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Bought a 1950 Super De Luxe 8 about 8 weeks ago. Love the old car! It started taking off slower and slower in "H." I sent the car to a transmission shop in a nearby city which has a reputation for their work on classic cars. They told me today there was debris in the pan and that there is an internal problem, but they aren't sure that parts are available... Having read the posts here, I know there are parts out there, I just don't know where. If you needed parts for a rebuild on a 1950 Ultramatic, where would you go???

I've bought many of Kanter Bros. rebuild kits for Ultramatics with good success.

Ross, would that include all you would need to redo a tranny? Is it that inclusive? I know nothing about this...

Sounds like the direct drive clutch disc that i'm upgrading on mine while it's out? Kanter has them for i believe 158 for our year, exchange only so you have to send it in first. They have the 11 1/4 in stock and will trade you, or get your 11 3/4 relined. I'm told the 11 3/4 and the 11 1/4 are interchangeable.

The disc is actually in the torque converter, and can be changed without taking the tranny apart BUT you have to decide how healthy it is to leave all the old debris in the tranny floating around (it's not healthy at all and not advised.)

The total rebuild kit including new friction plates and whatever the other plates are called and bushings, seals, gaskets, etc is 415 at the moment (plus a small chunk of shipping) If your low/reverse band needs replaced it's about $95 relined. Unless you have something damaged, thats about what you should run into in parts.

It'll be good to have those small and large piston seals changed, Ross and others will tell you how they get hard and dry and you'll start noticing the pressure dropping at idle. Also, new seals will keep the fluid where it belongs after the disc is replaced.

I plan on making an adapter and making the dipstick mounted to the firewall with a universal flexible style. Tired of checking the fluid under the floor. Then again, if the rebuild does what it's supposed to, won't have to worry about leaks and always topping off

Also, as pointed out on my current thread by some of the wise fellows here, there's an NOS one on ebay right now:

cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... pagename=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_500wt_956

if you don't want to go the relined route.

I am planning to print this and take it to my transmission guy. I hope it is that easy. Are you doing the rebuilding yourself?

I was going to but the converter is complex enough for me, and i found someone local who has done a few in the past and quoted a reasonable price. I'll put the converter back together with the new disc and drop off the rebuild kit and tranny to him and get it back in a few weeks.

So you removed the transmission yourself? As heavy as everything is on these cars, I can only imagine how much work that'd be!! Seems like Packard made all the parts as beefy as humanly possible. I clicked the link for your car and I saw my car looking back at me! Must say, quite a beauty there!

Pfffft, I've done everything from pulling straight eights to pulling cast iron Ultramatics by myself, never had an issue. Of course, when no help's to be had, you have no choice but to work alone.

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For sure...pays to help people out so they're around when you need help!

Paul, we took the entire front clip off, manifolds and fuel pump, hoods, grille etc. Giant nylon strap around the motor with tranny attached. Pulled forward until motor was sitting half out and strap was against the "hoop" that is shaped like the radiator and spot welded on. Set motor/tranny down on cross member, moved strap outside "hoop", lifted, set on floor. Then separated ultramatic, put on bench, drained, disassembled, etc.

It's work with two people too! But our engine bay was crap and i want to detail it and make the motor look great as well as do a tranny rebuild.