Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Have a mystery Knob on the dash.... Ok, tinkering with a 1952 300, body #2572-2302 and under the light switch, there is a "push-pull" knob. The wiring leads through the fire wall adjacent the voltage regulator. 2 wires attached, one orange and one black. when pulled the orange activates, and when pushed the black. Both are "deactivated" when the knob is released and back in the center position. The wires are wrapped in grounding mesh.
My horn contact pieces in the steering wheel are gone thanks to my dad attempting to repair it and i have no idea where the parts went. I have the push wire, or the black wire attached to the horn relay for a temp horn fix...
I have studied the wiring diagram and don't see this switch or wires... any ideas?

Attach file:

---

  (97.91 KB)

Sounds like a power antenna switch.

think you are right... didnt think of this before...
the antenna has been replaced with a newer antenna, and the radio only works every once in a while. As the car warms up, the radio also warms up, and randomly turns on. Not sure if there is a short in the wiring, or a tube is loose... once in a blue moon the radio flickers on and I get static and a distant station....

Thanks for the identification of this strange knob... just not sure why its not in the wiring diagram... or am i missing it all together?

Quote:

Power antenna was an accessory. Until 55 Packard frequently treated things optional as a separate item. If it had electrical requirements, they may not have been part of the regular schematics. Schematics were generally included on the same piece of paper as installation instructions and shipped with the item. In this case what there is of an antenna schematic is in the 51-4 service manual accessories section.

It is the power antenna switch. If I remember correctly it was vacuum operated. The horn wire runs down thru the inside of the steering column. It can be inserted using some heavy gauge electrical wire to push thru the column and then tie the smaller gauge wire to it and pull it thru. I'll take a photo of the wiring and contacts if you need some info on it.

Believe 51 on power antennas were electric but if a dealer had a new but now obsolete vacuum type on the shelf, wouldn't be surprised if some deals might have been cut and some installed.

Yea, I'm tracking on the proper horn hook-up, I have a blue wire all the way through the steering column, and into the wiring harness at the distributer, My issue is the relay inside the steering wheel, its mostly there with the exception of the brass ring and possibly a small spring or what-not... I have the "power antenna knob" as a temporary fix until I can get the schematics or a good pic of the workings of it.

As for the power antenna, this being an electric wire, activating one or the other, spring activated by push/pull, Im thinking and electric antenna, how would a vacuum antenna work with an electric switch??

No electrics involved with the vacuum antenna. It is the same push/pull arrangement but is a spring loaded vacuum valve with 3 rubber hoses connecting. Generally the valve was mounted as a hang on under the dash but I suppose it is possible a dealer would have had capabilities to use an electric switch bezel to mount in the dash. Electric would be proper for your car and I'd be surprised if you had vacuum.

On the horn there is only the end of the wire soldered to a small cup arrangement at the top. It's isolated from but rests on the end of the steering shaft and passes the coil lead from the horn relay into the horn ring assy. When the horn ring is pushed it tilts and completes the circuit to ground via some contact points. No relay there. It's located near the radiator.

FWIW, I have a 51 200 with an electric antenna and Delco Wonderbar radio. Push and it goes up, pull and it goes down. Also, the radio works and the front and rear speaker sound very 50's 60's ish.

It wouldn't surprise me that the antenna was added. The car was the dealerships runner car and driven by my grandfather with dealer tags until around 68. If anyone has the proper connects for the steering wheel horn connect or a easy fix ill reconnect the wire to a power antenna.... when I find an operating one of those!