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Working with the dealer and waiting to hear back but he was going to check other switches to see how the half-moon tang on the tumbler lines up with its counterpart in the lock. My tumbler is the original to my car but the lock was a rebuild so I imagine it's possible that the plate inside might have gotten mixed up during the rebuild. The way mine is now, if turned all the way counter-clockwise to Acc, the half-moon aligns with the grooves in the lock housing when it should line up when in Off.

We’ve finally sussed out the issue with the ignition switch. Although 1955-1956 switches have a different housing due to the way they attach to the dash compared to the 1951-1954 type, they function the same but with the addition of key-start for 1954. However, while the insides can fit one from the other and look identical at a glance, the orientation is different so a 1955-1956 plate assembly was apparently inadvertently used during the rebuild.

Photos courtesy of Mike Chirco of Tucson Packards

In this photo with a 1955-1956 on the left and 1954 on the right, the difference in orientation of the holes where the lock engages with respect to the side pin is quite noticeable.



The contact plates between the two, however, are the same. The rotating Bakelite piece to which the contact plate is attached is the also same but the metal cap on it is not. If anyone has a 1951-1953 switch apart, it would be great to compare what might interchange, especially the Bakelite piece and I expect it's the same too but not sure.

I had a little adventure a while ago. I started up the Patrician by hot-wire as usual as I wanted to move it to make room for the solar panel installation which I hope will be sometime this week. As I wanted to turn it around, I decided to do so by driving by private dirt road to the next driveway, around a tree, then back again which was about two blocks! Even the sometimes-subtly-ticking lifter was quiet by the time I got back and the Patrician couldn't even feel the bumps which are jarring in the golf cart that I usually use.

While waiting for the replacement ignition switch, I put in one I already have which tests as intermittent in the Start position. Indeed it won’t crank but the oil and bat lights dim down noticeably. Looking at Howard’s labeled contacts, I see nothing to make them dim if the Start circuit itself is open. What could be dimming them?

You said the start position is intermittent but unless it is completely open it is possible the contact is still being made but contact plate or contact itself is burned or melted as often happens to the start contact when used with the large pinion shift solenoids. It could still be passing some current but thru a high resistance -- enough is flowing to dim the lights -- but just not enough is passing thru to bring in the solenoid.

Here is what typically happens when the start contact fails. Note the start contact which should have a smooth rounded surface like the other contacts is only a pressed in "bump" on a relatively thin piece of metal. That contact has melted leaving a hole in the middle and the contact space on the plate where the connection is made is also damaged.

Thank you, Howard. I suspected as much but the illustration makes the possibility much more clear.

I fear that something bad just happened and in a very inopportune place. I was moving the Patrician a few minutes ago when a cloud of smoke came out and it died! It’s inopportune because I had just scheduled for a tow truck to put the ambulance back inside first thing tomorrow but the Patrician is blocking the door so I’m going to have to try to push it aside. At least it doesn’t weigh over 3 tons as the ambulance does!

I’m not sure why I suddenly have to log back in every time! Anyway, I’m suspecting a head gasket issue and if that’s the case, it will be a good opportunity to replace the head with another in slightly better condition and to change the water pump. The water pump on it is from a non-power steering car and with the extra thickness of the pulley behind it, it does not support the fan.

On the ignition switch, again while waiting for the replacement, I stuck my camera with flash enabled and see that the Start wire was barely connected. With it properly connected it tries to start but with little energy so maybe time to change the solenoid although once the new switch is installed, it might prove otherwise. I haven’t look yet but is a new boot available for the NOS one that I have?

Also, there are two dash lights hanging down, one with a green wire and the other, I believe, is brown. One is for the ignition switch and I suspect the other is for the heater control and I can’t imagine it matters much but which was on the ignition?