Packard Forum Index » Modification Discussion

I would love to have discs for the 1948 I'm doing,keep me posted, thanks Bruce.

I would like to have disc brakes in my 56 Patrician.

Though I'm no quite ready for them yet. I still need to work out my booster.

Not as a suggestion (at all) but a general question. Are disk brakes for the rear possible though unnessasary?

I would vote for the rears as possible but unnecessary. Almost anything is possible with enough money but since most brake effect is actually done with front wheels, and cars for many years had the disk/drum setup (believe most still made that way today) would think it was unnecessary.

I know this is a minority opinion on this website (and no need to respond, I won't change my view), but I just hate to see any Packard, much less one of the more desireable ones like a Patrician with potential for appreciation, be downgraded and devalued by modifications such as disc brakes. I know of many buyers who wouldn't consider such a car, and others who'd look for substantial price reductions, for unnecessary modifications. I suppose there are some who might find the mods a +, and in cars with minimal opportunity for apprecation, I can understand it a bit more.

A 56 Patrician recently sold privately for over $115,000; spectacular and as stock as it left the factory.

Owen, we're not try'n to change your thoughts. the kits we are talking about can be unbolted and the o.e. drum system re-installed. therefore it won't hurt the car's value as the modification is easyly revesable

Yeah, and for $115K ANY of us could get out in the shop and reverse it real fast.

Sounds like u have a good plan there GreenDagon. Best wishes.

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Rear disc brakes are rather easy to accomplish on any 1956 Packard or Clipper because that year they switched to a Dana (45 or 53 depending) rear end. Any aftermarket brake supplier for Fords can provide a kit for the rear end of a 1956 Packard.
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<p>Craig</p>

It's a Dana 44 in the Clippers, and a Dana 53 in the Seniors. Good luck trying to find ANYTHING that will fit the 53, as I never was able to.

Quote:
<p>Not to be nitpicky, but there is a 45 cast on the rear end of my 56 Clipper. Also, one can find a few references on the web to 45s. Be that as it may, I could find no difference between a Dana 44 and 45 when I looked into this a few years ago. Also, the Ford and Jeep guys know about Dana 44 and might give you a blank stare if you said you wanted something for a Dana 45.</p>
<p>Craig</p>

Interesting bit of useless info regarding rear disc brakes...when Cadillac was planning the original square roofed Nova based Seville in the 70's much discussion was given whether to go with drums or discs on the rear.

There were some very strong arguments against discs as they often weigh more than drums (the total system, not just the rotor versus drum weight) and it was felt that the expense was not justified. Part of the cost would be some form of emergency brake system would also be required, and other than the Corvette GM had no rear calipers in production, and they used small brake shoes inside the rotor.

Anywho, another factor was that because the majority of the braking was handled by the front, there was really no need for the potentially increased power of rear discs. So it was decided to stick with drums, although they went with some pretty large ones.

Eventually the marketing boys won out and they did go to discs but I don't recall the car stopping any better...and the e-brake would get wonky unless you set it every time you parked the car...same problem with other GM cars of this era which used the same or similar caliper.

Bottom line is unless you live in mountainous terrain, pull a big trailer or drive like a maniac in wet conditions you really don't need discs on the rear. Front discs...now there's something worth converting to, especially if you plan on driving the car more often than to just a car show/meet.