Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Does anyone have a picture of the inside of a 55 or 56 factory-equipped with a manual transmission? I haven't been able to find anything online due to their rarity.

Basically just curious what the setup was.

What "inside" photos are you asking for? The 56 patrician I am working on was converted to a manual from a parts car.

The car is still in pieces but slowly being put back together

Thanks, I meant how the shifter and clutch were done from the factory. Whether it was a column or floor shifter, what pattern, etc.

Gotcha,

If you look through my thread on my "Vacation Car" in the project section you can see some pictures of the pressure plate attached to the packard Flywheel. I used a chevy truck clutch disc and a ford pressure plate.

It is indeed a column shifted trans. I also have the R11 electronic overdrive that included a lock out knob. It would automatically go into overdrive at around 37 mph and would only come out if you floor it to pass someone or drop below that 37 mph mark.

If you want an idea of how the linkages worked if you go onto Max Merritt's website they offer illustrations of how the parts went together. Just go to their 55-56 illustrations and click their Clutch/Trans section.

If you look through my thread you will be able to see some photos, but like I said, its a work in progress.

Photos of a true factory manual seem to be somewhat scarce but the interior steering column and lever looked the same as the Ultramatic models and worked the same as any other H shift pattern. All the mechanical differences were on the inside of the column and in the engine compt.

On manuals, the Ultramatic shift quadrant indicator plate in the dash was replaced by a dark plastic insert which appeared as just a blank spot. I believe but not 100 % sure 55 used the same or at least a very similar in appearance piece as was later used in the 56 models with electric shift. On the 56 pieces it is just a dark piece of plastic but if you look carefully the word BRAKE is very faintly visible if looking straight on and the ambient light is just right. If the optional emergency brake indicator kit was installed, as soon as the emergency brake handle is pulled out far enough to latch a switch closes to light a bulb and the plate brightly illuminates in red. The word BRAKE is very visible to indicate the emergency brake is on.

On the pedals, looking at the parts manual the clutch pedal appears the same as the 51-4 models with the narrow more vertical pad. The brake pedal appearance is kind of a question. Power brakes, I believe, had the same pedal pad, lower positioning, and appearance as was used on any other models with power brakes. The manual brake pedal looks to have had the same higher pedal but with a wider more horizontal appearing pad than the 51-4 cars and was more in line with the 55 power brake pedal size.

That sounds correct. I thought I had some documents, but couldn't find them.

The frame didn't change so the stick shift Clippers without power brakes would have the same orientation as the earlier cars with the different brake pedal pad as mentioned. With power brakes had the clutch pedal height above the brake pedal which seems odd but is very easy to get used to because you don't use your left foot except for declutching. That set up is actually better than having the brake and clutch at the same height for emergency reaction times.

I think there is a picture of a stick shift Clipper somewhere on this sight so you can have some fun doing some digging.

Here's a 55

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Tim and Howard thanks very much for the detailed info.

CarFreak, thanks and I'll check out your blog.

As regards the wide clutch pedal thing, I think someone took the brake pedal from, say, a 52 with Ultramatic without power brakes and put it on the stick shift car. I guess because they thought it looks neat.

Have a read of JWL's '55 Clipper Blog. Car was an Ultramatic converted to manual. Didn't go through the blog, I'll leave that up to you!

Howard and others offer good descriptions.

My former 55 Clipper Super with coil and leaf spring suspension was converted to a manual transmission from the Twin Ultramatic. I also had Ross convert the brake master cylinder to a Packard non-boosted one from the Easamatic. The transmission parts were taken from a parts car which had all the pieces needed. The brake parts were from his stash from an earlier model. The clutch and brake pedal were at the same height. The steering column looked the same as the Ultramatic equipped ones, but with the shift quadrant painted over. The Clipper retained its Ultramatic transmission differential. The 3.54 ratio was great for highway and around town hardly needed third gear. It was a nice driving and riding car.

Edit: Found some photos of the interior. Here is one.

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