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That little mini supercharger was the ticket--although don't remember if the side "grill" was there on the one Dick put on his moms Plymouth--but do remember the valves & I think also a piston that had to be done when it fell apart. The porta walls were a very popular thing too--the funny thing is, if you hit the curb or they sat unmoving in the hot sun a few days & then you drove the car, didn't look much better than these.

Also like the $2.95 burglar alarm in the Whitney catalog that blows the horn if car molested.

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HA! That's what it is I bet. "Another was a pre-lubrication device that stored up a charge of oil during running that was released when the ign key was turned on before starter engaged." Has to be it. Only one line going to it and there is an electrical solenoid on the bottom of it and a single red wire going to the ignition coil. Pics like I say will be uploaded today!

Thanks HH56!!!

Okay here is the mystery item solved thanks to HH56!

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Okay engine and tranny pulled at same time. Lots of fun! Had to remove heater box (shown) to get enough lift to pull them out. Lucky there still is color on the engine. I'd thought that this would be a bronze colored engine, but much to my surprise (or stupidity not sure if I goofed up on my research) but its a metallic green! (also shown) Can't wait to pry the relic open and see what kinds of things wait for me

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The spark plug wires and boots caught my eye right away in your picture - they appear to have the 135 deg. bend and thus might even be original? As these cars moved away from dealers and into middle age, if they got s new high tension set it was almost always a "universal" set with either straight or 90 degree ends.

Bronze engine would have been a senior, 400, Patrician, or a Carib.

Owen has a sharp eye re the cables and another thing that is pointing toward unmolested is the mid year recommended change on cable supports for 55-6 V8s was never installed.

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The change in spark plug wire brackets was to provide more separation between the wires to prevent induction firing. This was particularly a problem with the two cylinders on a bank that fired one after the other. I believe they would have been the rear two cylinders on the right-hand bank on a Packard. On other V-8 engines this would have been the front two cylinders on the lift-hand bank. It depended upon the firing order. Dave is correct that to see original high tension spark plug wiring on an engine of this age is rare, especially since it is a 1956. This is especially rare when you consider that the carbon impregnated conductors failed regularly. Replacing spark plug wires was a regular part of a tune-up job in those days.

Specifically, the Service Counsellor cited crossfire between #5 and #7 cylinders at 20-40 mph as the reason for the revised wire support. Rear two cylinders of the left (driver's) side.

Wow! Lots of info guys thanks!! Okay my bad about the color; I'd thought I was missing something. And these could be original spark plug wires. This car is showing 53,000 miles and tags expired in 1966. So who knows!
Again thanks for your guys info. Look forward to more of it!

If the plug ends of the spark plug wire have ribbed boots at the 135 degree angle, they are undoubtedly original. See if you can get a color match on the engine paint because no one has yet to make that particular shade of green. Glad to see someone else getting their hands dirty.
And correct me if I'm wrong but the plug wires were not carbon impregnated, they were copper. The resistor was built into the rotor.