and rear window trim have a look at the body section 19 in the 55-6 SM. Your 56 Deluxe would have the same procedures as the 55 instructions.

Basically, windshield is a combination of grooves in the rubber capturing and holding flanges on the trim and at the ends of the trim, the use of clips with studs that go thru the rubber held by nuts on the inside. At the rear, mostly clips inserted or welded in a channel in the stainless with studs going thru the rubber.

The problem you will run into if the rubber is old is undoubtedly the rubber will be hard and brittle. The trim may be bent when trying to remove it or worse, a chunk of the rubber will break off as you try to flex it to release the trim. The hard rubber could also affect the glass if a chunk breaks off or too much pressure is applied. If you wind up needing to remove the glass, whatever you do cut the old hard rubber off the body flanges and lift the glass out. Do not open the groove and try to bump it out as per the service manual procedure.

Steele does have new windshield rubber and may have the correct back glass piece but several have reported that the Steele rubber is a bit softer than factory and it can be difficult to get the stainless trim flange to stay in the grooves.

Thanks Howard

I'll look at the 55 manual to get an idea where all the clips are located and how to access them. Have been told that some for the rear stainless trim are behind the upholstery, so may have to remove that in the process. The car had a new windshield not long ago. Don't know whether the rubber was replaced but appears to be in reasonable shape and still fairly soft. Don't know about the rear. I'm trying to avoid removing the glass and rubber for the paint job. Not sure if that's feasible.

I've ordered a set of the plastic trim removal tools which will hopefully let me ease things off gently without causing further damage.

If it all goes pear-shaped I do have a fairly good selection of spare stainless trim, badges etc (but not for the windows).

Cheers

Brian

Hi Howard

I looked at the 1955/56 Service Manual, Section 19. Has details on how the various glass is removed/replaced. I'm hoping to avoid doing that. Some of the paint stripping operators say it's possible. Nothing in the Manual about the stainless body strips, badges etc. They will definitely need to come off. Section 10 of the Manual does show how the front grille etc comes off, which will be handy.

Guess I'll dive in on the stainless body strips and figure it out! I may have to disassemble part of the interior trim to get at some fasteners.

Waiting now for cost estimates for the paint stripping. Some provide a mobile service. A fellow Packard club member has offered to take on the paint prep after it's stripped. Will then have the top colour (which I know from a former owner) professionally applied. Given the car is about 4 acres of sheet metal, the paint alone will no doubt cost quite a bit.

Cheers

Brian

On the body chrome strips there is a combination of push in spring wire clips and studs thru the metal with a nut and washer inside. If a fastener cannot be accessed from behind by taking something like a panel off then it is most likely held by a spring wire clip or in some cases a special blind fastener. There is also the distinct possibility that if the trim was removed for some reason in the past it might not have been put back on the way Packard did it so it truly is a look, feel and see thing.

The front fender piece is typically all stud and nut because the nuts are accessible from behind and the heavy pot metal requires a bit more in fastening power. The strip on the back fender can be either or maybe a combination since most of the clips can be accessed thru the trunk or door.

Most likely you will need to remove the upholstery panels because even if a strip is mostly held on by wire clips, typically there is at least one stud and nut involved to keep the trim tight against the metal in one or two spots to prevent sliding. You can gently work a pry tool under the strip and tell if there is a wire clip as there will be some give and you can slide the tool a bit side to side. When you try to pry the strip away it will generally give a bit and start to come loose. If a stud and nut then no sliding the tool under the clip and no give so if you were under a spring clip and are working your way toward a stud do not force it or you will bend the strip.

The outer door handles will need to come off to remove the belt molding on the doors. That in itself can be a project because if they have never been off typically the long clips that hold the handles have rusted to the inner sheetmetal track and can be a real pain to remove. First suggestion is penetrating oil and let it sit for a day or two before trying to remove them. Frequently they are still damaged when trying. NOS clips are nearing extinction and the repros made of metal that won't rust are expensive. The manual shows using a screwdriver against the exposed tab and just sliding them out. That works if the clip is new and non rusted but more likely the rusty tab will break off in your attempt and then you need to go inside, dose the heck out of the area with penetrating oil again, use a long screwdriver or metal bar to pound the clip out from inside the door and then find another clip. Each door handle has a specific and different clip. Once the handles are off then the rest of the strip is probably wire springs.

Belt molding that continues around and under the rear window is most likely all stud and nuts and you will need to remove the package shelf to get to them. Little short pot metal pieces here and there are typically studs welded to the strip with a nut inside the car somewhere.

The emblems and script typically have studs cast into the pot metal and pushed into barbed retainers which are set in holes in the sheetmetal or, in other spots the studs go thru holes in the sheetmetal with a Tinneman nut on the inside gripping the stud. The Tinneman nuts can usually be carefully removed with a small pointed tool lifting the barbs away from the stud but the barbed retainers pushed into holes can be another pain and refuse to release. That situation frequently resulting in the stud breaking off the emblem.