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My car is a 56 Patrician with wind-up windows. Seems like I suddenly have maddening rattles in the right front door.

If Superman could go with on each trip and hold the winding knob tighly, much of the noise would disappear. Sadly, he is booked.

Never attacked a door before...is this hard to do? What are potential problem areas? Tips?

Why not first just remove the door panel and see what you find? Offending parts that make as much noise as you describe should be pretty obvious.

Not terribly difficult to remove the door panel but there are a few things to be aware of if you've never done it before. If you have, this is all familiar stuff and for the next guy.

Use the handle removal tool discussed earlier to remove the handles & with caution on the upholstery.

The metal finish trim around the sedan window is held by screws. No lock knobs to deal with on the front so once the screws are out it may come off easily. More likely you may have to lift, push and maneuver the trim top and edges to expand it away from the door inner frame. The door stampings have a sort of catch/clip arrangement to give the trim a place to seat.

Once finish trim is out of the way, there are two or three small screws on the door panel top metal. Hopefully the screws or holes haven't rusted & a screw doesn't break off. There may be a screw on the stainless trim front side as well. If the panel clips have rusted in years past, many times other screws may have been added as reinforcement - particularly down at the bottom - so look for those.

The door panel itself is held on by wire spring clips around the bottom and side edges about every 8-10 inches apart. Those are inserted into holes and slots in the door panel and mate with holes in the door stamping. Different types were used so depending on the style clip, some release easier than others. Also be prepared or don't be surprised if one or two of the clips have rusted and breaks when removed. Replacements are available.

To release, just pry them loose using a broad but strong flat object. Some of the door handle removal tools have an end designed for the job. It may be a bit small or flimsy for the Packard though and you may have to resort to something else. At any rate, try very hard to place the tool fairly well centered and close to the clip when you pry it loose. If the tool is off to the side or not far enough in, the pressboard or cardboard door panel hole may have been water saturated or weakened & will tear out before the clip releases.

Once the clips are released, depending on the panel it lifts up to clear the arm rest pull bracket and then comes off. Some of the arm rests have screws to the door frame but I don't think yours is one of them. Obviously, if it doesn't lift then look for one or two. Since you have manual windows, no wires left to be disconnected so all should be free.

Let us know what you find loose. The attachment & adjustment bracket between the door stamping and bottom of window side channel has been known to rust at the weld and break free. Believe the rear was the more common. Another thing could be the clip holding the lift arm pin to the bottom of window has fallen out.

Do not allow the door to be closed aggressively. Search this web site for either an STB or an SC dealing with door windows cracking due to somekind of a loose rivet or something. The Factory document mite only address sedans I can't remeber. OR do a search om "Parker Kalon screw".

I had a chunk of the spray on insulation that the factory applied on the inside of the door fall off and make a bad rattle. I removed the door panel reached in and pulled out a 1/4 inch thick chunk of an ashphalt like hardened substance. I sprayed on new undercoating on the door and the noise was gone.