Guest imported_Speedster Posted November 27, 2004 Share Posted November 27, 2004 Interesting description on this eBay item.Okay, Which one of you guys are selling This one?Looks like the car went thru the Crusher. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> This appears to have traces of Black paint on frame, with white T-L motor and silver torsion bar. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> URL:http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayIS...12&rd=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCraigH Posted November 28, 2004 Share Posted November 28, 2004 Paul in Las Vegas has one like this (1956 Clipper 4dr) that he just bought, except that it's the whole car disassembled. He paid a lot less than $1,000 for the whole shebang. The separate frame and T-L is illustrative to those who've never seen same before, but other than that, someone's trying to unload some junk for $$$. I expect that Mike Dulinski has quite a few of these, if one were really interested in making a 1956 "Pack-up" or somesuch. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
55PackardGuy Posted November 28, 2004 Share Posted November 28, 2004 The last time I saw one like this--only in a LOT better shape--was a '55 Clipper and it was being cut up with a torch in my dad's garage. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />I was only about 10 or 11 years old, and it made me mad, 'cuz I knew some day I could sell it on e-bay for a thousand bucks.Not really--what I wanted to do was put a serious racing body on it.Hey, Twitch, you need something like this (only better) for that Packard Merlin project car! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />This one truly looks like "junk for sale." But you gotta give the fella credit for looking up some history on it--even mentioning Allison. And it truly is rare, what with the rear-mounted steering column and all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_Speedster Posted November 28, 2004 Share Posted November 28, 2004 Brian I was wondering about the label on silver bar, also.(Why would they do that on a production car) You may be on to something about it being used as a Demo. Wish I had a place to put it, <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> I would bid on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twitch Posted November 28, 2004 Share Posted November 28, 2004 "Hey, Twitch, you need something like this (only better) for that Packard Merlin project car!" Yeah, and maybe I should get TWO V-12s and make a V-24, hahahaha.If the chassis is so strange perhaps it was used in a mock up for a show car or design excercise prototype. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JT Posted November 28, 2004 Share Posted November 28, 2004 Packard at one time made dressed up chassis available for dealer's showrooms. They shipped a body with it so the dealer could later assemble and sell the car. I know they did it in the 40's but don't know about the later models. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Pushbutton Posted November 30, 2004 Share Posted November 30, 2004 the factory (or outside job shop) made T-L "show" chassis' for the auto show circuit. T-L was so radically different that they had to ballyhoo it. I have an 8X10 glossy of an autoshow '56 Packard display. I'll try to dig it up and scan it in for ya'll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DGRINKE Posted December 9, 2004 Share Posted December 9, 2004 I just bought this unit. It must have been a show or demo display for 1956. It's a 127"wb., 12"brakes, Dana style rearend w/studs. All aluminum written on trans case, electric shift. There are signs of chrome on the fan, p/s cover, o/p sender and trans pan. There was never a body on this chassis. Everything is brand new. Someone over the years has taken the upper half of the engine and the front 4 rods and pistons along with the pan, starter, one exh. manifold and the rear sway linkage. Everything has rust, but not serious. All rubber parts are dry rotted. I would really like to know if someone out there might know any history about these chassis, or pictures as mentioned. My plan is to put this under my 55 400 but I don't want to do that if history of these cars can be saved. This may look like junk to some, but looks neat to me. Thanks for having this forum so us novices can become informed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K8096 Posted December 9, 2004 Share Posted December 9, 2004 There was a completely restored '55 or '56 Packard torsion bar suspension chassis on display at the 100th anniversary Packard meet in Warren, Ohio in 1999. It had a throng of people around the entire time it was on display. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_Speedster Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 Great, I'm Glad someone got it, that Appreciates it. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />Like I said, I would have bid on it if I had any more space to keep it. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DGRINKE Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 B.H.Thanks for the response. This chassis definitely never had a body on it. The steering column had a tri-pod set-up to hold the unit in place for show & tell. All of the electric shift stuff is intact, but the housing holding the push buttons is broke. All of the T/L is intact, with the solenoids tied under the left frame rail (I guess 56 had them in the fender, my 55's are by the gearbox). The rear torsion bars are painted & lettered. The exhaust pipes are painted, as are steering & other items not normally painted. There is absolutely no show of ever being powered up or used. The exhaust is damaged from being moved around. The engine was complete, so I assume the trans still is as the pan is still on and was chrome. The proving grounds are in Shelby Twp. I live about half way between there and the Packard complex on The Boulevard (shameful condition).If someone has information or questions on this, please e-mail me at DGRINKE@msn.com. Thanks again for the interest!Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JT Posted December 11, 2004 Share Posted December 11, 2004 Dan, I'm sure it's sad to drive by the old Packard plant on East Grand and see the condition it's in. Is there any activity there now or is it completely deserted? I know the city started to demo years ago but were stopped by the owners at the time. That's a major amount of sq footage and just the cleanup would cost a fortune. Hopefully at least the heart of the original structure will be saved one day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DGRINKE Posted December 12, 2004 Share Posted December 12, 2004 JTIt's been about a year since I've been down there and at that time it was looking really bad. It looked as if some sections were occupied but very scary looking. It's a crime what happens to our historical sites. It seems like our property tax structures promote demolition instead of maintenance.Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_Bob A Posted December 13, 2004 Share Posted December 13, 2004 I agree that this 56 TL chassis was probably a factory or dealer promotional piece. If anyone has The Packard 1942-1962 book by Dawes, you will see on page 143,some dealer promotional displays for this unique suspension system. Although these are pictures of a 55 "400" you can clearly see that some of the torsion level suspension parts are painted a light colour similar to that 56 chassis on E Bay. With the chrome pieces described by the purchaser I am almost sure that this was a factory auto show mock up. In the 50's and 60's manufacturers often dressed these up with lots of chrome plated accesories. This chassis should really be in the National Packard Museum. 56 Packard Clipper Super HT48 Custom 8 Club Sedan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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