Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

I read about people having problems with their T/L system. What always amazed me is how little trouble I have had with two T/L Packards, considering that the system is 50 years old and hasn't been serviced by a Packard dealer since about 1957.

Ditto Chuck, my experiences parallel yours, never a hint of a problem.

Same here, even after sitting for over 40 years abandoned in a field and with just lubrication and replacement of a bearing by myself I never had a single problem with my T/L.

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Well, I happen to like my 1955 standard suspension no options Clipper. It is a Deluxe, not a Custom, so not much help on the thread topic. Sorry.

Keegan wrote:
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No apologies necessary, Keegan. If a guy can't stand up for his ride on this forum, what can he do? Besides, a standard suspension '55 Clipper is a rare bird, indeed. I guess the most tempting V8 car with spring suspension for me would be a Panama, the kind old Jack Harlin drove at the stock car races, may he RIP in Packard Heaven. (If there ain't no Packards in Heaven, I would have a tough choice to make. But one thing I know for sure, there wouldn't be any in hell then, either. Now that's off-topic!)

I thought Jack Harlin drove a 55 T-L Clipper at the old roundy-round tracks. At least that's what I understood from his emails to me.

Craig

Nope. He tried it... once. He got black-flagged because the NASCAR guys (this was in an honest-to-goodness NASCAR event) told him it had busted springs. But I'll let him tell it:

HA I wish U luck in finding a Packard that raced let alone one with torsion Hope U do find out as I would like to know also.
We took the TL 56 to Darlington & it was a joke more or less. To give U a run down on Packards in racing. Since I wasnt doing a very good job we got Buck Baker to take it out. After 8 laps he brought it back & said if U guys make the race Im going to give U all the room I can & get away from it. We lowered the rear, cut the TL switch & I got black flaged.
Pit boss, Brunner, said the rear springs were broken, fix or leave the track.When told no springs on it he looked underneath . We leveled it out & when it raised up he thought we were a bunch of Yankees that modified a car that wasnt stock & red tagged us. They called the P dealer in Atlanta, to find out if a production car, or we modified it. Imagine now this was NASCAR not a local track. Any way no other Ps at that time were raced. Remember they were still fighting the Mason Dixon line back then & Junie Donlevy from Va. was furthest one North besides us from Harrisburg, Pa. This was a "good O'le Boys" group then.
I only told U this as to finding any that raced. We had the only P in local races also. Jack

Guy
The # 50 had regular suspension. I think I mentioned we installed heavier coil springs from a Henny ambulance.
We bought a totaled 56 Clipper 2dr. HT with TL to race. Didnt matter what we didit just wouldnt handle Both of us been in racing since 1947 running Ford coupes, & no stranger in setting them up, even though each required a different approach.
True tortion in race cars have 2 bars in front & rear, mounted side to side, & sdjusting them at the opposite end. In other words the bar for RF wheel is adjusted at LF end of it.
If U adj. more weight in RF, it changes wt. in LR wheel also, & LF gets lighter along with RR. Thats why a scale is used under the wheels to go back & know what U have. Different tracks different setting like gear changes. With 8 to 12 lbs air in tires plus stager on rear tires it becomes a science getting the proper balance hard to tacky tracks & choosing all these settings for last laps of race cause tracks change during the race. NO such control Of Packards TL A lot more involved than this but U get the idea. Jack

Here's number 50 with a '55 400 tow car:

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