Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

While reading Bendtsen's install instructions ran across a reference to them having a solution for those with 56 models with PB shift column if wanting to go with a GM trans. Am a bit curious why they specified column or if that was a general term. Just wondering if anyone has done this or spoken with them to find out exactly what their solution entails. Am hoping they mean the electric shift feature does remain completely functional but maybe with a different actuator but also could be reading their statement thru rose colored glasses.

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I believe that Chrysler offered pushbutton automatic transmissions in the late 50s and early 60s. Mercury and Lincoln and Edsel may have, too.

Whether any of those systems could be adapted to a Packard, I don't know.

Mopar products and 57-8 Mercury used a mechanical system. Am not familiar with the Lincoln system but suspect it was like the Mercury. AMC also had pushbuttons but I believe they first used the Chrysler TorqueFlite transmission and Mopar button system and later on, a different system. Not sure which one. The mechanical pushbuttons operate a cam arrangement and each button incrementally moves a push-pull Bowden type cable which in turn moves the control valve in the trans valve body. In the cars with a Park selection, there is an interlock to kick out the other buttons but believe the Park paddle or button uses a separate cable that only controls that function. I think it would probably be rather difficult to adapt one of those mechanical systems to work the GM valve inside the trans and with the Packard steering column holding the not very spacious electric PB pod, also difficult there too.

Other than Packard, until the modern car era I believe the only other mfgs that used a full electric system is Edsel and Rolls Royce. When Packard went under and Edsel came along Autolite also built their system. Since they had built the Packard system Edsel was similar but re-engineered so most of the early teething issues Packard faced were eliminated. While the electrical is very similar they had a much more robust actuator and some redundancies. I don't have a photo of the actuator but articles mention and electrical diagrams show a better design for the finger and segment issues Packard faced. The Edsel shift motor is also stronger.

Rolls Royce has an actuator to work their version of the GM transmission which would bolt right on if there is room for it in the Packard frame. Electrically the RR system is very similar to the Packard system except they used micro switches operated by a lever instead of push buttons. It appears that it would be a simple matter to adapt the Packard PBs to work the RR actuator. Being RR, while the actuators are available on ebay they are not that plentiful and most rebuilt or at least claimed to work units are not cheap. I would be surprised if that is the solution Bendtsen mentioned.

H

It might be.

The picture I've seen of the gm . looks like more room.

That r r. Is big..

The only way I can think to do it would be to create a new contact board inside the shifter unit with appropriate spacing between contacts.

That way you could have the superior performance of the new transmission coupled with most devastatingly unreliable portion of the old.

Edsel. 1958

400 bucks.

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https://www.macsmotorcitygarage.com/the-motor-citys-push-button-age/

2018 ford added push button

Thanks Riki. Doubt the Edsel system would work for a GM trans either because of the same issue of different positions for the ranges. At the least, it would probably need a new contact arrangement and since it has more fingers and segments to worry about even harder to do. Both it and the RR actuator are limited in quantity and fairly expensive.

There are some aftermarket PB units for GM trans and I was just curious if anyone had approached Bendtsen and knew what they had in mind that could be made to work with the existing Packard column or buttons.

The Mopar pushbutton was used up to 1964 (at least it was on Imperial) and was strictly mechanical so probably not well-adapter to a Packard without some kind of custom servo mechanism. I have one at my shop in case photos are needed when I am next there but basically there is simply a hole in the side of the transmission to which the cable attaches. The same transmission and cable was used in 1965 when the change was made to column shift.

From diagrams and photos, it appears the Chrysler mechanical system works by utilizing differently shaped cams, one for each button. There is an interlock setup but for actually working the trans, each cam pushes against a bar attached to the end of a push/pull cable. The angle of the cam determines how far and where the bar moves and in turn moves the cable in or out. The other end of the cable is attached directly to the selector valve in the transmission valve body. For transmissions with a park function, a separate cable operated by a paddle or lever moves that cable to directly move the park pawl in or out of mesh.

Am really not familiar enough with the GM trans to know how the selector valve and detents work or whether a mechanical system could be adapted. Using the Packard pod to house the buttons might be problematic also because the pod is fairly shallow and mechanical systems might not orient the same way so pod could not accommodate the cables.

A friend of mine installed a Chrysler V8 and Torqueflite in his 55 Clipper. He used the space for the drivers side ashtray to mount the button assy. As I recall, the opening was almost a perfect size and that cable came straight out the back. Don't know the year or believe the trans had a park function.