Projects 1956 packard pretty durable car

I had over looked this car several times while looking at some other cars for sale actually thought was just a parts car some might say still a parts car. After looking at all the options the car had I thought if its junk got to be worth parts so made a deal pulled it out of the spot it had been setting for 45 plus years took it home started looking closer to see what was missing or unhooked to my surprise everything still hooked up so I thought what the Heck stick a battery in it hooked battery turned lights on all lights come on well that's good so I drilled key switch out turn switch on brake light comes on front power windows start working hell the cigarette lighter works glove compartment light comes on so I see if old packard will start pour gas in carb hit the key starts right up not even a lifter clatter still chained on trailer so I fill carb up again and see if push button trans will still work start up hit forward goes in hit reverse goes in very impressive. Pushed off trailer hook fresh gas to carb (no brakes) slowly drive car. Packard was building quality cars to the end.

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Pretty amazing!........Sitting 45 years!...Why was it parked?

 

If you're going to keep the car and use the original engine I suggest you read the article in the below link, they had oil pump issues (which can be sorted out). Those were the last few years of Packard when they didn't have the budget to develop what was a very good basic design. Same goes for the brake servo - throw away and convert to disks.
http://www.1956packardpanther.com/PV8C/PV8C_OHVOPA.html

 

That’s a winner! How many doors?

 

It is a four door but the outside courtesy light came on when I opened the passenger door.

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Probably got parked when the owner got tired of trying to find parts without the internet and the Hamb. Packard built a damn good car.

 

That’s a neat car


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Just the name Packard has always sounded heavy duty to me. You know, one of the WWII Generals used a Packard as a staff car, Patton I think?. Packard, being one of the smaller companies to start with, killed themselves off when they merged with Studebaker. From what I've read, the folks at Studebaker were less than honest when they went courting Packard, and the Packard folks never really investigated them like they should have. Too bad, if they could have stayed afloat they might have turned profitable again by the 70's when everyone was building land yachts .

 

I need that car....lmk when you want to sell it....

 

Cool.
I pulled 56 out of the barn a
Month or so ago.
Pictured is the fellow who bought it.



https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/whats-in-the-barn.1164650/page-3

 

There always seem to be a couple of Packard models that come up for sale this time of year.... they have a fairly decent support system for a top tier luxury car that went away sixty years ago. If the right one came along at a good price I'd buy one.

 

I owned one decades ago. Clipper 2 dr htp. Never liked it. certainly not a hot rod. one question when the ultramatic craps out. are you going to be able to fix it? or are you gonna be able to pay a shop 2 grand to fix it?

 

Being that you the new owner and squirrel, and the car are all in Arizona, and this is just a suggestion, I would sell the Packard to squirrel to see what kind of cool road excursion squirrel could put together like he did with the Hudson, or at least get mr. Forbes involved now that the car has been woken up!
She isn't dead, and she wants to tell new road stories that we all want to read!

 

It was stated in the Old West a white man would ride a horse into the ground until it could go no farther. Then a Apachie would come along revive the dead horse ride him 50 miles and the entire village would feast on it for a week. Squirrel is like that Apachie!

 

That car is a keeper.
r


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Now all you have to try is that kewl under dash A/C unit!

 

The title is marked box a 38000 miles and that is what the Speedo says.

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Yeah old wolf I can rebuild it

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So I assume that the model is the 1956 executive. Just from what I could discern from the Internet, the production run of that model was a total of 2815.
With that mileage and condition, in my opinion, the car should be saved and enjoyed, she may never be a show piece again unless there are some deep pockets to fix and refurbish what the car needs. I would be interested to know what everybody thinks the current value of the Packard is right now as she sits.
My question to the new owner is, was the purchase of the Packard a steal for low bucks, or did you have to pay up to procure it. Did the person you bought it from know that the car would actually run? Or was this just one of those amazing serendipitous occasions where the planets all aligned in your favor?

 

I love old Packards. I bought a '49 Clipper but couldn't get a title for it. Had some stuck valves, starter died.....sold it. I did keep the taillights.

 

Well I just bought it for the parts but since it runs I won't take it apart its a patrician 4 door as far as value probably not a high item on anyone's list.

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Drove a '55 Clipper hardtop for a coupe summers, they're neat cars. I did do the Jack Vines oil pump conversion and the difference was night and day, but I heard the '56 pump was a redesign and didn't have the same issues, so you might be in good shape there. Yours is a neat car, worthy of a revival to driver status again. Glad it's not being parted.

 

First person I thought of was squirrel when I saw it, guess it was because of the Tucson location tho.
Neat old car!
First thing I would do is try to clean it up including cleaning that spotty primer off it to revive its (dreaded to some) patina, I like it

 

That 55 is just plain cool! Makes me think it was some banker or high up executive owned that car new. Much more style than a Caddy or Lincoln.

 

First thing I would do is get the brakes working.

Does it have a normal master cylinder, or some funky treadlevac thing?

 

Any competent transmission shop should be able to handle the Ultramatic; the gimmicky treadle vac system is what I would ditch.

 

Yeah it does have a treadel vac not sure if it's bendex or delco.

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Pretty sure it's a bendix

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I think its pretty cool that you did purchase the car, at least its saved and has the potential to live again and be used and have some great fun with. I would assume that the challenge now, is to try to figure out a budget for the car and just how much money you want to invest in it, to get it to what ever state you want it to be in. I would also assume that the " magic " in the car is talking to you and that you now have another deserving " mouth " to feed , which is another car to own and care for. At the very least, I would assume that getting in touch with " Squirrel " for his thoughts and opinions on the future of the Packard would be interesting. Speaking just for myself, I would hope that the Packard gets its needs met and that you have some adventures with it and that we can as a community, share the pictures and the fun of this cool road yacht will generate! I would love to see some more close up detailed shots of the Packard once you get it on a lift and check out the undersides.
Thanks for saving another cool piece of automotive history.
Dennis.