56clipper

Quick question for the knowledgeable out there: what is the appropriate diameter for the steel fuel line on a '56 Clipper?

I would have gotten back sooner, but when you teach high school, and advise the yearbook and senior class, June is a really busy month! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> The battery I bought is a Pep Boys Energizer, 29HM-850. Craig posted it on the first page of the Cross Reference post. He said there that any group 29 should fit. I bought the exact one he said, and it does fit pretty much exactly. It runs $70, but looks much better than the smaller ones.

Everyone's suggestions were great, and as it turned out, the crisis was solved with the installation of a new battery. I went with the one Craig suggested from PepBoys, which fits the tray perfectly. Everything electrical started working fine, and the car started right up like usual. Once it was running, I flipped the T-L cutoff switch and held my breath, and almost immediately it leveled itself. I printed out everyone's suggestions and stuck them with my shop manual just in case anything goes wrong again!

Ok, so I'm having a crisis and I need an intervention! Over the winter, the front driver's side tire of my Clipper went flat due to a split in the valve stem. I jacked it up, put on the spare, and put the real tire in my trunk to fix later. I let the car down, no problem. I got the tire fixed last week, and put it back on the car. I jacked it up like before, put on the tire, and let it down. This time, The front end of the car stayed radically up, and the rear bumper is as far down as it possibly can be. The compensator motor is not kicking on, and up to that point it worked just fine. Also up to that point, the car was level. I had the battery disconnected while changing the tire so the compensator wouldn't kick on. I only jacked it up enough to get the tire just off the ground. The TL motor absolutely will not kick on. To make matters worse, I went to start the car, which to that point had been running fine, and it turned over, then everything quit - lights, engine, everything - stone dead. At that point, I left the car, quite irritated. When I got back to it, the interior lights were working again, then quit about five minutes later. I was unable to look at it until this past Friday, when this time the dash lights were on but very dim. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> I'm at a total loss as to how to proceed with this Torsion-Level non leveling problem, and would appreciate any suggestions as to how I should proceed in diagnosing the problem. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

I ran out to my garage and measured the new base plate on my redesigned Packards International oil pump. It comes in at just under 1/2 inch (7/16 in, to be exact). Here's a photo of it, you might have to wait for PeterG to approve it. Oil Pump Base Of course, after this thread maybe it'll just go back up on the shelf. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> Not sure that I want to do this project any more! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

Interesting about the rubbing issue. I went to Coker's website and looked at both their P235/75R15 versus the Goodrich Silvertown P235/70R15. Even from the picture the goodrich's look a little slimmer (the Coker's look like they ate a little too much at Taco Bell, just a bit plump). Also, they provide a cross reference chart which has the P225/75 R15 across from the P235/70 R15. I think that might be why Randy doesn't have the rubbing problem. Acording to the dimensions, the diameter of the Coker tire is almost an inch larger than the Goodrich. I'll have to give Coker a call, but it looks to me like the Goodrich tires might be the way to go. All I know is that I can't stand the hunting tires anymore. The car really does feel like it has a mind of its own.

I've decided to invest in some wide white radials for the Clipper. I searched through the previous posts on radials vs. bias ply, and found that PackardV8 put P235-75 R15 on his Executive. Does this sound right to everyone? I also saw that Jack Harlin said the cross reference chart calls for P225, but that he thought they looked too small and went with the P235's. I just want to get a consensus before I order. Thanks!

Keith - Great to have you back, was beginning to wonder where you went!

My grandfather worked for many years as a mechanic at a Cadillac dealership. He told me once about a time when he was working on a car under a hydraulic floor lift. One of the lift hoses gave away and the lift fell about half way in 2 seconds. If the backup had given away, he'd have been crushed. Even the professional equipment doesn't always work right. I've got a very healthy fear of being under cars. I take all of the proper precautions, but even so I'm half convinced the car will suddenly start up and run me over, or the tires will suddenly decintegrate for no reason. I guess I read too many Steven King books about possessed cars... <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

Paul is right, I've been to the Awkschtfest and there are no customs, it's an excellent show with tons of cars. Last year there were at least 15-20 packards there, including 6 or more 55-56's. Last year's feature car was Nash. I really want to come to a meeting of the "Packard Minds" of the forum as suggested, but I know I can't be there because I will be at the Awkschtfest for the Saturday show.

Carlisle or somewhere in the center would be a good compromise. I don't have anything against pittsburgh, but like you guys, I don't want to go 300 miles in the other direction (I'm right outside of Philly). However, I'll be in Pittsburgh at least one weekend in July for a graduate class I'm taking at Pitt via distance ed, so what's another weekend? <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

This is a really odd thing. According to my most recent issue of Auto Restorer, Kruse was sold back to the original owner and is no longer owned by eBay at all. This appears to me to be some sort of other person using the kruse name, maybe. Very odd, and very suspicious.

This is a cool feature. I always like looking at other people's cars, and having them look at mine!

I would say if they said hydraulic that they were. I bought a '53 cadillac Coupe deVille that had hydraulic operated windows and seats (I think they called it the hydro-lectric system in the shop manual, I'll have to check). In the '55 Fleetwood we bought in the same deal it had electric window motors, but used the same switches and bezels in the back as were used on the front doors in '53. I guess the switch actuated the electric part of the hydraulic system, so they could be used for the all electric windows also. Those hydraulic power windows are a nightmare on a long unrun car. The weight of the windows pushed them down over the years. making that system work properly is the biggest thing keeping me from fixing up that car.

This thread goes along with the continuing idea of what will people be willing to spend the time money and effort to restore in the future. The biggest problem, as was nicely stated in the 2040 example earlier is that it is very difficult to predict the future of this issue because we are living the present. In the present, the late 70's, and 1980's stuff is junk, so few of us can see them becoming collectible in the future because we wouldn't collect them now. But in many ways the old formula does still hold true. Myself, for example, being 26 years old, have fond recollections of many of these junky cars we're talking about now. Not that it was the greatest car ever made, but I really did like my grandfather's 78 Cadillac Coupe de'ville (d'Elegance package). Those four inch thick velour seats were great! His 81 Fleetwood holds a special place becuase it was the first Cadillac I drove and I took it to my prom and other high school functions. It did pain me to sell it last year, but I had no place to store it. Plus ya gotta love the V-8-6-4! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> The bottom line is that at some point someone will find some of these cars interesting and worth restoring and keeping. Many of us will shake our heads, but someone else shook their heads at some of the currently hot collector cars when they were just 20 year old junk. However, through all of this, I refuse to ever believe that a 1973 Ford Maverick is now or ever will be a desirable collector car! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />