Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

I can't seem to find anything in the Steele Rubber catalog that appears to be the "bumpers" found inside the 55-56 trunk lids. These small rectangular (1 1/2" long) bumpers (there are 2 on the cars) are secured along the edge that comes down and meets the edge of the valance face of the lower trunk body. All examples here on parts Patrician and my 400 are as hard as frozen hockey pucks! Sources appreciated. Thanks.

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McMaster-Carrmcmaster.com has a very large selection of various types rubber stock. Just do a search for rubber bar and quite a few come up. Should be easy to pick a long enough length to make several of something close to the width and thickness you need. Others more familiar with the various characteristics could probably advise as to which type material best suits the purpose.

Soak them in PB Blaster first, you might be able to save them.

Funny those trunk lid bumpers are not listed in their catalog. Those were are used on the '54 Clippers. Possible other models also.

I dont have it in front of me, but I thought Kanter had a "Misc Rubber Parts Set" that was a set of all the small odd-ball rubber pieces found on the car. I wonder if they are part of that set.

be careful with the PB blaster route - it will soften them but you might have damage to the painted surface held in contact with the bumpers. How thick are they - I have some leftover stock I made 41 door check cushions from, you can have some if it looks like it will work.

Bkazmer,

Thank-you.........I'll send you a PM tonight when I get home and measure the bumpers I have.

I took one of the bumpers #444051 off my 56 Carib and started shopping for suitable material in MSC & McMaster-Carr. There are a dozen if not several dozens of black rubber materials of various durometers and types and compositions available in sheet and strip form. Length is of course no problem if you cut to length from sheet, and likewise the width which measures at about 5/8 inches. But the thickness appears to be a bit of a problem as I measure the original at about 0.385" or +/- 11/32; 3/8 is a standard thickness for stock materials but would be a bit too thin and after that its 1/2 inch material.

I glued a nice rubber shim to a block and then drilled thru it and shim and then drilled a shorter wider hole to allow the screw to nestle down and not damage the paint. You really do need those bumpers and they should be fairly hard - as hard as the hood bumpers.
Aside - I have never seen PB Blaster hurt any paint --- yet.

I'm really surprised Steele doesn't have them. Probably one of the simplest pieces you would think to reproduce.

After a bit of study, I've reached the conclusion that the 444051 rubber bars may have been intentionally made from pretty firm rubber, as now I don't think they were meant to provide any cushioning when the trunk lid was routinely closed with normal effort. I believe the cushioning when closing the lid was the function of the foam weatherstrip, and the blocks in question were intended to prevent "overtravel" as the weatherstip aged and compressed or when the lid was very forcibly slammed.

My trunk lid weatherstrip is relative new, and when the trunk is closed the alignment of the lid to the surrounding metal is nearly in perfect alignment. Then I had someone open and close the trunk several times while I was in it - the 444051 blocks never come close to contacting the metal surface below it. I tried testing with some masking tape and slamming the lid closed, still no contact.

Draw your own conclusions, but that's my take on it.