Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

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You might be right about that, the 727 is one of the best automatic transmissions ever made. I prefer manual transmissions though, as "real hot rods have three pedals".

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I guess that question has not been resolved, but the film shows what may be the only V8 Packard with the rare, optional hood prop.

the film shows what may be the only V8 Packard with the rare, optional hood prop.

I guess I'm missing something here, is there something particularly unusual about that hood prop rod on a 55 Caribbean? It looks to me just like the standard one called out in the parts book for use on the Caribbean, and I don't think I've ever seen one without it.

All 55 Caribbeans had hood props due to the weight of the lead used in forming the "air scoops". The 56 hood was stamped out, not formed, and so it didn't need a hood prop.

Pardon me for being out of touch. I had never seen a Caribbean with the hood open. You paid all that money and had to prop up your own hood? Sounds a bit declasse'. Of course, if you had the wherewithal to own a Carib I suppose others did that underhood stuff for you. But if a mechanic was familiar with the counterbalanced hoods on most '55 Packards, wouldn't there be a risk that he didn't know he needed to prop the hood on the Carib, and get "sandwiched?" I don't have a parts book. Used to have a couple SASCO catalogs, but they went with the cars. Very nice drawings in them.

I believe the "formed" hoods on even the '55 Clipper models did not require a hood prop. Our Customs didn't, and neither did the 400.

Matter of fact, wasn't 1956 the only Caribbean that didn't use a hood prop rod?

"I believe the "formed" hoods on even the '55 Clipper models did not require a hood prop. Our Customs didn't, and neither did the 400."

55'Guy:
Go back and read Randy Bergers post directly above yours.

The 55 Carib hood SCOOPS (as i understand it) were SPECIALY FABRICATED and fitted to an otherwise NONCarib stock hood. REQUIREING alot of LEAD to install such scoops. That is to say that the 55 Carib was more or less a special custom made hood UNlike all other Packard or clipper models of 55-56. So the extra weight of the LEAD required the hood prop.

56 Carib hood scoops were stamped into the hood at the time the hood was stamped and thus NO LEAD. so THE 56 cARIB hood is lighter in weight thus no prop needed.

OR, to put it another way, of all of the 55-56 hoods only the 55 Carib hood contained lead makeing it heavy.

That got me to wondering. Are the 55 hood scoops only sweated to the top of the hood or does the hood actualy have holes cut to accomodate the scoops.

Or to ask it another way, if i lift the 55 Carib hood will i see the bottom side of the sccop or the bottom side of the hood identicle to any other 55 hood.

Tim,

Sent you a PM re: the Tom Mix Caribbeans.

I should have been more encompassing in my answer. 1953, 54 and 55 Caribbeans all required a prop rod because all were custom-built hoods done with lead and the extra weight hanging out at the front of the hood was too much for the springs to hold. Owen is right, of course, and "plastic" tooling allowed Packard to produce the 1956 Caribbean hood. As far as I know, all 1951 thru 1956 convertible trunks were custom-built by sectioning a standard trunk lid. That is very evident by looking at the underside of a trunk lid.
We really shouldn't be discussing this as it hijacked the standard transmission thread and the "thread police" will arrive shortly.
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