Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Hi All,

Today is an exciting day!!! After 6 months from purchasing this beauty in January, she has finally made her way to Australia and has now arrived and is in my driveway. I can not wait to start cleaning her up and getting her driveable and taking her to be shown off.

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Nice! That car I think was in really good shape.

If you feel slight repeated bumps at low speeds, the tires have gotten flat spots and should be replaced. I noticed that on mine.

Hey Peeps,

So far i have changed the oil, it was black as black. drained the radiator and put water in it (only temp till i get her going and do a proper flush), re installed the brakes and did a bled of the brakes after filling the master cylinder (what a pain in the butt spot) filled the power steering fluid resivor, the front doors where not shutting properly, so thats been fixed, the front windscreen was not installed properly, so as a tempory fix to stop the water leaking in (its currently winter here) its been siliconed until i can get a new rubber seal for it. I've replaced the battery and installed a battery holder. While under the car bleeding the brakes i have noticed that there is a hole in the muffler and the fuel tank seeps at the seam. That will be fixed today. The eletrical system is being fickle, replaced some globes and fuses, some things work, some dont, so investigating that. Waiting on the manifold bolts to be made so i can install the carbie and get her running, hopefully that will be in the next day or two. She still needs a good clean, which im going to get a detailer in to do (i am not going to spend hours polishing all the chrome lol) And I've named her Penelope, hahaha.

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Good work! Typically the seam on the tank doesn't leak but if there is a leak elsewhere above it, it can run down onto it and seem to be leaking from there.

Hi All

So after a bit more fiddling on the old girl, I have decided to consult the professionals on the wiring, there are wires and such going here there and everywhere, to relays, to nothing. If anyone knows anything about wiring, wiring diagrams, please let me know. I have a button i have no clue, its under the dash near the torsion leveling switch, the other long one i figured out that was the milage reset.

I also have a huge hole in one of the mufflers and the begining of a small one in the other, hope to have those fixed up when shes running.

I was wondering if anyone could tell me what the long submarine looking thing in the left front guard is and what its used for? Very weird I havent seen it in any diagrams.

Otherwise still waiting on the carbie and the cleaning fairy to arrive.

Hi Don,

I've "welded" the seam with kneading weld and it still seems to be leaking, not as much as it was, so i may just have to pull the tank out and see whats going on, which wouldnt be so bad as im not getting any fuel level readings on the gauge on the dash. Two birds one stone sorta thing, lol

Your submarine is the reserve vacuum reservoir for the power brakes. Although I'm not sure how we can have a reservoir for something that is not.

I dropped the tank, there was a small hole in the top of it where it kinked or hit something, probably when the new fuel sender unit was installed. Anyways i tank welded it with the putty and it doesn't leak anymore.

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Jazz,

For the electrical concerns, post pictures of the component, the wiring on the back, and trace the wiring to see what it connects to, e.g. that switch.

Regarding relays, you have a 56 with the push button transmission to you will have both transmission and TL relays visible... I think both sets are under the hood.

IIRC that car had aftermarket A/C so if you see some new relays screwed in behind the dash, it's probably for that.

P.S. The button by the TL switch could be for the factory power door locks, if you have them. I didn't notice them on that car, however the only easy way to tell is that switch.

On the tank, reproductions are available that, while not cheap, cost car less than trying to fix it and cheaper than having it professionally cleaned and sealed. The top of the tank always rusts first due to condensation forming so if there is one hole, there are likely more.

That said, you can try sealing it yourself and it is a lot of work (especially getting it clean) but the results may pay off. The tank in my 1951 Henney-Packard, for example, more closely resembled Swiss cheese so took almost a gallon of Hirsch tank sealer (the only type I would use) to get it sealed so now it is more like a new tank inside the old one. Of course, it is important to make sure that the outlet line doesn't get sealed in the process and it would be a good time to replace the sender while you're at it.