Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

If memory serves, believe from a previous post the question is has anyone ever seen a factory switch in the hole made in the location (barely visible to rt of steering wheel) between radio and clock. The hole is the right size and has the separate small index hole for a standard Packard bezel.

The factory or if field installed factory type AC used a hole in that same location between lighter and left of radio but if memory serves, no one has come up with what might have been put in this location to the right.

Attach file:

---

  (32.15 KB)

I thought I had already found an answer to that?!

Attach file:

---

  (8.10 KB)

But I thought KevinAZ said he couldn't find any evidence of seat modifications and that's awfully far to reach.

Now there were some other accessories, but I am not sure if those had their own in-dash knobs as opposed to under dash knobs.

Rear defroster
Rear Wiper
Underseat Heater
etc....

I guess a look at the parts manual and accessories list to see how many different "named" knob bezels may answer the question.

Not while there is a detailed description in the 51-54 Service Manual on installing the rear-wiper option, I have never seen a surviving car with this installed.

Quote:

Check the back-seat! Perhaps it was meant for the mother-in-law!

Quote:

Defroster and wiper are good suggestions. Underseat sw should be in a blank hole on the left of steering column next to air vent controls. If memory serves, the defroster was parallel with the regular heater but could have a simple on/off toggle and wouldn't have a bezel but anything is possible. Wiper, don't remember if rotary or pull type vacuum. Don't believe there was ever any labeled or blank bezels for that kind of option though--unless the dealer did something with a regular one.

As to seeing a rear wiper, there was a car either on a craiglist link someone posted or someone had just bought shown on the forum not too long ago. First one I had seen in a long time so you are correct, they are rare.

It's probably an a/c switch that someone put on the opposite side because:
A:They had the template upside down.
B:Someone was lazy and didn't want to fight the cramped space on the driver's side of the radio.
OR
C:They did it because they knew that people would be scratching their heads 50+ years later wondering what that hole is for.

I'm voting "B". It's a tight fit up under there, believe me.

Could be an AC switch but apparently not Packards--don't remember any suggestion of any of the many mods and holes to mount the Packard unit mentioned as being there.

sorry guys i didn't see the other hole

Quote:

I've said that a couple of times myself, more or less. Just replace "guys" with "honey"....