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Re: Mike P 1955 400 Slow Resto Thread!
#11
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humanpotatohybrid
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Congrats on the purchase! It looks like it was a great buy. Interior is fantastic and looks to be all original too.

On the windshield, my car did not come with back glass (technically it did, in a thousand pieces) so I have a bit of experience in replacing them (though the back and front are replaced a bit differently). You can get them online, Kanter and some other places have them, but they will be pretty expensive especially from shipping. Since you don't need it urgently, I would take a different approach, find your local Packard club and get to know people over time. Eventually you will find someone with a parts car they won't mind you pulling the windshield out of for cheap (or maybe free), same goes for pretty much any part under the sun in these years. You will still need weatherstripping for it though. Even if you're able to pull the old stuff off cleanly, it will be a huge difficulty getting back on (it gets stiff from age) and it will probably leak too. That being said, make sure to grab all the windshield fasteners you take off and even exterior trim, as you never know if something will break when replacing it. Speaking from experience.


It can be useful to check the repair times listed in the "flat rate manual". Here, an R&R for a front windshield is 3.8 hours, but plan on easily doubling that for your first time, not to mention you may be pulling your own. So plan a whole day, or two evenings, if doing that, and the same for the actual replacement. As a side note, I know that a rear glass will fit INSIDE a Packard, just barely... but it would be better to go get it with a pickup truck or just an SUV with the seats folded down. The instructions are in the "body" section of the service manual. They are a bit unclear in places so if/when you do this I would ask again for tips here. For example, on the back glass the fastest way to get it out is to cut straight through the middle of the rubber with a box knife on the top edge, then push it out. I don't know if that's a good strategy for the front though. And the trim is done differently front/back, etc.

Also, when buying/picking parts you want to check the parts lists in the literature archive for cross-compatibility. They are a bit of a pain to look though but it's worth it. For example, for your front glass I checked the 55-56 list, page 188, and the 48-54 list, page 561. Cross-referencing the body numbers with the Model Information pages, we can see that all of the two-doors in '55 and '56 (the Super Coupes, Custom Coupes, Executive Coupe, 400's, and the Caribbeans) all used P/N 444944. It turns out that it's not used on the 48-54's, but it's good to check related years (for example, the rear glass on some 55's was reused from that time period also). So if you find any glass for sale, or see/hear of a parts car you could pick the glass from, you know that any 2 door from 55 or 56 would work.

P.S. You may want to double-check that no rodents have made a home in your exhaust pipe. Maybe try to use a pipe snake?

Posted on: 2022/6/13 5:42
'55 400. Needs aesthetic parts put back on, and electrical system sorted.
'55 Clipper Deluxe. Engine is stuck-ish.
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Re: Mike P 1955 400 Slow Resto Thread!
#12
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Leeedy
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You have a very nice start here. And as I predicted earlier, I don't see any serious rust. Again, I believe this was a car once owned by Harold LeMay.

What I do see is that your radio is not the original. Somebody has swapped it out. What you have here is a rare Clipper signal-seeking radio, not a senior Packard radio. Also the station setting slide (the little red plastic thingies) flipper cover appears to be broken off.

This radio was optional extra-cost on Clipper and also used on the Executive series.

How do I know this is a Clipper radio? The senior Packard "wonder bar" and push buttons were smooth with a satin brushed finish. The junior "wonder bar" was chrome and had a serrated, notched design as this one has. The radio dial background coloring is also darker. These radios and their differences are shown in the salesman's data books and elsewhere.

I would swap it out for the correct unit and let someone with a Clipper have a chance at this rare optional radio head.

As for cracked glass... there are lots and lots of parts cars sitting around with good door glass and decent windshields. Piece of cake.

Good luck with your Four Hundred.

Posted on: 2022/6/13 9:57
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Re: Mike P 1955 400 Slow Resto Thread!
#13
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Packard Don
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If my Clipper doesn’t already have one, I wouldn’t mind a signal seeing radio for it! Unfortunately I have nothing with which to swap.

Posted on: 2022/6/13 11:39
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Re: Mike P 1955 400 Slow Resto Thread!
#14
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Packardfan
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Quote:
I'm amazed at how good the interior is. The seats, headliner, and door panels are exceptional.


This was the driving factor for me to buy the car. Right when I seen the interior I was pretty much sold!



Quote:
I also picked up a Motors manual of Ebay that covers my year, and the information in there was very helpful in setting the carb back up when I rebuilt it.


[color=0033FF]I just printed, hole punched and put in a binder the manual and parts book for 55's. I am all set now the carb rebuild kit should be here this week sometime.

Quote:
Classic Exhaust makes complete replacement systems for our cars.


Thanks for the tip

Quote:
Alternatively you could have an exhaust shop look at what you have now and see if they can patch up what you have.


If I cant get this fixed myself this will be my next option. I will go new once I get all the bugs worked out.


Quote:
If you can get the car on jack stands, I would drain the trans fluid first, then drop the pan and inspect/clean it out. You'll need a new gasket when you reinstall. Olson's gaskets is a good place


Ok, Olsons got it, I was wondering about good gaskets. From reading I was going to refill with B&M Trick Shift.


Quote:
BTW, this thread would be best located in the Project Blogs area of the forum. It'll get lost in the V-8 section. Maybe BigKev can move it?


That would be awesome! What do you think big Kev?

Quote:
What I do see is that your radio is not the original. Somebody has swapped it out. What you have here is a rare Clipper signal-seeking radio, not a senior Packard radio.


Ya the last owner said he changed it out, there is another radio in the trunk, I will take a picture of and post it later today. The radio does not work, any recommendations for a good repair guy?

Quote:
I would swap it out for the correct unit and let someone with a Clipper have a chance at this rare optional radio head.


I will definitely do this once I get a original in there. I hope the one in the trunk is the original.


Thanks for all of your guys input!

Posted on: 2022/6/13 13:47
-Mike

1955 Packard 400




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Re: Mike P 1955 400 Slow Resto Thread!
#15
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Packardfan
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Ready!!!

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Posted on: 2022/6/13 13:48
-Mike

1955 Packard 400




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Re: Mike P 1955 400 Slow Resto Thread!
#16
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cortes121
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If the radio in the trunk is not the original, I have one that should be that I bought off ebay (later learned it was not the right one for my Clipper, funny enough). No clue if it works though, but I'd be happy to let it go for a decent price, if you need.

Posted on: 2022/6/15 13:57
- Anthony

1955 Packard Clipper Custom
1951 Kaiser Deluxe
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Re: Mike P 1955 400 Slow Resto Thread!
#17
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humanpotatohybrid
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AFAIK you can test it by just hooking it up to a 12V supply (car battery), preferably with a fuse in between. Don't remember the fuse size, just a couple amps I think. If you turn the radio on and hear anything then it probably works. Or connect a TV antenna wire to the antenna port to see if you can tune in to anything.

Posted on: 2022/6/15 14:48
'55 400. Needs aesthetic parts put back on, and electrical system sorted.
'55 Clipper Deluxe. Engine is stuck-ish.
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Re: Mike P 1955 400 Slow Resto Thread!
#18
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JeromeSolberg
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Since you have a 12V car, your choices for radio restoration are better, though note that your car was 12V positive ground originally.

Here is a thread with a lot of information about radio repair and folks who do that. There is also someone who advertises in the Packard Club newsletter.

Radio Repair Thread

Posted on: 2022/6/15 17:37
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Re: Mike P 1955 400 Slow Resto Thread!
#19
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Packardfan
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Hey guys, thanks for all the input for the radio. This one is the one that was in the trunk, is it the original? Once I get the original in and the Clipper one out I will for sure get it to someone that needs a original.

This weekend I am hoping to do a couple things let me know if you have any tips

1.
Rebuild carb (rochester 4 jet 7007230)
I got my rebuild kit yesterday)

2.
Seal up my exhaust leak, I found a good leak at the manifold heat valve connection. My new gaskets should be here today.

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Posted on: 2022/6/17 9:02
-Mike

1955 Packard 400




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Re: Mike P 1955 400 Slow Resto Thread!
#20
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HH56
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An all too common issue with the heat riser valves is the casting holding the valve flapper is broken.

If the ridges on the end of the heat riser valve casting that keep it located to the manifold or exhaust pipe is broken off or a large enough portion is missing leaving a gap, the gaskets may not do much good in resolving the leak. There are not any bolt holes in the unit to keep it firmly fixed in position without the ridges so the valve assy will be free to wiggle around with vibration and movement from the exhaust pipe. The small movement destroys the gaskets fairly quickly.

Tightening the bolts extra tight is not an option since excess torque can break the manifold casting. As far as I know, there have not been any successful repairs figured out so if you do find it broken best to start looking for a new or better one.

Posted on: 2022/6/17 14:09
Howard
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