[MBL]

Howdy friends, Tim here again. I have another question about my 1955 Packard 400. There is no battery in it at this time. It is a 12v system right? Is it pos ground? If not how would I tell if someone changed it. Do you have any suggestions of what I should buy for a battery to start off with. Any help with this would be great.<BR>Thanks<BR>Tim<BR>MBL

[Randy Berger]

Tim, you need to buy a parts manual and shop manual NOW. [img]images/icons/tongue.gif" border="0[/img] [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif" border="0[/img] You can get both for under $100.00. Your 55 is positive ground and takes a 60 series battery which Interstate and New Castle both carry - others probably too. Same battery as Olds, Buick and Caddy used in that timeframe.<BR>YFAM, Randy Berger [img]images/icons/grin.gif" border="0[/img]

[WCraigH]

As Randy probably knows, late 1955's were negative ground, as were all 1956's. After I purchased my 1955 Pat about 5 years ago, I converted it to negative ground in order to use an MSD (electronic) ignition and install a hidden (current tech) stereo system. Neither will work with POS ground. The conversion was very minor. I can elucidate here or by email if you are interested. <P>Interestingly, the old guy I bought my Pat from had wrongly installed a new battery prior to my pickup and had installed it as negative ground rather than the stock POS. Other than eventually draining the battery, everything worked with reverse polarity... including the starter, T-L and even the tube radio! However, there are a few things which must be done for safe long term operation.

[MBL]

Well I will be picking up the car tomorrow. It doesn't have a battery at this point so I will need to pick one up. I want to get something cheap right off and then I will get one of the original type ones. Also the car is missing the carb. I gather it is a Rochester 4-GC. I am pretty sure I can find one without much difficulty but if anyone has one lying around that they are not using let me know. I just want to get it running at this point. I might go around the junkyards to look for one. I have no problem if I need to rebuild one. I will also be picking up the shop manual and other reference as I should.<BR>Thanks for the help and any other info.<BR>Tim<BR>MBL

check the voltage regulator and the generator tags. If the car is + ground then they should say so. Sometimes the regulator will give the grounding polarity NOT on the tag but stamped (sometimes faintly) almost anywhere on the regulator and even underneath it. Hooking up the battery in the wrong polarity wont hurt anything short term. Say long enuf to get it home. Wrong polarity WILL cause the battery to discharge while running and the nREcharge in the opposite direction. Depending on when u turn it off depends on the condition of the batttery at that time.

Welcome back Craig !!!!! glad to see u posting again!

[MBL]

Have you checked out the HAMB?<BR>Tim<BR>MBL

yeah, I'll agree with that advice to at least get the shop manual.

[MBL]

Where do you guys get your shop manuals? Is there anywhere that you can get them cheaper than another place? What about a favorite place for parts? Sorry for all of the questions but I like to try to soak up as much info on the car as I can. <BR>Tim<BR>MBL

[Albert]

You can always remove the two wires off the generator, install the battery and once the car is running check the polarty of the voltage at the bat terminal of the generator. If its positive or negitive to ground make the battery the same.