Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

I'm not planning on doing enough to the car to warrant a blog I do have some questions now that I am working on the car. I've owned it for over forty years and this is the first time I've ever done any mechanical work on it or on any V8 Packard. This car has been virtually untouched by anyone and still has the original engine too as the engine number matches the VIN.

First, I understand the the proper engine paint is not being reproduced so what is the closest available?

Replacing the coolant crossover manifold, I see a third pulley on the vibration damper that presumably is for the A/C compressor but my car does not have A/C, at least not yet. If not A/C, what is it for?

The steel line from the carburetor to the fuel pump has a few inches of rubber hose to the pump. Is that the way it is supposed be or should it be a steel line all the way?

Normally there is a single groove which is part of the vibration damper and is for the fan and generator. If the car has PS that was a second bolt on pulley the same diameter. Most cars probably left the factory with only those two pulleys

If it has an AC pulley there were different types depending on factory or aftermarket. Most common seems to be the original PS pulley was removed leaving only the vibration damper fan groove and the AC pulley then became part of a casting with a combined PS pulley with a smaller diameter AC pulley in front. There was another aftermarket AC pulley which was a single smaller diameter pulley which was fastened on similar to the way the PS pulley attaches which left the factory PS pulley in place ( or only the damper if the car did not have PS). Before the repro AC pulleys from Jack Nordstrom became available there were many cars that had a second PS pulley bolted on to drive the AC. That setup would have 3 grooves the same diameter.

There is a short hose connecting the metal tube coming from the tank that ends under the radiator over to the pump but the tube from the pump to the carb was all steel. If the optional filter was installed the tube and adapter fitting was disconnected at the carb and the filter was added inline using an extra nipple to connect to the carb. The original tube and fitting went back into the filter inlet.

I understand there is a difference between the green used in 56 Clippers and the turquoise green used in 55. Others have said the 56 color is darker and more like the original Packard green but I can't recall seeing an engine to say for sure. As best I can remember from the vendor sites there is no repro of a specific 56 green.

That why the question! This car never had A/C of any sort.

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Something odd there and it is not factory. If that belt to the engine left is to a PS pump on the left side of engine it looks far forward from stock but the pulley also looks smaller like it might have been for an aftermarket AC. Is that belt going to a PS pump? The belt that normally would do fan and generator doesn't appear to have gone to a fan -- only a generator but maybe it is just hanging down because there is no fan pulley.

Here is the stock fan/generator, PS and AC arrangement with the cast factory pulley.

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The belt that went to the generator also went to the water pump and the outside front pulley connected to the power steering pump. The middle was not connected but if it were, it appears that the PS belt would have to be at an angle. I have a complete vibration damper from a factory A/C Executive Sedan that has the foremost pulley a bit smaller but the other two are the same size as each other.

I would wonder if there is something with the PS pump, pulley or bracket not being correct to need the PS belt to be that far forward. It should be in the groove next to the gen -fan - waterpump belt.

Looking at it with a brighter light from the side, I see that the PS belt is at an angle now so it must have been that way for all the time I've owned it. I also see from the side that the front pulley is indeed smaller so this does look like a factory A/C pulley even though this car never had it. Some must have been assembled that way.

HH56 wrote:

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The green used on the 352 engine in 1956 Clippers and Executive is nothing like the original Packard green engine paint. The shade of green used in '56 is a bright green metallic color - almost an emerald green, but brighter than the Emerald color used for '55 exterior finish.

Many years ago, PackardV8 (Keith) told me to use Dupont Dulux 5227DH. In spite of all the hi-temp paints available, he said this paint, in acrylic enamel, worked fine. Even the best hi-temp paints will discolor where the intake manifold crossover at the cylinder head

Brian, Thanks for the color info. As mentioned, am not familiar enough with the 56 green engines so just remembered a post from several years back on one of the forums where paint colors were discussed. If anyone tries the Dupont color Keith suggests how about posting a photo so all can see what it looks like. I believe there are photos in Cli55er's Custom Clipper blog with his engine newly painted in the 55 green so the two can be compared.

Owen is correct--the 56 Clipper and executive green is very bright. I use Geo Metro Green from about 2006 (?).

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