Just an update One seat done. I started with what I believed to be the hardest. The upper portion of the rear seat. Used a singer sewing machine and a lot of patience. In the picture the lower part is original. I put it in place to check the carpet. Turns out the rear carpet is 4” short. Stock Interiors were really helpful and they are making a new rear piece. The front half looks great. Is the interior of the sedan longer? Working on the front bottom now. The foam in the tuck & roll of the bottom, where the upper portion covered it for 68 years, is beyond brittle. I can snap it like a cracker. The foam between the springs and the fabric is gone. (mice) I do have these thin tiny metal wires that were in the burlap. What purpose do they serve? My best guess is to hog clip the burlap to the springs. I also finally got the oil pressure sending unit out of the engine without removing the distributor. I had to modify a wrench; 9/16” open end. Need to plumb a second spot so that I can utilize a modern oil gauge from Summit and still keep the original sending unit for the dash gauge. I am not happy to have to plumb them both high, but need them to clear the distributor, coil, down shift linkage, wires, and vacuum lines. There is a lot going on in that location. Also had the power steering rack re-built by Moose Motors in CA by Jeff. He did a great job and made me some new hoses. Never met him but in speaking with him on the phone, he knows a lot and is a great guy. I have reinstalled the unit but haven’t started the engine yet.
The seats look great! I wish you were closer and I would put you to work on my 1956 Clipper! The skins are made but need to be installed once I clean up the springs.
On the carpet, maybe the supplier thought that all 1956s were created alike but senior models such as the Patrician had a larger rear floor. The 1956 Clipper and by default the 1956 Packard Executive which was based on a Clipper Custom had a 5” shorter wheelbase which was primarily in the rear doors and rear floor.
new rack installed.jpg (1,010.91 KB)
