RO Posted October 19, 2004 Share Posted October 19, 2004 Back home! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RO Posted October 19, 2004 Author Share Posted October 19, 2004 '56 rear view Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6219_Rules Posted October 19, 2004 Share Posted October 19, 2004 Beautifully done! Nice color combination, RO. Congratulations. It is looking really good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_Packards1 Posted October 19, 2004 Share Posted October 19, 2004 The car looks great. We all wish our project cars were this close to being done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Brown Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 Looks great, Randy. Are you redoing the inside too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JT Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 Very nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Randy Berger Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 Wow! That Clipper will really look sharp when it hits the road. Another Packard on the highway - GREAT.Of course, what else would you expect from a guy named Randy <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />YFAM, Randy Berger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RO Posted October 20, 2004 Author Share Posted October 20, 2004 Alright! Yes, the Steve, the seats are done and ready to go in the car. The door panels are ready and will be installed with the headliner not too long from now and the carpet is ready to go in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RO Posted October 20, 2004 Author Share Posted October 20, 2004 seats, front Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RO Posted October 20, 2004 Author Share Posted October 20, 2004 seats, back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Brown Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 Great seat color choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_Speedster Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 LOOOKING GOOOOD! , RO <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RO Posted October 21, 2004 Author Share Posted October 21, 2004 Thanks for all the nice comments. We will now begin reassembly. All the parts are "somewhere" in the garage. I did know where everything was six months ago and how everything went back together was laid out; now bolts have been borrowed and things moved around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe kastellic Posted October 21, 2004 Share Posted October 21, 2004 SUPER SWEET CAR, what other cars do you have ? I see a 53-54 stude? I also have a stude, a 64GT. best of luck!!! Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RO Posted October 21, 2004 Author Share Posted October 21, 2004 That's a '55 Commander, but I also have Kaisers, Hudsons, Chargers, and 4 other Packards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6219_Rules Posted October 21, 2004 Share Posted October 21, 2004 Oh God ... for a moment it looked like you said "a 56 Chevy"!!! Seriously this is going to be a beautiful car. I really like how the interior is shaping up. Those are very complimentary colors. That is what I love about the 50's....the combinations of colors, materials and textures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RO Posted October 22, 2004 Author Share Posted October 22, 2004 No chevies for this guy! Thanks. Yes, hopefully oil pressure problems WAY behind us. Reassembly already tedious; NOS left front parking lens assembly would not fit without reaming out the front two installation holes and it appears the left back fender molding is about an inch too short. We're just trying to put the pieces back on the car that were in the trunk and back seat but this is the second piece of trim that was not the correct length, the other being the left front upper fender, but Dave Knight to the rescue on that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AlK Posted October 22, 2004 Share Posted October 22, 2004 Ro:I thought I was the only one who had parts that had feet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RO Posted October 23, 2004 Author Share Posted October 23, 2004 Quite a bit of moldings back on but the gas door stainless trim piece does not readily fit the car (but it will) and those lower back moldings are going to be a pain because two or three of the holes only go in about 1/4" and the "special" clips I got for that darned if I can figure out just how they work without beating on the molding. And no taillights for awhile after spending 3 or 4 hours on them. The "horseshoe" on the end of the fender will not install far enough down to capture the upper taillight bezel screw. Tried two different sets and it just got worse. There are some AWFUL to access rear studs one each side that just will not line up. May be Dremel tool time on the inside of the horseshoes. We're having all kinds of fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
55PackardGuy Posted October 24, 2004 Share Posted October 24, 2004 Oh my, and those taillights are like gold! Interesting that it has a stainless trim piece for the gas door. One of our '55 Clipper Customs had this, the other did not. I wonder how common they were. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Randy Berger Posted October 24, 2004 Share Posted October 24, 2004 Randy, can you attach a picture of those special clips?Thanks,YFAM, Randy Berger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RO Posted October 24, 2004 Author Share Posted October 24, 2004 I'll take a photo of them tomorrow and post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RO Posted October 24, 2004 Author Share Posted October 24, 2004 In the interim, some forward progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RO Posted October 24, 2004 Author Share Posted October 24, 2004 I had to slot the left side taillight installation holes about 1/4" upwards to get that side to fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RO Posted October 24, 2004 Author Share Posted October 24, 2004 "Short Clips"Randy, here are photos of the "short clips" to be used minimum 2 holes each side lower molding on the '56 CC. There is second panel behind the outside fender and it is only about 1/4" or so behind the fender. I know how these work now. You have to insert them into the hole in the fender for the clip, then press or lightly hammer the center portion to make the backside spread out inside the fender with minimum clearance. IF there is a hole slight oversized, they will not work without modifying the hole with an insert of some sort. I don't particulary care for pushing or tapping on that thin sheet metal, but that's all I know to do to spread the two little tabs out. Of course this does not alow a straight push-on of the lower molding because you have to first place the molding over the top of these two clips and then rotate it down to capture the clip, then push the regular molding clips in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RO Posted October 24, 2004 Author Share Posted October 24, 2004 another view Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RO Posted October 24, 2004 Author Share Posted October 24, 2004 last one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCraigH Posted October 24, 2004 Share Posted October 24, 2004 RO: So, in retospect, what was the problem with fitting the taillight assemblies to the rear fenders? Did you get some other TL assemblies that were better to try and fit? Or were these the original ones that somehow got messed up?BTW, the attachment with the lights "ON" were superb! It lives! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RO Posted October 24, 2004 Author Share Posted October 24, 2004 It was a clearance problem wherein the screw that goes through the taillight bezel at the top into the horseshoe bezel just would not line up. I worked with the horseshoe bezel to try to get it as low as possible and the taillight bezel as high as possible. Reaming the oval holes out at the top where the taiilight bezel attaches allowed me to pull that up a little, but it is still tighter than the passenger side and a very small gap exists between the fender and the taillight bezel. I did not put new rubber gasket on the left side; if I did that gap would be taken up. These are not the bezels (taillight or horseshoe) that came off the car and I perhaps should have gone back to the original taillight bezels to see what they did; oddly enough, the horseshoe bezels that were supposedly on the car, did not fit as well as the replacement ones I used. Everything is just such tight tolerance and that one stud you have to put in on the horseshoe is a pain, a real pain because it cannot be done until the piece is slipped over the end of the fender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RO Posted October 24, 2004 Author Share Posted October 24, 2004 Recall sometimes not sharp....senior moments maybe...but I went back and looked at some photos I had taken of the car last year with the original bezels and horseshoes on and I recall no trouble at all, so it must be the different bezel and horseshoe both perhaps relative to the left side. I just don't recall ANY trouble with the fit back then. Once I get a little further along with moldings, seats back in the car, etc., I may paly around with the left side a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCraigH Posted October 24, 2004 Share Posted October 24, 2004 Ah, a forewarning to anyone faced with this fitment, including myself. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />I have an additional issue because I plan to eliminate the top chrome piece on my Panther. I already knew that I would have to "fill" the difference between the moulding between the taillight and the rear fender. Now there (apparently) is the screw alignment issue. OK, I can deal with it. Thanks for the heads up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RO Posted October 24, 2004 Author Share Posted October 24, 2004 Yes, that one single screw that goes through the top of the taillight bezel screws into a "clip fitting" that is attached to the center of the horseshoe bezel. One of those slip-on type clips that accepts a set screw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Harlin Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 When you were getting it ready to paint, did you see evidence of it as having been repaired? They are very difficult to repair when wrecked. Long arms & small hands an asset along with all new parts for alignment, & a few lbs. of lead. Repairing wrecked 55 & 56 models were more difficult than 51 to 54 models. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Randy Berger Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 Randy, I sent you some pics of a tool for those clips. Did you get it OK - because I got a goofy failure notice, but it had no one's name on it??YFAM, Randy Berger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RO Posted October 25, 2004 Author Share Posted October 25, 2004 Got it Randy and printed the jpegs out. Clever tool and I have a couple ideas and will see if they pan out this week. A friend was over this afternoon and he said Chysler used that type clip and he may have somehting as well since he's a Chrysler guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RO Posted October 25, 2004 Author Share Posted October 25, 2004 No, I don't think any repair work had bene done until I got the car. Long arms and small hands and able to contort definitely assets! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Randy Berger Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 Randy, you wrote <span style="font-style: italic"> "Of course this does not alow a straight push-on of the lower molding because you have to first place the molding over the top of these two clips and then rotate it down to capture the clip, then push the regular molding clips in." </span>I found that I had to engage the lower lip of that clip first and then rotate the moulding up over the top lip. I draped a piece of velvet over the whole moulding trying not to let the other clips scratch the paint. YFAM, Randy Berger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RO Posted October 25, 2004 Author Share Posted October 25, 2004 So noted Randy and I for sure will try to put something over the applicable areas to avoid scratches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Randy Berger Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 You should have seen the look on the ladies face at the materials store when I told her that the beautiful piece of velvet was going to be used as a rag on a car. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> I almost thought she wasn't going to sell it to me. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />YFAM, Randy Berger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RO Posted October 25, 2004 Author Share Posted October 25, 2004 Good productive use of velvet. This evening we concentrated on rocker panel moldings, horns, heater fan, and the hood ornament that I finally located in the garage. All the bolts I had ready for the job 6 months ago have vanished from site. Trip to Lowes tomorrow. The most fun thing this evening was that little square chrome piece that goes on the outside of the car at the pillar post.....teen tiny funny looking little nuts on the back inaccessible by adult human hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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