Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

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I think the rod you are seeing is optical delusion and dust. There is a horizontal ledge about 3/4" wide on the inner fender which I think is the rod you see. There are vertical V shaped stiffening channels which might be the other items.

Valve covers are standard black with ivory colored embossed script. Howard correct; no rod just lots of dirt and dust on inner fender.

Kevin,

Did you get pictures of the data plate from the 400, and the Patrician in front of it?

The 400 is like mine in the fact that the back glass was busted out and thankfully a back glass was put back in, but the damage was done. This car was the parts car for the Caribbean. So I cleaned it up, got it running, too nice to cut up.

Here are pictures of pictures,

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Yes I did Let the Ride Decide.

I don't believe the Tucson 400 is the same given the interiors as seen in your photographs. Stuart Blond's roster does however indicate that the Tucson 400 I photographed was once in Texas at Rodgers Auto. Reference the Patrician, it is an interesting car given that it appears to be the latest known 1955 Patrician in Stuart's roster. I emailed him but have not heard back from him as yet to confirm that fact.

Here are some more pictures (Sorry OD............I keep forgetting to grab the thief proof numbers). I'm sure the present owner will allow me to go back over and get the data.

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If it is not to expensive, then it might be worthwhile to get the car or at least the entire A/C unit and store it away for the future.

Maybe the car came from here,http://www.rogersautosales.net

The reason I said it looked like like my car, was the condition.

Thats funny that that car is in Az, because I know my 400 came out of New Mexico, and when I get to the shop, 20 miles away, I will look, but I think I remember the ARA unit in mine had stickers that said AZ on it. I think the Ultramatic had a rebuild tag from AZ as well.

Does the 400 have a title? Are those factory seatbelts in the 400, pr aftermarket?

That Patrician is the largest I have seen on a tag.

I think it's an interesting car. The body looks pretty solid, with only what appears to be superficial rust. The interior, of course, looks like crap. Everything seems to be there as far as the engine is concerned and I assume the Ultramatic is there too. The air conditioner is intriguing, isn't it? You probably already saw it, but in the Packard Literature and Manuals there is this "How to" guide for installing a Packard air conditioner in a car that didn't have one to start with. I thought it was hysterical. Talk about a lot of work! The manual advised taking out everything, right down to the carpeting. What a pain that would have been. I recall that when I was a kid, my father had an aftermarket AC installed in his 1956 Ford. It was under the dash and contained the controls and vents and seemed to work OK. Knowing my father, I can't imagine him going to all of the trouble that Packard recommended for installing an air conditioner.

That after the fact install was a lot of work wasn't it. Would be interesting if there were ever a number of actual installs found to see just how many would have paid for the dealer to install the option . While complicated, it was for the factory indash unit which at least could be installed on convertibles if that particular owner desired AC. Not so with trunk units.

What is even more interesting is the number of 55-6 Packards with the ARA unit installed yet being advertised as having factory air. Studebakers had factory air in the trunk but I believe those were made by Novi, not ARA.

I think many dealers must have sold a car and then might have installed the ARA or one or two other aftermarket units which had been adapted with necessary parts to be a bolt on for Packard. More likely, I expect the Packard dealer sent the cars to an authorized AC dealer/distributor to have the work done. That might be how so many "factory" ARA cars came to be. I have a chart of the major aftermarket mfgs in the mid 50's and a surprising number seemingly had no particular offerings for Packard. That might explain why so many variations in the installs are seen. Each install was reinventing the wheel.

Kevin,

My car must have been in AZ at sometime, since the ARA unit has the locations listed on the sticker on the unit.

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