Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Hey guys, I have shocking news -- there's been movement on my 1955 Caribbean for the first time in several years! The guy who is doing some of the "heavy lifting" for me came up with a few questions so far, so I'd like to put these out there and see if I could glean from your collected wisdom!

1. Front Fenders - The inners, as visible in the engine compartment, would be the same color as the upper body, right? Every "white-accent-lower" painted Caribbean that I have seen has carried over the white to the inner fenders. But what about the underside? Did Packard leave them unpainted and in primer, or did they also paint them the color of the upper body, or were they chassis black? I've seen Caribbeans with white painted inners and with black inners, so I'm not sure which way we should go to be faithful to factory intent.

2. Ignition Coil - Can't find where we put the one that was on the car. Do you guys have a favorite brand that you would recommend as a replacement?

3. Heat Riser Valve - To my knowledge, and based on the service manual, it was located on the left/driver's side of the car. Can't find that part in the barn either. Any favorite vendors that have decent prices on such things?

Thanks for your feedback! I'm expecting a big mess when it comes time to play with the brakes, so I may be spending a lot of time in the BTV threads soon!

3. Heat riser valves are rather easily obtained NOS. Try Kanter, or Joel Ray (Patrician Industries).

2. NAPA/Echlin replacement coils for 1955 are IC-15 for AutoLite and IC-12 for Delco. I assume you have Delco.

1. I'll defer to the 55 experts for definitive info, but based on 1956, the tri-color Caribbean outer fender wells were lower body color, as are the inner fenders. I say this based on a few original 56s I've seen. I'd guess two- and single color Caribbeans followed the same pattern. I know of one 1955 Caribbean locally, as original as a car could be, and the fender wells are black, but it's possible they were undercoated. See picture

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OK, so since my car is White Jade-Jade-Emerald, the part of the fenders visible in the engine compartment should be the White Jade, and on the exterior, the wheelhouse should be Emerald?

How were your Caribbean fenders painted before you started the project? Have any pictures?

I have a Caribbean with the same paint code. When I got it, It appeared the the paint was original. The lower inner fenders were a flat black . The wheel wells were also black.

I've gone back and looked at about a half-dozen original factory photos of 55/56 Caribbean convertibles. Of course they are B&W photos and not always with the best lighting, but I see no evidence that the wheel wells are painted body color, they appear very dark (black?). Yes, there could have been undercoating, but on all of them?

Hi, Let The Ride Decide, unfortunately my car was a Michigan car all its life. The first two owners treated it as a daily driver, and exposed it to our winters and our copious amounts of road salt. The underside surfaces of both fenders in the wheelhouse areas were nothing but broad surface rust, some moderate rust, and a few areas of perforation. There really was nothing left that would have given us any indication of an original finish.

Thanks for the info, 55clipper! I love the MAC color combination! I'll have to check your profile and see if you have pictures posted of your car!

And thank you, Owen_Dyneto, for all your research on the topic! I really appreciate your efforts!

REVISION
I had previously recalled that the inner fenders were body color but I believe I was incorrect. Handy to me to look at today are 5 V8 Senior cars. 4 of them had the original body color of black including a black/white/black and a black /naples orange/black 56 bCarib Converts. The last car is a 55 Carib with body color white which has been repainted. The inner fenders have heavy overspray in white with black under the white, I have another identical car I can inspect in the coming days

The opposite side of the inner front fenders, the part you see when you remove the front wheel, was painted a semi-gloss black.

Keep in mind that "factory " photos were often cosmetic sessions where the cars were dolled up for photos. There's an "assembly line" photo of a 35/36 Senior sedan with the roof insert in body color as well as the frame and brake drums. Viewer beware!!

Let me give a little more info on the front inner fenders on my Caribbean. The lip on the fender that the hood meets was painted white. Below the lip, it was a flat black with white over spray. It appears when the color coat was applied the fenders were not masked. This has also been the case on many other 55s I have had from Juniors to Seniors. When I repainted my Caribbean, I did the entire fender in White. I undercoated the wheel wells.

Other posts that I have read have stated the inside of the inner fender where entirely the colored the same as the color of the fender and hood. Who is to say which is correct. Seems to be no mind or reason as to some of things that went on at Packard in 1955.