1956 Packard Clipper Hot Rod

[Guest AlK]

Now before you guys start sending evil nasty vibes my way, This is not what you think. There is no chance of this car getting a 350 Chebbie while it is in my possesion. Now that I have your attention, here is the rest of the story.

Last October I saw an ebay ad for a 1955 400 for an opening bid of $5 (yes five dollars). There was no reserve and also no bids. The car did not look to bad so when the auction ended (early I might add) I sent the guy an e-mail.

He answers back with his phone number and that is when things started to get interesting. Long story short, I bought 6 Packards and a warehouse full of parts. One of the cars was a 56 Clipper. What makes it a hot rod is the fact that it has a Packard 374 twin 4bbl setup in it. Along with a carribean front end. At first I thought he just put the carribean hood on it, but the fact there are no holes on the front or back fenders for the radio antennea leads me to believe that it was an entire front clip. Now the guy that I bought this treasure trove from did not do this work, it was done by the original owner who was, as I was told, a Packard employee in Illinois.

As of today, I have had the brakes gone in to and only had to do the back ones as the fronts were already done. Four new tires, new shocks all the way around, gas tank resealed, installed a rebuilt starter, installed the left side muffler and resonator(that was in the trunk all wrapped up in burlap, checked out the torsion leveler motor and it works fine as the car is now level. It came back from where I got it with its nose in the dirt and the back end in the clouds. I have a much better lower front bumper from the parts stash so that will go on, I will have to have the rear bumper corners re-chromed as they are not presentable. When I get the car home this weekend I will make some prepratory actions to insure that the engine is free will try to start it. Now I know that some of you might say "why not see if the engine is free first" Good point, however if fate should blind side me, part of the parts stash were 4 engines, 1 of which was a complete 374(only 1 4 bbl) and 1 of the others was a rebuilt 374 short block. So I am going to take the easy way out first and hope I get lucky. I will try to take some pictures this week end and get them posted. The body on the car is not bad. I would say it is 98% solid. I has two holes in the left rear 1/4 panal about large and small fist size. The rockers are good. There are some surface rust spots all around the holes where the spring clips are that hold the side chrome to the body. The car had received a lousy paint job sometime ago, I really think I could have done better with a paint brush. The roof is cracked and peeling as are the sides. but nothing that a good painter could not handle. If all goes well I see no reason why this car cannot see the road by late summer. It will never be a 400 point show car because I have neither the time or patiences to do a frame off resto. With that in mind, I will be putting in an after market A/C. I am leaning toward finishing the carribean affect by putting in rear antenneas and maybe a hidden am/fm cassette/dvd combo, I should be able to find some room somewhere in there, after all in most Packards you could hold orgies in them, so a small sound setup should be no problem. I will keep everyone posted on progress.

[mrpushbutton]

AIK-there is a '56 Executive out there that is an exceptionally low mile, original car. It was discovered about 20 years ago by Dr. Art Burrichter, a well known dealer. The cool thing about this particular car is that it was ordered with the dual-quad Carribean intake setup and a three-on-the-tree stick shift. I saw the car at Hershey a few years ago and the new owner told me it hauls ass!

Is this car an Ultramatic car?

[Guest AlK]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mrpushbutton</div><div class="ubbcode-body">AIK-there is a '56 Executive out there that is an exceptionally low mile, original car. It was discovered about 20 years ago by Dr. Art Burrichter, a well known dealer. The cool thing about this particular car is that it was ordered with the dual-quad Carribean intake setup and a three-on-the-tree stick shift. I saw the car at Hershey a few years ago and the new owner told me it hauls ass!

Is this car an Ultramatic car? </div></div>

yes it is and if the odometer is correct it is low mileage. 33K

now for the big question --- how do I add pictures?????

[Barry Wolk]

Upload your pictures to a free service like Photobucket.

http://photobucket.com

To do that I simply put the Jpeg on my desktop and name it something I'll recognize. When you hit the Choose button in Photobucket it will grab that picture when you hit the Upload button.

It may take awhile but the picture will end up in your Photobucket album. You can resize or edit the picture in Photobucket by hitting the Edit button over the picture in your album. You can save it full size and web size if you'd like. If you post too big a picture we will not see all of it.

In order to get the picture into this thread you simply hit "IMG code" below the picture on Photobucket and paste it into your reply. Hit Reply and your picture will be posted.

Was that clear as mud?

[mrpushbutton]

step one, get them to the correct size, I find that about 600 pixels wide is good, dosen't run off of the page and make the thread hard to enjoy. If you can't re-size through your computer's photo-handling software go to www.ifranview.com and download their FREE photo software. I use it and like it a lot. After you get your pictures sized and ready remember what folder they are in (make them easy to find) and go to the full reply screen. Type in your text

then click on the file manager blue underlined text in the "'post options" section at the bottom. Click on it, tell us a little something about the picture in the top box (text only) click on the "browse...." box, select the photo, then click on the "add file" box to the right of the "Browse" box. You'll see the little arrows spin, indicating that it's-a-workin', then when it's done hit "done adding files and submit. Really consider the resizing thing, it makes a big difference, and makes less work for the mods, who have to resize gargantuian photos (which come out of every digital camera today). Try this, let me know how you do.

[Guest AlK]

unfortunatly my computer here at work is very limited and I do not have access to photobucket. They are very tight security wise and if you key something in wrong that someone does not like you hear about it.

[mrpushbutton]

AIK--I use the method above and it works fine, Barry was posting pictures in the old days before the software/server upgrade when the site didn't host photos. They do now.

[Guest AlK]

You don't understand, Photobucket may be the greatest thing since sliced bread, my company security firewall won't let me get to it, they consider it an unsafe site.

[mrpushbutton]

No, go to my post above, the one with a picture (East Grand Boulevard in 1956) pay attention to the method I describe there, not Barry's method using Photobucket (or other photo storage website).

It's all <span style="font-weight: bold">within this AACA site</span>, no fussing around. Disregard what Barry's Photobucket post says (which works fine from home if you're hooked up with a photo storage site--and was the only way to post a picture before Petey fixed it so that THIS SITE can store and display pictures)and follow my instructions, all of which you do <span style="font-weight: bold">within this website</span>. Just follow my instructions (Mrpushbutton's) on my post above with the picture and you'll be posting pictures in no time. If you can get on this site at work with no problem you can post pictures using the above method.

[Guest AlK]

well the size thing is a bit off, but I can't download software here.

[Guest Leonard Shepherd]

I reduced the size for you.

[Guest Leonard Shepherd]

I don't want to hi-jack your thread, but went I was at the Studebaker Meet at South Bend last summer, a lot of us took our cars to the Osceola Drag Strip. There was a Packard Clipper that did very well. Not sure of what ET or speed it did.

It has two 4s and 3 on the tree.

[Guest Leonard Shepherd]

I don't want to hi-jack your thread, but went I was at the Studebaker Meet at South Bend last summer, a lot of us took our cars to the Osceola Drag Strip. There was a Packard Clipper that did very well. Not sure of what ET or speed it did.

It has two 4s and 3 on the tree.

[Guest AlK]

very interesting. the air cleaner setup shows me what I have to look for. Thanks for reducing the photos, I can't download software at work and they don't let us use the floppy drive any more for writing only reading. i will delete my post with the large pictures.

thanks

[mrpushbutton]

Normally the Carribbean dual quad manifold uses a "batwing" triangular air cleaner with the cans that hang below it on the sides. Those are quite expensive when you find one. The setup in Leonard's pictures isn't factory, but a pragmatic (=cheaper) way to do it.

[mrpushbutton]

Normally the Carribbean dual quad manifold uses a "batwing" triangular air cleaner with the cans that hang below it on the sides. Those are quite expensive when you find one. The setup in Leonard's pictures isn't factory, but a pragmatic (=cheaper) way to do it.

[Guest AlK]

Mrpushbutton:

You are absolutely on the mark. The only one that I know for a fact that had it is one that traded hands for $1000.

The whole setup, air cleaner, carbs, and manifold could run as high as 5K or higher depending on correctness and condition. Not my bag for this car. I just bought 2 of the aftermarket kind.

[Guest AlK]

Mrpushbutton:

You are absolutely on the mark. The only one that I know for a fact that had it is one that traded hands for $1000.

The whole setup, air cleaner, carbs, and manifold could run as high as 5K or higher depending on correctness and condition. Not my bag for this car. I just bought 2 of the aftermarket kind.

[mrpushbutton]

Good enough--let the Carribbean boys have all of the expensive set-ups. I remember the year 1985-'86 at Carlsile and Hershey, all of the 2,3,4 and 6 carb manifolds that people couldn't wait to get off of their cars (so they would start, idle and not stall on an everyday, just-get-me-to-work-and-back-basis) so many of those cars got a junkyard 2bbl-4bbl manifold and carb set up a few years after they left the factory, and the urge to make cars original all came at once, there were manifold/carb(s)/aircleaner set ups everywhere.

some of them would have made good investments!

[Guest AlK]

Of course that does not mean that if I found an original batwing air cleaner that someone thought was junk and I could get it for $5 that I would not jump on it, (yeah right, where is my head????). Hoepfully I can get back to trying to get it started by the weekend. We had rain Saturday, so the event I had planned for that day I had to put off until Sunday and as it was raining I could not get outside to continue working on it. That's how it goes.

[Guest AlK]

Well in the words of that famous physician Dr. Frankenstien

IT'S ALIVE, IT'S ALIVE IT'S ALIVE

WWWHHHOOOO HAHAHAHAHAHA

Now that I got that out of my system.....

things have gone slowly due to weather, and other functions going on. In any event the initial attempt at starting the car resulted in it running only as long as I pourd gas down the carbs. After eliminating all of the other possibilities, I hooked up an electric fuel pump to the line and lo and behold no gas from the tank. So off with the tank and back to the shop where they discovered that the pick up tube inside the tank had broken off in the cleaning process. The shop put in a new one and I put the tank back in. The next attempt revealed the rear carb to be working but the front carb was spewing gas all over which demanded that I shut the thing down. Off with the front carb and into the workshop for cleaning. I am sure most people are screaming REBUILD IT. Under normal circumstances I would agree, but at $125+ a shot I figured I would try the simplest way first. Put the carb back on and IT LIVES. However the back carb now does not seem to be working so I will pull it off and clean it. Once that is back on we shall see. If all goes well I will be able to start gutting the interior and sending the seats to the upholstery shop to replace the rather crunchy foam in the seats. The vinyl is in need of cleaning with only the cloth inserts needing replacment. Some small parts of the door panals need some stiching. The overall interior condition I would consider as very, very good considering the length of time it sat. While the inside is being done I will take all of the chrome north and get it redone. Before I get the chrome back I need to make sure my iron lung is working perfectly so I can survive the sticker shock. But what the hey!!! Sometime around the end of summer I hope to be able to get it to the body shop for paint. More updates to follow as they occur....

[Guest AlK]

Well sometimes your the bug and sometimes your the winshield. All carbs are functioning well and the car sounds good. While trying to move it around naturally I had to step on the brake and it was listepping on a concrete sidewalk. The booster that looked rebuilt and bench tested well sems to have have gone off the edge. So I have removed it and will be sending to south to be rebuilt by Ed Strain. Cei La Vie. However I can start the interior gutting and other stuff while waiting.

[vintageride]

There was an article in the 1970s or 1980s in the Packard Automobile Classics (PAC) or Packards International (PI) magazine. The article was called something like "Beware! This Packard!" It was about a black 1956 Packard Clipper Two Door Hardtop that was fitted with a Dual Four Barrel set up like your car. It may have been a 374 too. The article was pretty specific about the modifications to the car.

I wonder if it was about your car.

Peter Tacy

[Guest AlK]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: vintageride</div><div class="ubbcode-body">There was an article in the 1970s or 1980s in the Packard Automobile Classics (PAC) or Packards International (PI) magazine. The article was called something like "Beware! This Packard!" It was about a black 1956 Packard Clipper Two Door Hardtop that was fitted with a Dual Four Barrel set up like your car. It may have been a 374 too. The article was pretty specific about the modifications to the car.

I wonder if it was about your car.

Peter Tacy </div></div>

Peter

Not sure but I kind of doubt it. My car was also seniorized with senior fenders and grille and a caribbean hood with scoops. Also the car was out of Illinois so I don't think that it was the car of the article. But I have been wrong before so who knows.

Sort of an Update:

Still tinkering with the carbs. Trying to patch up the floors and get it ready for the paint shop. All slow going. Doing what I can..

[Guest Sam A.]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Leonard Shepherd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I don't want to hi-jack your thread, but went I was at the Studebaker Meet at South Bend last summer, a lot of us took our cars to the Osceola Drag Strip. There was a Packard Clipper that did very well. Not sure of what ET or speed it did.

It has two 4s and 3 on the tree. </div></div>

<span style="font-weight: bold">Wow, thats right down the road from me. Small world!</span>

[Guest AlK]

Well things have been a little slow. Back in Novemeber I got the carbs back and it was not until Dec. that I had them put back on and hooked up. The weather has not been much help either, as well as other things getting in the way. I am going to have to get cracking on it because as soon as I find a body and fender shop that does not think I am the sucker de jour I have got to get it to that shop to get them started on it. My wife and I have decided to skip Branson and set our sites on Gettysburg next year. So I have a whole 1 1/2 years to complete this project. I have done a little patch work on the floors. I also have 99% of the chrome off and piled so all I have to do is take it to the chrome shop to be done. I just got back all of the brackets for the front and rear bumpers from the powder coating shop and they look good and it was not expensive. I am considering having the whole car sand-blasted but I am holding off on that because I have heard some not so nice things about that process. I have also heard about a new process called soda blasting that I will have to look into. Since I last posted, I have also had the brake booster rebuilt and it is installed. So we are down to body work. I had a guy come over this morning who must think my name is Rockefeller or Astor or something like that. He looked at the car and quoted my $8,400 to sand and paint it. To me that was a "I really don't want to do it but if your dumb enough or rich enough, I'll do it for that" price. so I will just keep on looking. I still have to shell out about $500 for the correct seat material from SMS. I swore I would not pay their exorbitant prices, but the rest of the material is in such good shape I don't want to change the whole pattern. So that is about where everything stands at the moment. It's slow going especially when you consider the economy. This really is not the time to be doing a major restoration, but sometime we really don't get to chosse that do we??????????????

P.S. In my initial post I had reported on finding some very nice grey upholstery material with some unique

Fleur-de-lis designs thru out. I thought it would look great, however there was not enough to do all of the seats so back to SMS for the correct stuff, OUCH!!!!!!!

[Guest BHR]

AIK, others -

Hope this isn't too off topic, but a guy at the local tire shop broke the clips off my wheels that hold that circular plate on. Any ideas what these are called exactly, or how to get ahold of replacement clips?

Ben

[Guest 1956Packard]

Whoa. This is the first time I've ever seen the chrome trim rings mounted and how the clips worked. I think they are as scarce as hen's teeth. I had some NOS clips a few years ago (sorry sold them). I'll see if I can scare up the part number (they came with the rubber damper).

You may try other makes of the same vintage as they also had such trim rings. That is what I was going to do before I sold the set I had (I needed a couple of more too).

Geoff

[Guest AlK]

Well time is getting on and I had a stroke of luck over the weekend. I found ante shop and had him come over last night to look at the car. Now this was a Custom and collision shop and after talking to the guy Friday about how his shop does it vs what I wanted done(which usually translates into more money out of my pocket) I was fully expecting to hear an estimate between $9k and $11.5K. I love to be surprised this way. To do the whole car including patching up the floors and painting it the two-tone black and Jamiaca Yellow............ $4,750. Now that left me speechless I can tell you. Now I have to get the grille and the tail-lights out, get it running again, and then get it over to him. I told him he could treat it as a back burner project as I did not need it until Oct. 1. We shall see how it goes. I still have about $2 grand worth of chrome to be done and most likely $1k for the interior.

As for trim ring clips I can't help, never heard of them before.

[Guest palosfv3]

I would be a little concerned about the qoute of $4750.00.

You described cracked paint, rusty panels and such. When you figure that quality paint and materials could easily cost $1500.00 to $2000.00 or more. Removing the failed finish ( your throwing away good money if you dont ) by media or soda blasting is in the $1000.00 range and is the most cost efficient removal method . Some thing just is not adding up right. I understand what you have stated in the rest of this thread and your vision for how you want the car restored. I just cant see someone doing the reminder of the work for $1200.00 to $1700.00. If this is a ligitimate shop there are some serious warning signs showing.

Your happy now because your hearing something that appeals to you. You could be disappointed because the milk is spoiled. The price is going to change later, the job will not be finished to expectations or completion dates will be missed.

Hopefully my hunch is wrong.

Best regards

[Guest AlK]

I think your failing to take into consideration a few things First your in Chicago, where you most likely could not get a paint job on a model car(revell or amt) for much under $5K. Our cost of living here is much less so the prices of things will be less. Second the economy. anybody doing restorations is in a bind these days and if you get these guys when they are hungry you can make out. I fully expect him to put some grunt on the sanding part and that will take some time and at a lower rate. I will be watching close hand as it goes. I am sure he will try to sneak in a few things and they may be legitimate. I will just have to wait and see.

[milnersXcoupe]

Great Project - A Packard Executive clone .

One thought I had for just such a creation is to gather the

upper rear quarter panel chrome from a Caribbean - the sections

that sweep up to the top of the panels to join to the twin rear antennae i - the angles should just about match with the Clipper.

This makes for a much more striking two tone or three tone paint.

Don't have the body panels sandblasted - get them plastic media blasted [aircraft painters] or soda blasted.

I don't care .. - sandblasting panels ruins cars.

I'd also hunt around for a Factory AC unit with those two

plastic scoops that mount to the rear shelf - pretty cool.

OK - those are my Best Packard tips - keep us updated !

Brien

ny

[Guest myold88]

alk: You have a very interesting Packard. I had my last restoration projects body sand blasted instead of soda blasted. Both companies are local to me. I was told that soda blasting (salt) can get into nooks and crannies and not come out. Since its salt base rust car reform. Either way get primer back on the car the same day if you can.

[milnersXcoupe]

It's the Sand that gets into Nooks & Crannies - one noted Convertible Restoration had Sand blowing into the cabin once underway with the Top Down.

Sand grit gets between panels and effect a 'sanding' condition as the vehicle is driven & panels naturally flex.

When shooting primer into areas not reachable - 99% chance your primering a pile of sand dust which will break open later exposing the metal to oxidation.. as it will trap condensation against the steel.

There is nothing good with Sand Blasting sheet metal.

Sandblasting rusted steel frames - yes it has it's merits but I would use a fine metal oxide media - not Silica Sand.

Sand explodes when it hits forming shards & dust particulate

that doesn't react or dissolve during post blasting flushing.

Soda [baking Soda] is Neutralized once the vehicle is done being blasted - by washing / flushing - which would be done to a vehicle that had been Sand Blasted - but you wouldn't be getting the Sand residues out of areas with the washing as you would if the car had been Soda Blasted.

Also: Sand Blasting removes material - not just Paint - metal. Decorative stamped crease lines are 'shaved' - you'll sometimes see 'waves' in the metal - from Sand Blasting.

Sand Blasting destroys the natural 'skinning' metal takes on from Stamping Dies at the Factory.

None of these Risks are present when Soda Blasting a Vehicle.

Options to Soda are Crushed Walnut Shells and Plastic Media .

Plastic Media was developed two towns over from me - in Montgomery , New York and is used thru out the Aircraft Industry as it does zero damage to the Aluminum.

[milnersXcoupe]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Leonard Shepherd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I don't want to hi-jack your thread, but went I was at the Studebaker Meet at South Bend last summer, a lot of us took our cars to the Osceola Drag Strip. There was a Packard Clipper that did very well. Not sure of what ET or speed it did.

It has two 4s and 3 on the tree. </div></div>

Unless my eyes deceive me - that Drag Clipper is the one shown in some obscure late 1960's Racing Magazine I saw as a kid while plowing thru stacks looking for anyone Racing a Packard !

There was one shot showing virtually the very same launch - you've made my Day !

Now, .. if anyone has any information about the 1956 PACKARDs that Raced on Daytona Beach just prior to Daytona Raceway being built..

[Guest CutNChop]

Sandblasting is almost always death to sheet metal unless the operator is EXPERT with much sheetmetal experience!!!

Soda, plastic or walnut shells is the ONLY way to go on sheet metal. Better yet, don't blast it at all.

Don't ask me how I know $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Guest 1956Packard]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 1956Packard</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Whoa. This is the first time I've ever seen the chrome trim rings mounted and how the clips worked. I think they are as scarce as hen's teeth. I had some NOS clips a few years ago (sorry sold them). I'll see if I can scare up the part number (they came with the rubber damper).

You may try other makes of the same vintage as they also had such trim rings. That is what I was going to do before I sold the set I had (I needed a couple of more too).

Geoff </div></div>

I just found the number of the rubber damper. It is 465431.

Geoff

[55PackardGuy]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: milnersXcoupe</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Now, .. if anyone has any information about the 1956 PACKARDs that Raced on Daytona Beach just prior to Daytona Raceway being built.. </div></div>

I don't know of any '56 Packards racing on Daytona beach, but one of the prototype '54 Packard Panther cars set a speed record there... with a straight eight, no less.

Here's a link to a nice writeup on that car, which was the second Panther produced:

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1952-1954-packard-panther-and-pan-american4.htm

(scroll down to see the car)

After that record 131.1 mph run on the beach, it was known as the Packard Panther <span style="font-style: italic">Daytona</span>.

[Guest AlK]

Thanks guys for all of the advice. I will certainly take all of it into consideration. The going has been real slow

lately with all of the weekend bad weather. This coming weekend looks like the best chance I will have for getting anything done. I have to get the car started then emptied out so I can take it to the shop at the end of the week.

[milnersXcoupe]

If you watch any NASCAR programing, not necessarily the Races,

they show some first footage clips of the Racing that took place on the Beach before DAYTONA Raceway was built.

In one short clip the cars are moving to the right negotiating a tight left hand curve - in the Sand - and you'll see the Shark Fin Tail lamps of a 1956 Packard Clipper pushing into

the curve.

I read one article of a group of Dirt Track Racers from Chicago? that ran Packards on Daytona Beach - it might be them.

But Yes - someone ran a '56 Clipper @ Daytona Beach !