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I bought this coupling on Amazon for about $12 (coupling2.jpg). It is an 8mm to 14mm adapter coupling. I tried several other couplings but this one worked best. The 14mm end fits the Dorman motor like a glove. I had to drill the 8mm end out to ⅜” for the original gear/shaft to fit up to the flat section (coupling3.jg & coupling4.jpg).

I had little faith in the clamping screws on the adapter coupling to be strong enough to hold either the motor or the shaft for very long so, I just went ahead and drilled two holes into the side of the coupling and used a ¼-20 tap to thread the holes and inserted two Allen screws as set screws (coupling5.jpg & coupling6.jpg).

You can see how the motor, shaft, and coupling fit together in the last image.

I am working on the post for mounting it to the adapter plate now and will post it later.

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I think that is a fantastic option and am looking forward to seeing final photos of everything assembled. Glad you added the heavy setscrews though. As Riki found, the torque and abrupt stop when glass is at top or bottom of travel made short work of his first attempt at an adapter. Motor end is covered with the setscrew able to bite into a gear notch but did you also grind a flat on the pinion shaft or is the setscrew lined up to rely on the square part of the shaft?

As I recall, Riki decided to cut off part of the motor or the shaft on the original pinion to get the motor closer to the regulator but then I think his original motor had a broken armature shaft so was a throw away. Maybe not an option for you if you still have a working motor and just needed to borrow the pinion part. I think his adapter was also small enough to have part of it fit thru the opening in the regulator to get things even closer but if you add some beefy support posts maybe the torque and extra motor distance will not be an issue with the coupling.

Am a little concerned about the urethane plastic piece having issues with the torque but perhaps the metal key or step arrangement between the two metal pieces will still keep a minimal connection if the cushion piece deteriorates. If you do find issues later on maybe a solid coupling would work too.

All in all though, you appear to have come up with an easy and relatively inexpensive conversion that with a parts list and set of instructions almost anyone could do in their garage using ordinary tools.

Its a little high for my liking.

But it works for you Stewart.

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Howard: I made no modifications to the pinion shaft. It is exactly as it came out of the original motor. I am a little concerned about that urethane piece also but it is not like this car will be driven daily. I am counting on it holding up in the time that I own it.


Mounting the Dorman motor to the regulator.

The 3 holes indicated, in SideTwo.jpg, need to be drilled out to ¼”.
I purchased a length of ¼ all-thread and cut 3 pieces about 3 ¼”. FYI, if you cut the all-thread at 3 ½” it may not go into the opening in the door. I also purchased (from Mcmaster and Carr) some 1 ½” long nuts

You can see in the pictures how I assembled the all-thread and the long nuts. You may need to add a washer or two on top of the long nuts. For some reason, I needed washers for this one in the pictures but did not need them in the first unit that I assembled.

My biggest concern throughout the whole process was the height of this modification. Laying flat on a table, the original motor and regulator are about 3 ¾” tall. The mod described here is 5” tall.

Having said that, it still fits into the door and does not appear to interfere with any other door components. The door is narrower at the opening but gets wider as you move it upwards. There is still about an inch or more of play between the motor and the sheet metal of the door when it's bolted in place.

This concludes my explanation of my PW mod. Fill free to ask questions or show me my mistakes.

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Currently weighing my options on the power antenna. I messed with it a long time ago and found the plastic drive cable/thing broken.

I've not touched it since that one time when I cracked it open.

I am not sure it is worth the expense to have it fixed now. I plan to send the radio away to be "modernized". So, I'll never actually need the antenna again, will I? Do I just install the unit to cover the hole?

Looking for recommendations. I would love to have it working but would rather use my money on more important parts.

I need to purchase two replacements of that thin stainless steel strip that is circled in the image below. I am being asked for its length but, I forgot to measure it and my interior guy has them at the moment 20 miles away.

Does anyone have door panels like this that they can measure that strip for me, please?

As the title of this blog states, this is a 1955 Packrd 400.

Thanks

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I can when I get home

THE ONE SHOWN MEASURES 45 INCHES . the lower one missing. measures 42 !/2.

Happy

Thanks for those measurements. I actually needed one of each length.

I am working with the wire harness this week. I can not recall how the tail section was routed.

Does it go under the rear seat directly into the truck area and over the rear fender or does it go through the opening on the driver's side, under the rear window, and then over the rear window?

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Hopefully these images answer your question.

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