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Flange change also applies in 55 but aside from the flange, the only other major difference between transmissions is the converter. In 55, the converter for Caribbean was different with a higher stall speed for the higher HP engine and some spring changes in valve body to take advantage of that. In 56, while the valve body was considerably different internally and in function across the line, the higher stall speed converter also was installed in all hardtops including Clipper.

One other thing when mixing and matching parts is be aware of some running changes. I don't know if there were many internally in 55--some with linkages externally & maybe some thrust washers-- but 56 trans had several changes to valve body, low range servo, and associated. There were spring combinations tried, those changes discarded when another change made, then re installed with another change to valve body etc.

Would be a good idea to look at the trans serial numbers and then the bulletins & Service Counselors to see if any changes. There are bulletins listing several versions of the same thing with a specific serial number range where tried. Don't know how drivable things would be if one version mixed with another without applying the complete change but probably wouldn't be the end if they were.

so far my choices are a 55 from a clipper or a 55 from a 400.

Quote:

It's my understanding that Packard changed the flange and bolt for the '56 model year. I do know that the bolt is shorter in '56, maybe that's what I'm thinking of.

well, this weekend was VERY productive. the transmission woes are over, THANK YOU MIKE FRANKO! you da bomb! ;0) as you can tell i went over to Mike's and had some fun looking over a very big part i needed. ;0) it was fun! it is a 55 senior transmission and i don't even think it has been apart before. all one color. it had a senior flange on the back, but we took it off and mine fits right on. it had alittle bit of water, more like moisture, in it and there was no damage done. when i got it home i tried to dry it off really good and then pour the thing down with transmission fluid to help out. as you can tell by the pictures, this is a cherry of a transmission. i will know more when it comes time to rebuild it. also this is a 5/55 transmission, mine is a 3/55 and this one has the aluminum tailshaft while mine was steel.

as you can also tell by the pictures, i have a better torque converter too ;0)

my dad came by today and we bent up the brake lines for the length of the frame. it wasn't too bad, but dealing with 25 feet of line at once was challenging. we just used plain zinc coated steel line, 3/16. it isn't 100% perfect, but it will do just fine. i am not going to terminate the ends that go to the brake cylinder, cause i want to make sure i have it right and i don't have a way to plug them yet. in good time though.

i see some spots on my frame where i guess the paint is thin and it must have got some moisture on it cause there was some rust, but it wipped off, so i will get it good with the rust reformer and repaint. it is small, but it will bite me in the ass if i don't take care of it.

i could use a good picture of the area that the fuel line goes by the front driver's suspension...my pictures kinda suck that i took and i can't really tell how to route it at that point. the fuel line is next to be bent up. i have the correct 5/16 steel line for that too. need to get some ends for it though.

don't worry i will be replacing that rubber line on the brake line, i just used it to make sure i remembered where it went on the line. looks like it is just some plain old fuel line or rubber hose, unless someone here says otherwise that is what i will use.

enjoy the pics, it felt good to see some progress on the car. ;0)

Later,

Hank

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Glad to see that you got a good trans Henry, now get it rebuilt and get that car driving!

i'm taking donations....LOL j/k

all in good time. have to save up a bit for the rebuild kit, but in the mean time i will be doing little stuff like the brake and fuel lines, etc... there is also a few things that have been bothering me and i will go back and correct those things.

very exciting ;0)

I've been taking donations for the Speedster for almost two years, and the only ones who stepped up was Mal, Don, and the Flackmaster. Thanks again to those guys!

i take the wealth of information and help on here as donation enough ;0) the people on here are very knowledgeable and i am soaking it all up!

Mighty fancy plumbing there, Hank. It sure must be nice to be able to route in with all that room to work. Just one more thing to recommended the body-off route. But I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have been satisfied if you didn't get to see (and remove, refurbish) every nut, bolt, gadget and gizmo to better-than-new. Thanks for all the priceless documentation. Also, I wonder how many "mechanics" trashed a T Ultra trans to "fix" it and "improve" it, then blamed the failure on "those no good Ultramatics."

There were a couple of modifications that my Dad found to be beneficial when he was going through the T Ultra on our 400. He told me what they were back then, but they're lost to history now. The tranny worked great, and it was run really hard for years.

Keep fighting the good fight!

I've always said that there's nothing inherently wrong with the Ultramatic transmission, as long as it's adjusted properly and people realize that it's not meant to be a drag racing trans. They are the best '50s transmission ever invented, IMHO.