Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

All,

Steele rubber provides skirt material for other years of Packards but nothing is listed for 55-56 models. Have any of you adapted another kind of material for finishing freshly painted skirts? Also, some materials have that 'bead' that seems to extend out beyound the surface of the body? Is that how 55-56 were supposed to look?

Thoughts and sources apprciated.

Kevin

Mine had a woven fabric anti squeak type material stapled on the edge. It does not protrude but is visible in the joint. I purchased the anti squeak from Restoration Specialties. It's been a lot of years but I think it was the 3/8 x 1/8 that I used. If I were to do it again, might order the 1/16 thick instead and cut it to width because what I used seemed a mite thick--although it did fit and work.

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It should be the same material as used in wicks for coal oil lamps. The only problem is length. Maybe get with a wick manufatureer. They manufacture in widths as narrow as 3/8 inch that i have seen.

HH56 Did splitting hte material length wise make it want to unravel???

I didn't split the one I used but if doing it again, think I would try. The original was still on my skirts & assumed it was compressed so for that reason and because it was the size with right width, I ordered the 1/8. Turned out not to be as compressed as I thought so was a bit of effort to get things lined up.

Not sure if it would unravel or not but am thinking that by coating the split point with some clear glue, lacquer or something along those lines and making sure that was on the inside when mounted, it would be workable.

It has been my understanding that the wheel openings for the rear quarter panel was the same from 48 through 56. Also that the fender skirts from one year would interchangd with just about another year from 48 through 56.

Seenms that if they Steele list fender skirt welting for Packard skirts 48 through 54. This welting should also work
for use on the 55 and 56 fender skirts.

If you 55 & 56 Packard experts think I am wrong on this, please tell me so.

John F. Shireman

As Howard (and I) found out the 1/8" thick welting is too thick. Buy the 1/16" thick. The skirts themselves are the same from 48 to 56, but the locating lugs are placed differently and therefore will not fit all years. I believe 48-50 interchange, 51-54 will interchange and 55-56 will interchange.

Edit: be careful removing the 1956 skirts. There are plastic inserts that plug into the fender holes themselves and are easily lost. Part #6478791 and is listed in the price section for .06 cents a piece. I will retrieve one tomorrow and post a picture (if I haven't lost it).

51-3 same but different part numbers in 54 which might be chrome and again in 55-6. Think the general shape is the same although there is something different enough--maybe the locating pin or dowel size--that an early one didn't fit a 56 without some work when I tried. 51-4 squeak material is riveted on and there is a different part number for the stuff in 55-6. I know my 56 had the web type and was stapled but don't remember enough details on the earlier material type.

EDIT Randy has mentioned the differences and it was the pins

Perhaps for those of us that have no remnants of anti-squeak left on our skirts, a Picture may be worth a thousand words. So if any of you gents can snap a picture of two of what it is supposed to look like, then I think that would be very helpful. (at least to me!)

Kev, this is what I used on the 56 but don't have an earlier one to compare as to material used on your 54. Before anyone calls me on it, yes it is held on with pop rivets and not staples. About 15 yrs ago & looked for staples at the time. Was unable to find anything remotely close so went the pop rivet route being more concerned with something that worked than something correct. Am thinking now, it might be possible to use stainless or music wire for the material. It needs to be hard & rust resistant wire which that is but unsure how it could be crimped tight like a staple without some special tools.

The antisqueak is as mentioned except it was 3/4 wide instead of 3/8 like I first thought. 1/8 is too thick so anyone doing a 55-6, go with 1/16.

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I always thought that the 1948-50 skirts were different from the 1951-56 models which prompted me to check. It turns out that they are different in length and shape as can be seen in the photos of 22nd Series and 1955-56 examples.
I also took some shots of the 22nd Series skirt that shows the tubular rivets used to attach the gasket, so using pop rivets on the later skirts is not much different than what was used on the earlier ones.

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