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I remained quiet about this project for some time other than consulting with Craig Hendrickson from Nevada and Art Butler of Arizona. As many of you know, I endeavored to restore my '55 400 over ten years and I think I did a pretty job but my transmissions have always been problematic. Please see some of the pictures I previously posted about the torque converter I encountered while trying to fix my transmission issues. Yes, I did labor over keeping it original or doing something else. I chose something else because I intend on driving my Packard for many years and I wanted the real reliability.

Thus, yesterday I took delivery of my Packard after it has spent the last (3) weeks in Phoenix Arizona with Packards of Arizona (Packards International) member Art Butler. Art is an extraordinary fellow who owns many Packards and also an beautifully restored '56 400 painted in Scottish Heather. Art, I learned some time ago has always been troubled by the ultramatic issues in 55-56's and he has long theorized how to fix that and keep our beloved Packards on the road! To that end, Art found a way to mate a GM 4L460E transmission to 55-56 Packards so that we can keep them reliably on the road.

The following pictures show some of the process that Art and his staff completed. I now have a modern transmission with 3 forward speeds and overdrive. Yes I have "customized" my 400 again, but it has been done very discerningly to keep the car looking as "from the period" as possible. The components used to complete the transmission were purchased from TCI and one of the slickest things is that a speedo control unit was also used with a TCI speedo cable that enables me to motor down the road with my original Packard speedometer fully correct and operating.

Lastly, my Packard now goes down the road and it keeps up with modern traffic without any problem WHATSOEVER! It shifts beautifully and locks up, to loaf along as a Packard should. Frankly, it now has plenty of testosterone and I can only think of one other Packard out there that may rival it (Paul Crowell's '56 Executive of Nevada) when it comes to raw performance on the road.

Here are some pics.

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Very nice to have another option. Is yours the first "commercial" unit done? Lots of questions so hope you or Art will provide many details.

One question that comes to mind right now is how he handled the plastic label on the shift quadrant. That was usually a less than great attempt on most of the Chrysler conversions. Another question is any chance this one could have the electric shift worked in (obviously with a new finger plate for the different pattern) for those many 56 cars that currently have no choice at all.

EDIT: I just looked at some specs and was curious why this one instead of the later heavier version or wouldn't that one fit. I wonder about the lower torque rating.

Why the GM 4L460E rather than a 700R4 or 200R4 or some other trans????

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I have not seen Kevin's installation, but from his explanation to me over the phone, the 4L60-E (or 4L60) has a removable front "bell housing" unit. This allows it to be mounted in many different cars simply by changing the converter cover/bellhousing. Here's a picture of a typical one:



As I understand it, the way the conversion was done was to cast a machinable replacement converter housing/bellhousing which can be bolted to the 4L60 and the Packard engine block.

On the other hand, the 4L80-E housing is one piece which would require machining the housing itself ala the 700R-4 and TH-400 conversions:



Craig

Could this be done on the 359 straight 8????

Thanks Craig. The GM 4L480E probably requires somekind of computer too whereas the GM 4L460E does NOT ????

According to a quick look up on the internet, the 4L60 has a torque rating of 360lb-ft and the 4L80 has one of 600lb-ft. However, given the way Kevin and almost any other Packard owner would actually drive their cars, 360lb-ft should be more than adequate for decades of reliability.

If you want to "hot rod" it like Paul in Las Vegas and few others, go with a manual gear box.

Craig

As for the torque rating comparison the the 60 only has to be better than the T'Ultra for a comparison. COmparison to any other trans then becomes meaningless unless the car is expected to for racing or pulling air streams thru the rockies.

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No the "E" suffix means "electronic" or computer control. So the 4L60 is manual control (up through 1992?) and the 4L60-E is computer control (after that). Kevin's is equipped with TCI's controller, so there are commerical solutions.

Craig

Looks like a superb conversion to me. It will most interesting to see much the gas mileage increases. I would expect no less than an additonal 3 MPG increase.

Very nice conversion. i love it.