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

HH56 gives a terrific synopsis of Ultramatic; the best i've read anywhere.
Packard created Ultramatic because GM would not allow them to use HydraMatic for an entire year after introducing any improvements. Smoothness was always the prime objective with Packard, so it is not surprising they came up with essentially Dynaflow with a lock up torque convertor.

Packard's Ultramatic received development help from Detroit Gear. Consumer Reports rated Ultramatic best of the new automatic transmissions, but in an era of new OHV V-8s from everyone -- even Studebaker in 1951 --traffic light Grand Prix syndrome left Packard further behind, their quality steadily declining after the war as they focused on their less hassle, lucrative govt. and jet engine contracts.

Remember, in 1935, when US luxury automakers were introducing junior cars--even the '36 Cord was called "the baby Duesenberg" by A-C-D insiders--Rolls-Royce was focused mainly on aero engines, the cars increasingly a rationalized, assembled product, after the war bodied by Pressed Steel in Cowly near Oxford, who supplied much of the Sceptered Isle motor industry, even as Briggs did Packard, Chrysler, Ford.

One of only two automakers to emerge profitable after War II, Packard was a cash cow. But their aging, insular management spent a fortune developing Ultramatic and more clobbing 200 lbs. bloated outer panels on the Clipper than an entirely new body would've cost. In 1948, they introduced a pair of revisions of the 1935 120 engine while Olds, Cadillac, Chrysler, Studebaker about to debut or readying new OHV V-8s.

At this point, aided by crisp new styling for '48, Cadillac replaced Packard with the moneyed and "smart set," while Packard appealed mainly to well-to-do conservatives in the heartland. This is a generalization, but Packard was increasingly seen as a fogey's car, and aping the Olds Fiesta, Buick Skylark, Cadillac Eldorado with a stock convertible laden with 200 lbs. of "sporty" cues, the Caribbean, or a few Mayfair coupes, were not enough to counter the prevailing view. Into the 1950s, polls by the Automotive News and Detroit Free Press showed Chrysler the leading choice among engineers, scientists, architects, professors, and other educated professionals.

The remaining clientele for Packard were the sort who still appreciated smooth, unobtrusive motoring, as well as those who could finally afford to drive a "Packard."

HydraMatic would take a beating, Ultramatic would not. The 48,414-mile '51 200 i had in the 1976-84 (attached) would've been a good road car had it stick and OD instead of Ultramatic, which i had rebuilt since its seals were dried out, upgraded with the nine- instead of 11-inch direct drive clutch, by a former Packard dealership mechanic's mechanic, a transmission specialist at that. But it was still a smooth slug with the drabbest, most ordnance vehicle interior since a Tucker; even a period Chevy looked opulent in comparison inside.
Being a sport/grand touring car guy who fell long ago for 1939-47 overdrive Packard 8s/Super 8s, seeing them as the best road cars of their era, luxe or not, having driven '41 Cad, '39 Lagonda Rapide, even a Type 101 Bugatti, i'm probably not the one who should be weighing in here, even tho' Tom McCahill much liked the '51 200, preferring it over the 127"wb 400, which i well understand, thinking the 120" wb 1942-47 junior 8 Clipper with OD more the ideal size, the latter the same wb as Bentley Mark VI/R-Type, R-R Silver Dawn, and Jag Mark VII saloon 1950-56.

My 'umble advice, if you really like the car otherwise, would be drop the heavy Ultramatic and install an R-11 overdrive transmission. If you like driving a golf cart, which is what all automatic transmissioned cars are to some of us, look into one of those TorqueFlite 727 conversion kits.

Clinging to "originality" in a fading product seems pointless, since there are plenty of Ultramatic Packards lumbering around for kids somehow drawn to them (?!), tho' am one of those disgusted by modern engines in vintage cars.

BTW, Monsignor Buchner, your '51 250 convertible is a nice car, excellent ergonomics, on the smarter 122" wb, identical to a Caribbean but 200 lbs. lighter. Weight is the enemy. Next steps lighter Optima battery, DOT 5 silicone brake fluid, radial tires, advance the timing short of pinging, and you'll be racing her over the Pacaraima Mountains into the 22nd century.
If you retain the Ultramatic, avoid jackrabbit starts, change the fluid and filter now and then. A friend drove a 137,000-mile '53 300 Cavalier that never had any other work and it shifted as new. On my '51, i cut a small hole in the front floor, covered with a patch of aluminum, concealed by that ordnance vehicle front rubber floor mat, so i could check the Ultramatic fluid level without having to crawl under the leveled car. I did the same in the trunk of my '47 Super Clipper to access the gas tank sending unit. Chryslers of the '40s came with such convenience. Packard wanted customers to remain married to their service departments.

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To your question, the later valve bodies had the simplified pump check valves instead of the sometimes noisy pump selector valve, and it did have the modification mentioned that made it more pleasant to shift from low to high.

It really is not a problem to shift from low to high, or high to low while driving in the mountains; merely let off the gas a bit.

If your valve body is still a problem I can send you one easily when a friend of mine returns to Germany in late September.

On a historical note, one can understand why Packard, Studebaker, Buick, and later everyone decided to use torque convertors if one spends time with an early Hydramatic. Yes they are snappy off the line, but they are also annoying--engine speed is always rising and falling noticeably especially upon takeoff.

A guy in the UK (Buckinghamshire) has a 55 Constellation and is having issues with his Ultramatic. He tried to have it rebuilt in the UK, but it sounds like the mechanic didn't know what he was doing. The transmission got cooked on the first test drive and now after repairing it again he has recently pulled the pan off to fix some leaks to find metal shavings in the pan.

He would like to keep the car original, rather than doing a transmission conversion, in part because if he modifies the car it will require an annual inspection.

Questions:

Does anyone know of someone in the UK that truly knows how to rebuild an Ultramatic?

Is there someone in NA that could ship him a rebuilt & tested Ultramatic for his car?

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Ross in Maryland would be the one to ask I think (directly below your post).

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Might be better to look at Ross's post ABOVE your post. Click on his name then click on the link to send him a private message.
And while I'm here I you to PackardInfo.

I alse invite you to include your '33 1001 Packard in PackardInfo's Packard Vehicle Registry.

Aren't we all secretly waiting/hoping for Ross or Kevin to reply to our posts?

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Haha, thanks. I have my forum settings so newest posts are on Page 1 at the top. A lot easier to browse on mobile and I tend to visit daily so rarely need to see the first post of a thread first when I click on it.