Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

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Transport complete.

Thanks guys -- still new to the forum thing --

Hi Joe,

Congrats on the '55 Clipper Custom. It's almost the "spittin' image" of the old family car in you see in my posts. Except you've still got the fender skirts and it's dual exhaust. The paint is probably different, yours looks more green than blue, but fading makes it hard to tell. Ours had over 70K when we sold it, too, and never had brake or lifter noise probems, but did need an Ultramatic rebuild pretty early in its life.

It sounds like you know the basics of going through an old car, so I'll just mention one thing I'm kind of passionate about (besides brakes and steering) which is dropping the oil pan and checking for crud buildup. You'll be able to tell a lot about what may be wrong (or right) about the engine by what's laying in the pan, which if it's just sludge buildup can be fixed, messily, right away!

Again, welcome to the forum.

Its Tourmalene and Moonstone --- thanks for the vote of confidence but I wish I knew more than I do --- I agree with you that the oil is super important and do plan on checking the pan -- as with the tranny pan -- just time and money LOL -----------------

thats a great car to grow up in by the way!!!

"there's several of us here that are below the "old fart" age".

Hey you young whippersnapper I resemble that remark.

Great car in there just waiting to get out, you found the right place for advice. Nice to hear that you also like "factory" cars without the modern upgrades.

May you always be able to fix her on the lift before she gets into traffic.

Thanks man -- i do like the factory look, i honestly like all the looks out there, cars just rock -- but for my personal car I love the "off the showroom floor" look with these Packards -- even though it may take me a few years to actually get it back to that, right now I think it will look more like a rat rod for now LOL -- shes a little rough but not too shabby after all these years

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Were the original emblems brass colored on this one??

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Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that all of the script plates on the '55-'56 Clippers were chrome-plated.

There were, however, script plates used on the '55-'56 Senior cars that were finished in genuine gold-plating (not brass). All of the exterior script plates on '55 Seniors were gold-plated - EXCEPT those on the trunk lid of the Patrician (5582), which were finished in chrome. (The "PACKARD" hood letters - though not truly a script plate - were finished in chrome.) All the exterior script plates on the '56 Seniors were gold-plated - EXCEPT those on the Executive (5672-77), which were all finished in chrome finish. The rings on the die-cast circle-vee ornaments were also gold-plated.

All that aside, when the chrome-plating wears thin, you will begin to see the nickel coat, which may fool you into thinking of tarnished brass. You may also find a similar effect with stainless trim on these cars, which actually has a thin, flash coat of chrome.

Meanwhile, looks like you found a pretty good project car.

thanks for the info and the compliments BH --- wasn't sure, later on I would like to have my originals rechromed but I hate for them to break the things LOL -- maybe they just need a good going over with a buffing wheel on a dremel