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

What do you guys use as a trunk jack for your Packards? I need to find a jack to keep in the trunk, and want to find a jack that will have a good square engagement on the framerail. I suppose something like a scissor jack with a good saddle on it.

Kev, I carry the factory bumper jack in my 56 just for show, and usually carry a small rolling hydraulic frame jack, but if I could come across a good compact but well-made scissor jack, that would be my preference if for no other reason than compact size. The hydraulic bottle jacks generally have too high a profile even when fully lowered to be useful.

I throw this in the back, but it's a little bit overkill. 7,000-pound lifting capacity, and weighs 100 pounds. But when I had a flat tire on the Glidden Tour a couple of years ago, I impressed several people with my no-nonsense approach to lifting the car!!!

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I have a small "portable" floor jack also but this electric scissor jackmygaragestore.com/detail.aspx?ID=1752 with an optional impact wrench is interesting now that I am getting old and decrepit. Too bad it is only 12v. Amazon also carries it and has 4 good reviews there.

I thought I was the only one who used a little floor jack. Looks like I'm in good company. My 2472 was missing a jack when I bought it, so I used a bottle jack I had, but the car rolled off of it a couple times. I then went through a couple scissor jacks, one old, one new. Both wound up breaking under the weight of the car. Out of exasperation, I bought the small floor jack, and I've been very, very pleased with it. It does take up a little space in the trunk, but it works better than anything else.

I have a neat compact floor jack that comes in a nice canvas carry bag. Only used it once and it is great. I got it as a Christmas gift so I don't know where it was bought from.

Owen,

Would you please post a picture on what a Packard jack looks like when it is properly secured into the trunk of a 55-56 Packard.

The jack and tools were provided in a corrugated box as shown, and simply stored in the trunk. Most folks put the box on the hump over the rear axle behind the rear seat. I believe the box also contained the front license plate bracket when the vehicle was sold into states that required a front plate. This photo from the Reedy/Shaub book and used with permission.

Perhaps the style of the box changed between 55 and 56, or perhaps there were simply two styles, here's an original from a 1956, slightly different corrugated style.

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If I get a flat on the road I use my gold AAA card and a cell phone.

Owen,

Thanks much. Your pictures have made me realize that I DO have an original Packard jack! Please, what is the item that is inside the center of the box? The item that is black in color and it appears to have a silver colored cross member?

56 jack reedy.jpg