Packard Forum Index » General

There's a 1956 Clipper advertised for sale on the Boston area's Craigs List. I haven't seen the car and don't know the owner, just stumbled on the ad. Hope the Clipper finds a good home.

http://boston.craigslist.org/nwb/cto/1600266728.html

FYI,
Mike Grimes

I checked into this car because I am looking for a stick shift standard suspension V-8 Clipper. It is a 56 Deluxe 4 Door. It has standard suspension, but has a push button Twin Ultramatic. This seems like an anomaly to me, push buttons on a Deluxe? Nice looking car. Thanks Mike for the heads up on this one.
(8 {I} 8)

I'd hazard a guess that a car with non TL suspension is far rarer than one with the 3 spd? Is that the case? If so, and given the extreme rarity of any available with both, maybe it would be worth the effort it to convert the UM on this car, which looks very nice, to a stick, which shouldn't be too difficult... that's assuming number matching originality is not the top priority but driving one is. I for one feel far more connected to the machine via manual shift vs a hydraulically controlled automatic.

I don't have any data to back up the following, but I believe that a standard suspension transmission Clipper is more rare than a standard transmission suspension car. My experience in my search is all the standard suspension Clippers I have found (3) have had the TU transmission. The Boston Clipper is the first 56 I have looked at and the first Clipper with PBs.

Correction edit.

I guess the next query would then be, IF one were to convert one of those variables, which would be easier? TL -> Non TL or
UM-> std?
My guess would be the latter.

IMHO, I would agree with your guess. Many UM to std conversions have been done (with a parts car for some pieces -- but all bolt on). To convert to non TL, front might not be too bad if all the spring seats are there but believe you would have to do some welding on of the spring supports and probably have to remove some if not all the TL support stuff attached to frame at the rear.