Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Just got back from the Portland Oregon Swap Meet this weekend. It is a 3 day swap meet, which is exhausting! While working at my booth, I decided to take a stroll and see what else was out there. I ran into the Seattle Packard Companys booth and talked to David Moe. He is a nice guy, and had alot
of neat stuff for all years packard. I was interested in a spot light for the 55-56. He described it as having a very long length on the slide as it has to go through the dash and through the fender. Does anyone have a picture of a car with one before I purchase it? I was curious to see one on a car before purchasing one.

Also ran across a BEAUTIFUL 1955 400 turquoise/white for sale. It is identical in every way to my 400. The only exception is that it had manual windows. I was drooling all over this one. So was everyone else. Than as the swap meet was closing and everyone was lining up for the shuttle buses to take us back to the parking area, the packard started up and was leaving. He stopped the car with the front wheels on a speed bump, and right there before everyones eyes the torsion bar system kicked in and leveled out. The other people in line were talking about it "Ah, they ruined that car putting bags on it!" I had to speak up "nah thats factory, torsion bar suspension with a motor that keeps the car level at all times". The debate was on. "My 95 roadmaster wagon has that system!" ."They never did that in '55!". By the end of the bus ride I had them convinced that is was factory, and yes, they did that in 1955! This was the Ultimate "Ask the man who owns one" moment.
Also, here is a pic of my car as I found it.


Don
1955 Four Hundred
Ask me, I own one

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Don,

Great story, keep 'em coming!

You can look at my avatar or look in the owners registry to see a large pic of my 400 with dual spotlights. And I really enjoyed your story

Randy-

WOW!! One look at your awesome 400 with dual spot lights, I am absolutely going to invest in a pair. Your car is one of the most beautiful I have seen yet. Thanks for the Help.

Don
'55 Four Hundred

Don Sommers of American Arrow carries these spotlights among other things. Note they do have mirrors that are quite usable.

"Ah, they ruined that car putting bags on it!" "My 95 roadmaster wagon has that system!" ."They never did that in '55".

Chevy had the air bags ca. 1962. Along time before your Raodmaster.

Cadillac had air bag suspension in '57 thru 60-'61 ish.
Big problem, the cars would lose pressure in the bags and squat down, the little commpressor driven off the engine (on the back of the PS pump or gen) would have to work for 20 mins. to pump the car up and in the end there is no real advantage, the bag is just like a coil spring, it is still reacting against the area of the chassis carrying the largest concentrated mass in the vehicle, the engine (which makes the bumps that mush more pronounced)

Torsion Level is still better!

My great uncle used to have a caddy with the inflatable suspension in 1960. He said it was a big gimmick and by 1962 Cadillac recalled them and had to put coils all the way around because of all the problems. I guess he said the ride wasn't that good anyway, claiming it felt like "your car was riding on 4 red rubber balls all the time". Quite bouncy I guess, if you can get any more floaty/bouncy than a cadillac.

Don
'55 Four Hundred

I've always found GM's failure to adequately engineer their early air suspension system for cars a curiosity as they already had an air bag system system on their Yellow Coach (bus) division in service which gave admirable service and according to some retired bus mechanics I've spoken with was very trouble-free. Perhaps they just went a bit too far on cost minimization.