Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

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Yes, it can.

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Similar, but different. The panel from a manual brake car '54 and back will work perfectly.

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There shouldn't be. The V8 cars are different from the '54 and back cars in that the master cylinder goes towards the rear on the V8 cars, to clear the T/L. '51-'54 cars don't have this problem.

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Installing it IS easy, finding the complete setup isn't. BUT, the bright side is, if you're mechanically gifted you can modify the '54 and back stuff to fit. It actually goes right in, but the brake pedal has to be modified to make the rear mounted master work with a front mounted master pedal. I tried this before, then decided that having the master cylinder under the seat would be a PITA and mounted it up on the firewall.

Believe the issue of using any Packard components is finding the parts car. 55-6 made relatively few with standard and earlier years can be used, but need some mods. There is already an opening behind accelerator for the Packard location fill for standard brakes. Craig mentioned that trying to mount a vacuum booster under there is space restricted so you'd have to make a hump or tunnel in the floor or provide clearance another way. Don't think the single 6" shown is strong enough so would need a dual 7 or maybe 8".

There are many options for the street rod crowd which could probably be adapted but think the cylinder would almost have to be around the original Packard location. Doesn't look like any of the ready made ones will co-operate with that location without some changes. Remember you were looking at the electroboost & Eric had suggested the hydroboost which would probably fit in the space but also requires more plumbing. Maybe a straight manual with the remote booster is a possibility.

One drawback to doing it this way would be giving up the factory look of a power brake with suspended pedal. I know there are different arcs but I still think it would be possible to make some kind of sliding arrangement where the suspended pedal could be kept for looks yet push against a captured bearing at the end of the pedal thru the floor letting the whole thing move together as needed. Would take a bit of figuring but once done, cover the new pedal shaft with a bellows and at first glance you'd never know it was different.

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Eric, HH56,
Thanks for the replies! You recall correctly I am planning on using the electroboost from ABS, in fact I have already ordered it from ABS. The difficult part is the brake pedal arrangement. I'm working with a restoration shop where the folks are mechanically gifted but the more they have to fabricate the more difficult (and expensive) the job will be. That's why the pictures in the parts book grabbed me.

I think I can find a parts car. Mike Dulinski in Duluth, MN has almost 100 55-6 parts cars and surely one must have manual brakes. We were planning on mounting the electroboost MC under the floor to the rear (under the seat). The booster we're planning on placing where the vacuum tank is currently located and the reservoir in the engine compartment. We've already replaced the carb with an Edelbrock 650 and the wipers with elctric so I don't need the vacuum tank with the electroboost. You guys were absolutely right, WHAT A DIFFERENCE! The carb has ended all the carb issues I had with the Rochester. It now runs and drives like it should.

I think your experience says to use the 54 floor panel as it's an exact fit and the 55-6 is similar but not the same. Would the 55-6 panel not fit the opening in the floor? If I can find the panel and hardware from a 55-6 would that be the way to go? Or is a 54 or earlier panel and a 55-6 pedal assy an easier fit? Thanks!

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It doesn't have the be specifically a '54 panel, any '51-'54 manual brake panel will fit, I put a '53 Clipper panel in my '56 Patrician and it fit just fine. I would assume that as long as it's a manual brake car the pedal plates are the same. (may be a different part number but they WILL interchange)

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Glad you like the Edelbrock, not very original but it sure makes the car a LOT more driveable than trying to fix a worn out 50+ year old carb. And yes, electric wipers are the best way to go, they work every time all the time.

I believe the panels are the same size. Manual ones have the rect holes for clutch and brake pedal, while power has the large hole for booster. The pedals themselves are the difference. If you can find the 55-6, use that if going to mount under car because otherwise, you will have have to change the lever arrangement as the 54 & earlier mount the cylinder up in the engine area and the throw is wrong.

Would it be possible to just fabricate a plate that would bolt to the BTV nounting holes and then cut a hole for the manual brake pedal? That way I could use my current floor panel.

I also like your idea of using the 56 hanging pedal connected to the manual brake pedal. With a little bit of thought I bet we could figure out an arrangement that worked and still keeps the look of my original brake pedal.

Probably easiest to make a plate. No structural needed. Just cover the big hole to keep the hot air out & cut elsewhere to fit the new pedal. As to the suspended, would sure like the opinions as to whether it was possible once you get into it. Maybe shorten the one thru the floor a bit would be needed so the suspended is more in a normal position.

It might be easier to use just the lower part of my pedal with the 56 pad attached to the new pedal. That way, it would still look stock unless you looked closer and noticed no hanging pedal supporting it.

Very true. The standard manual pedal pad was narrower though because the manual setup moved closer to the accelerator since they used same everything below which has space as if there would be a clutch as well. Don't know if the extra wide power pad would be a problem or not if having to mount it offset to clear things and leaving a lot unsupported. If you could mount the floor setup in such a way that it was more in the area of original power opening and pad centered then think that would be better if using the wide pad.

Don't know if it's any consolation, but if the underfloor brake pedal is installed correctly, it will line up almost perfectly with the BTV pedal. Now, it can be made to operate the underfloor pedal pretty easy, it just needs to have the top rounded so it won't interfere with the normal operation of the pedal. Meaning, the manual pedal assembly is squared off at the end where the pedal bolts on, and this will have to be rounded so it won't lock up the pedal accidentally. It may not anyway, but I'd feel better if I was doing it. At least this way, it would look stock. But, like other's have stated and I've even tried, there's no room to put any kind of booster under the floor, with T/L it gets pretty busy under there. Vacuum boosters are too large in diameter, and the hydroboost is too long. Can't say about the electric boosters, I've never tried one of those.