Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Hello all,
Now I need to buy new shocks for my Clipper.Seems to be difficult to find them if the car have TL.But Kanter auto have it available but I am not sure what I should choose
They have COIL OVER BOOSTER SHOCKS,GAS-CHARGED SHOCKS,PLEASURIDE SHOCKS.What is the correct for my 1955 Packard Clipper ?

Regards

If u are only interested in showing the car for ORIGINALITY then go with whatever Kanter recommends. My recommendation is to use the heaviest shock possible which i'm assuming is the "coil over booster" which i further assume has a coil spring made onto the shock.

I like the heaviest schock i can get to allow for any spring/torsion bar sag that mite occur over the last 50+ years.

Also check the "Packard Parts X-ref" in the Main Menue located on the left side of this forum.

Designer of the T/L System, Bob Allison, make specific recommendations in later years that heavy duty type and coil-over shocks should NOT be used on T/L cars.

Just buy regular gas-filled shocks which are easily available at most any auto parts store, or from Kanters if you wish. We've been thru this before and I'm sure you'll find #s in the X-ref and other threads on shocks for the 55/56 cars. Lacking that, all you need to know is the minimum compressed length, maximum extended length, and type of attachments for any good counterman to find appropriate shocks.

I agree with Ownen Dyneto, I was at a Packard National Meet when Bill Allison spoke and said what OD repeated above. Any sag that has occurred with the torsion bars should be taken care of by installing longer front load arm pins which are listed in the Factory Parts Book and probably Service Manual. They will raise the car and maintain the special ride characteristics of Torsion Level suspension.

Quote:Dave,

Wonder if you could find "any good counterman" in Iceland where Sigurbjorn hails from? The Kanter option, or similar, might be his best option.

I have numbers for my 56 Exec but not sure how that will apply to any 55's.

Front Gabrile gas charge G63359 = G60017.
Rear 37147 monroes gas charged.
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/MON8/37147.oap?keyword=37147

Both of the above numbers on my 56 exec were some heavy duty truck application.

NOTE that the FACTORY parts manual lists HEAVY DUTY shock for 56 Packards but oddly not for 55's. However does list "exportt" shocks which most likely means heavy duty.

From post #1 above:
".But Kanter auto have it available but I am not sure what I should choose
They have COIL OVER BOOSTER SHOCKS,GAS-CHARGED SHOCKS,PLEASURIDE SHOCKS.What is the correct for my 1955 Packard Clipper ?"


Fred Kanter writes:
"I agree with Ownen Dyneto, I was at a Packard National Meet when Bill Allison spoke and said what OD repeated above." referencing:

" Designer of the T/L System, Bob Allison, make specific recommendations in later years that heavy duty type and coil-over shocks should NOT be used on T/L cars."

ok. But then IF HD type shocks should not be used then why does Kanter offer them including the coil overs ????

AND then why does the FACTORY parts cataloug indicate heavy duty available for 56's????

To Packard V8;

Bill Allison RECOMMENDED that HD and coil over shocks not be used on TL cars. His recommendation is his opinion, individual owners are free to use what they please, just as an owner of a 56 400 can cut the roof off and "make" a convertible if he pleases deswpite what someone elses recommendation is.

From the content of your post above you bare reading wither form our general website or general catalog. We offer coil over and HD shocks along with other lines of shocks for ALL cars '37-'80 and it should be obvious to anyone who is automotive knowlegable that ALL lines of shocks are not appropriate for ALL cars. Some cars will not accomodate a coil-over in the front as the hole in the lower control arm is too small, sopme rears will interfere with exhaust pipes etc etc

If you have ever been in an auto parts store that used parts books you saw a catalog rack ABOUT 3 FEET LONG , and that was for parts from current and back 20 years. We cover 45+ years so if our catalog ahd all details of all parts it would have to be more that 3 feet thick. IN a 70 page catalog we cannot list all exceptions, details etc etc

Your question is that if certain shocks are not recommended for TL cars, then why do we list them. There's a bit more than a little acrimony in that question and I resent it. We have not built a reputation over 51 years of misleading anyone, but we do rely on our customers to be reasonable.

Packard listed HD/Export shocks for TL cars and I had a NOS set of 4 adn put them on a 55 400. It rode terribly and potholes/railroad tracks were enough to dislodge fillings.
I took them off in a day but perhaps in certain foreign countries they were advisable for ride control and safety.

If you look in our 55-6 Packard specific catalog you will find that coil-overs are listed only for conventional spring cars adn heavy duty shocks of a much less degree than orig equpt Packard HD shocks are available for all models. Some customers prefer them despite what Mr. Allison suggests.

I could give you 100 more examples of "irregularities" such as you have brought up, however in my memory no one else than you has asked such a question. If one looks for fault hard enough one will certainly find it, other things are glaringly obvious.

So does anyone have a specific answer for Packard from Iceland about what shocks to use????? See post #1 above where he asked.

PACKARD V8 asks in post above:

Posts: 3970 "So does anyone have a specific answer for Packard from Iceland about what shocks to use????? See post #1 above where he asked."




To Packard V8

Yes, two members who usually give sound advice have recommendations and they are identical. If you would read post #3 above, Owen_Dyneto has made a very clear recommendation and I have made the same recommendation also.
Could you explain why you ask for a question to be answered when it already has been answered twice?? Am I missing something here??

I do note that before your post above you only had 3969 posts.

Signed
Tiredeyes