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Interference of R/H turn signal light socket with A/C duct
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Quite a regular
 
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Anyone who has retrofitted a '56 or '55 Senior Packard with factory A/C system run into this situation? The end of the R/H turn signal blinking light socket hits right on the lower part of the lower A/C duct. See pics. This will make it difficult to fit the rubber duct onto the vent. The only thing I can think of is to cut a notch in the rubber duct, although I would rather not do this if somebody knows of an alternative.
Attach file:  AC aocket interference pic 1.pdf Size: 1,608.35 KB; Hits: 188 AC socket interference pic 3.pdf Size: 2,024.88 KB; Hits: 299
Posted on: 2023/11/21 14:58
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Re: Interference of R/H turn signal light socket with A/C duct
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Quite a regular
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I noticed the "dimple" but it's on the wrong side of the vent base. Looking at my photos and your photo, the dimple is towards the L/H side whereas the socket is towards the R/H side. When I cut the holes in the top of the dash, I used the templates from the Packard drawing with the instructions on how to retrofit the car posted on this site. The vent base lays very well in the top curve of the dash. Maybe when Just Dashes redid the top pad the foam pad wasn't thick enough. I have no idea how thick the original factory pad was as the previous owner had some outfit do a real sloppy job of installing new foam on the dash top. But then again, the Clipper's didn't have padded dashes???
Posted on: 2023/11/21 21:08
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Re: Interference of R/H turn signal light socket with A/C duct
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Forum Ambassador
 
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Don't think the thickness of the foam and pad is the issue because the outlets could be installed on unpadded dashes. Believe those were only cushioned by a fairly thin rubber grommet like pad.
When I had the deteriorated foam replaced on my car I remember the upholstery guy did a lot of shaving of the pad he installed to try and match the shape of the dip in the top. Maybe the contour of the foam under your pad is wrong and the base is tilted too much and is bringing the end too close to the socket.
Posted on: 2023/11/21 21:18
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Howard
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Re: Interference of R/H turn signal light socket with A/C duct
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Home away from home
 
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Quote:
Ahh. Well. We know the factory didn't cut the dash-top vent holes. The measurement is the measurement. And templates are never trustworthy in retrofits as a final and absolute gauge. Especially if downloaded from the internet. I always say it is best to look at an actual vehicle and see how the factory did it. They couldn't have such issues. The old construction rule of "measure twice, cut once" also holds true in automotive. A padded dash versus un-padded dash should make no difference at all. And while someone will likely argue this, it was indeed possible to order a padded dash in a Clipper or Executive. Either way, A/C vent clearance is determined by fore/aft location of the vent. Not up or down or thickness of foam. Or pad or no pad. None of this should have an effect on the clearance. Again, I have done several installations/retrofits of these factory air systems and never had a clearance problem. Whatever happens, I would say consider repositioning the vent rather than cutting anything just to get clearance. If things are already not clearing, cutting can only make things worse. And remember, these Bakelite vents are brittle... old and fragile after all these years. And yes, I very well know where the clearance indentations are in the vent housings. I've had lots of these over the years. Lots. Good luck. Attach file:  PackardA:Cvents1956LeonDixon.jpeg (0.00 KB)
Posted on: 2023/11/21 22:10
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Re: Interference of R/H turn signal light socket with A/C duct
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Quite a regular
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The template I used for the top of dash cutouts was from the actual Packard drawing I got from the Studebaker Museum, see photo. I laid the template over where I cut the dash now and all the features match that template. The question now is "How to make it Work".
Attach file:  Template.jpg (0.00 KB)
Posted on: 2023/11/22 14:41
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Re: Interference of R/H turn signal light socket with A/C duct
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Home away from home
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I'm not particularly familiar with the thermal properties of old plastic but I would think careful application of a heat gun on the relevant area with a blunt instrument to make a slight dent could work nicely. Ideally, practice on something similar first.
Posted on: 2023/11/22 15:24
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1955 400 | Registry | Project Blog
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Re: Interference of R/H turn signal light socket with A/C duct
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Home away from home
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Quote:
Wow. I can assure you that applying a heat gun and/or "blunt instrument" to these super brittle and rare Bakelite vent housings can only have one result: a bag of potato chips. Or something that looks and sounds like it.
Posted on: 2023/11/22 16:11
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Re: Interference of R/H turn signal light socket with A/C duct
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Home away from home
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Quote:
Even if the templates were accurate (and it's always a possibility they were not), I would double-check before doing cuts and installation. Having worked for many years of my career at the OEM level of the car biz, I can assure you: specifications get changed. Often several times. Were those templates merely templates? Or final specification templates? Furthermore, paper templates (or copies thereof) passed around all these years through machines, scanners and internet and how many hands just allow for too many bad outcomes. Even workshop manuals get out in publication with errors in them. Usually such things are remedied with Service Bulletins. But this is just the nature of the car biz. Again... I always check with an actual production-level car. Compare what you have with an actual system installed at the factory. Take measurements and photos. There are a bunch of Packard V-8 factory A/C vehicles still alive and breathing in this world– even in 2023.
Posted on: 2023/11/22 16:32
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Re: Interference of R/H turn signal light socket with A/C duct
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Quite a regular
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Even if the templates were accurate (and it's always a possibility they were not), I would double-check before doing cuts and installation.
Having worked for many years of my career at the OEM level of the car biz, I can assure you: specifications get changed. Often several times. Were those templates merely templates? Or final specification templates? Furthermore, paper templates (or copies thereof) passed around all these years through machines, scanners and internet and how many hands just allow for too many bad outcomes. Even workshop manuals get out in publication with errors in them. Usually such things are remedied with Service Bulletins. But this is just the nature of the car biz. Again... I always check with an actual production-level car. Compare what you have with an actual system installed at the factory. Take measurements and photos. There are a bunch of Packard V-8 factory A/C vehicles still alive and breathing in this world– even in 2023.[/quote] I realize repeated copying documents has a somewhat "shrinking" effect of the scale on the drawing. The Packard template number was 475210. I wouldn't think that this "shrink" would cause something to be around 1/16 to 1/8 inch off. R/H side is good, though. I don't have any service bulletins with regard to the A/C system, are there? I live in San Diego and at the time I did the dash mods, over 3 years ago, there were no '55 or "56 A/C cars, that I knew of among the club members.
Posted on: 2023/11/22 22:14
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