Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

Several of our name-brand Packard vendors seem willing to sell me non-name brand front shocks for my 1956 with T-L. But the price seems steep (about $60 each, plus shipping), especially when it looks pretty standard to me. One eBay non-Packard vendor sent me a nice pair of Monroe 5751s for $22 each but that corresponds only to cars with a non-torsion bar suspension (I think).

My car has a rather conventional metal bar at the bottom bushing for two mounting bolts in the lower A-arms. However, the few pictures I could find in the 1956 Service Manual show only the in line (as in those Monroe 5751s), and I could not find any with that T-bar two bolt lower mount. Could my car be a retro-fitted "odd duck"? Everything looks rather consistent with other cars I have of that period. Before ordering again, I'd like to have assurance that a shock like a KYB4503 or Gabreal 82026 has the lower mount needed for my car. So far, no one can provide pictures before ordering for these models.

A funny thing happened when I went to my local Advance Auto store for their 5682 shown in the parts cross index. They were willing to sell me what looked like the Monroe 5751 for less than thirty Dollars each. But there was another listing for a 1956 (again, no picture). I declined when I heard the price was $352 each! Protesting that it must be a pricing error, the counter man said that it was because they are listed as Heavy Duty. Needless to say, I did not order them at that price.

My car currently has the smooth ride, so there's no hurry to pay too much. But I'd like to know if other late production T-L have a shock like mine, and where they got theirs.

Randy has posted photos of an adapter that allows the 55 type shock to work on a 56 model.
IIRC, another poster has mentioned the adapters are occasionally seen at swap meets. Perhaps something could be built along the lines of the adapter using some thick plate steel to make the stem type work in place of the bar.

The 56 TL cars all have the "t-bar" bottom mount, tho the two holes are a bit farther apart than most modern T-bar shocks.

Despite that difference in width I have run early 90's Caprice shocks on 56 TL Packards for years by using good washers to provide a tad extra support for the t-bar. Rides well, cheap, and readily available.

There are adapters which adapt the '56 front for shocks with a stud bottom, or with an eye. So possibilities galore for front shocks, just check the maximum extended and minimum compressed lengths and select accordingly. Top photo courtesy Randy Berger.

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Thanks to all of you who have contributed to the wider world of 1956 shock possibilities. We're a GM family with very thrifty genes. When we'd upgrade one of those vehicles for special duty, be it a Corvette or a Caprice (or a Corvair or C2500), if the old set of shocks was far from reaching its life's end, I'd box the old ones and mark the date, car model and mileage on the box and store them in the barn. I suppose that I thought I might have occasion to re-install them for draining some final drops of service life remaining.

Ross' comments made me think of a dear departed Caprice Classic wagon that was our family vacationmobile for quite a few years. That car is long gone but the shocks may be hibernating in a marked set of boxes. While I would never think of putting them on a beloved Packard, I will do an eyeball comparison to see if they might work. I'll also follow the advice of Dave/O-D and Bill Allison and skip the Heavy Duty types when shopping for brand new ones. Like Ross has said "this will be the last time in my lifetime" that the Esquire will need them.

I don't know if they are still available, if not perhaps the # will help you with an interchange, but Gabriel #45653 is a suitable replacement for 1956 OEM front shocks. Gabriel #80266 for the rears.