Packard transmissions in 1950´s

[Juha Paavo Kaita]

Hi!

A friend of mine owns a 1951 200 Deluxe. He told me that at one time the Packard was equipped with manual transmission. Can this be true? I would think that Ultramatic was at this time only option.

The ultramatic is not working properly because he has not proper parts on kickdown lingage. The movement between gas pedal and ultramatic transmission is not right. Are there any pictures of the kickdown lingage?

Juha Kaitanen

Turku, Finland

[Guest Albert]

Check out Packardinfo.com, there is a picture of the linkage on the front pages (plate#53) of the packard parts book,for 22ed to 54 series cars(the cross shaft that connects from the fire wall to the top of the motor is different (has an extra place to put the rod to run to the linkage on the right side of the motor to the transmission. the early Ultramatics had a two piece rod between the cross shaft and the transmission, the later one use a one piece rod..

[Guest Albert]

also in the service manual is shows the setup of the shaft, and in the service conselor it shows a diagran of the throttle control rod and the tool to adjust the rod..

[Rusty_OToole]

You could buy a Packard with your choice of manual transmission, overdrive or Ultramatic.

This includes luxury models that came with Ultramatic as standard equipment.

I have even heard of 1956 Packard Caribbean convertibles special ordered with manual transmissions.

It was other companies like Cadillac,that treated their customers as stooges who would buy whatever the factory told them to.

Packard always looked on their customers as adults who knew their own mind and treated them with respect.

Packard 200 was their low priced line at that time. Your friend's car would have come standard with a 3 speed manual transmission, with overdrive or Ultramatic optional at extra cost.

[Juha Paavo Kaita]

Hei!

Thank you so much for good replies. It is nice to know that out there is always at least one old car enthusists who is able to answer to your question.

Best wishes to you all from Turku, Finland

Juha

[Earl B.]

Rusty, my cousin was a Packard mechanic, and yes, the Caribbean could be ordered with a manual transmission. He told me about a 55/56 model he had worked on with a manual transmission that would scream like a banshee. Someone at Ft. Bragg had it, and he loved to work on it because he got to drive it when he was finished.... said it would move out like no other Packard he'd ever driven.

[David Childs]

Great discussion on Packard and manual transmissions: I am about to purchase a 1952 300 series, with manual transmission and under dash a/c! The transmission was rebuilt but never installed back into the car. I'm hoping that the data in my '54 service manual will help me get everything reassembled. I can't wait to have my first manual transmission Packard. Also have:

1952 -- 200

1954 -- 300 (new engine)

[HH56]

Would be curious about what kind of underdash AC you have and has the car been converted to 12v. There is a discussion on packardinfo as to how to add AC to a 52 and be practical--the clutch and lack of 6v ones seems to be the biggest obstacle.

[Guest bkazmer]

as far as 6V vs 12V, the only electrical component truly necessary is the blower for the air. The compressor is mechanically driven, the evaporator and condensor pressure driven.

[HH56]

Agree to a point. The problem is on/off and temp regulation. All modernish and todays aftermarket units cycle the clutch to control temp and to prevent evaporator from freezing. If a 6v clutch not available, then only option would be having compressor on all the time like 1954 and before. Those systems used various methods of short circuiting the refrigerant to provide that control but those parts also pretty much non existent. There have been suggestions that a 12v clutch will pull in on 6 but not having tried it, can't say. That's why I was curious about the unit mentioned.

[Guest Albert]

you can still get the controls like that used in the early cars, my father explaned how the old system works without the clutch and how it uses hot gases to control the amount of cooling, i have tried one of the newer compressors on 6v and the clutch will pull in, just need a 6v motor for the condensor, or use a small 12v alternator, as a tensioner fot the compressor belts, then i have 12v for both, and still have a 6v car..

[Rusty_OToole]

Here's a question. Would it be possible to add a small modern 12 volt alternator, a 12 volt lawn tractor battery and have a separate 12 volt system in addition to the stock 6 volt? The only problem I can think of is the possibility of grounding conflicts with a 6 volt + ground and 12 volt - ground combo.

[HH56]

I think that's a possibility and don't think there would be a grounding issue as long as the components were separate and"floated". We use single return "ground" utilizing different power supplies in medical equipment all over the place and as long as the components and their respective power supply is kept separate, no issue.

I'd be more concerned about how to physically mount and belt a compressor and extra alternator given the pulley grooves and space & mounting bolt points available. That would take a bit of engineering but certainly do able. It would be nice to just keep things as simple as possible.

[Earl B.]

Isn't the Packard 6v system going to be positive ground? And, won't the lawn tractor battery be negative ground? Would that cause a problem?..... just a thought...B

[Rusty_OToole]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Packard32</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Isn't the Packard 6v system going to be positive ground? And, won't the lawn tractor battery be negative ground? Would that cause a problem?..... just a thought...B </div></div>

That is the question.

[HH56]

The pos/neg would not be an issue as long as the AC is only referenced to the 12v battery. Only one input would be used which would be the +12 hot wire from battery, ground being frame (and also bat negative). The clutch would be supplied from the ac unit and thus referenced. The bad part would be in someone not knowing the setup and accidentally tying something else in that could upset things.

It would be better if the AC were the older or less expensive type that had one hot wire and mechanical contacts. If it required another input for some function such as illumination or a switched leg from ign switch then that would also have to come from the same place via a relay which would be operated by the regular 6v. Blower speed would be better with a rheostat selector to say away from newer solid state speed controls because of some methods used referencing those components.

In the equipment I work on daily we have multiple DC power supplies 5, 12 or 15, 24 volt with one side all tied to same common which is also frame ground. The other side of power supply with respect to that ground is either a positive or negative depending on whether + or - is tied to ground.

[Rusty_OToole]

I suppose if you were desperate it would be possible to drive an alternator off the driveshaft. Some hot rods are made this way for the sake of a clean underhood look. They sell kits.

A clever mechanic should be able to work something out.

[Guest Albert]

there should not be any clearance issues, the compressor would mount on the top of the head , same as it did originally, then mount the alternator above the fuel pump, below the intake /exhaust manifold, using a small jap alternator. a 6v relay off the ign terminal to control the Acc. on the 12v side. the common grounds are not a problem..