Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Just a couple, this is only my second project car, been doing the old Harley thing for years though...

The camshaft doesn't want come free, I get about a half inch, maybe less of slide out and then... stuck. Something I missed?

I am also looking for a 56 Tq Converter. The car came with a 56 trans in the trunk, because the previous owner was told it needed it. I pulled the factory trans and it looks pretty crummy, the 56 looks brand new but I need the converter for the new trans. Part of me would be up for a manual but at the same time the floor in this thing is in such amazing shape it would almost be a shame to go cutting it up!

I'm going mildly custom with this so I don't intend on stroking/boring anything, but polish, port, maybe new distributor, still learning about the car and what can/cant be done. This site has been a major help in that endeavor!!! So thanks everyone and thanks in advance for the help!

Smitty

I don't believe there is anything holding the camshaft in the engine except the thrust plate. As long as that and all the lifters are removed it should slide out.

It needs to come out very straight so maybe the camshaft has cleared a bearing and dropped slightly at the far end so it is hanging up on the edge of another bearing as it is pulled out. You might try a length of threaded rod or a long bolt that will thread into the bolt hole on the front end of the camshaft to use as a sort of a lever. You can use that to raise or control the camshaft height to help guide it thru the bearings. I believe the eccentric bolt threads are a standard 3/8-16 size but you might want to verify that..

Can't help on the converter but from where ever you get it make sure you and the seller verifies it is a 56. The 56 input shaft splines are different. About twice as many of a much finer pitch than used in the 54GS and 55. Not that it makes much difference and they will interchange but in 56 there were also two different stall speeds. Hardtops had a converter that was supposed to be a bit sportier than that used on the sedans.

All the 54GS to 56 converters look the same but because of the splines 54-55 will not work on a 56. Unfortunately I don't know of an easy visual way to tell the year on an assembled converter unless you can possibly shine a light down inside the shaft end and see enough of the splines to make a judgement. If someone else knows a way I'd be interested in learning too.

G'day Smitty15,
to PackardInfo.

And, as a possible Quid pro quo, for "This site has been a major help" I invite you to include your Packard in the Packard Owner's Registry.

HH56 Your right on about the converters, I am looking for a 56 hard top, in other words one from a 5667. I've found one but the parts shop is asking $650 for it.

Also the guy that runs the Ultramatic Dynamics just happens to be somewhat down the road from me who says he has all he needs to build me one, except the steel half of the case. So I'm wondering, are the cases different or the same on the 55 & 56's?

My original plan was to swap everything into the old trans case but the input shaft, and rebuild the converter and just run the 56 trans guts in a 55 case, with the 55 input shaft, and the 55 converter. But it would save me a whole lot of work and money to find a 56 hard top converter.

As for the camshaft, I'll give you idea a swing tomorrow morning. Thanks for the tip!

There are differences in the cases between the '55 and '56; for starters the '56 case is cast aluminum and '55 is cast iron.