My New Baby, Couldn't Resist...1956 Packard Clipper...Build Thread

Well here she is, my new project/family cruiser. I found it and got a real good deal on it and figured why not? Just wanted to show her to you guys and tell you a little about it.

Little History: She's a 1956 Packard Clipper Deluxe 4 Door. She has the 352 Clipper motor in it, automatic tranny, 76k og miles, she's 99.9% complete, originally red w/black top, no torsion leveling system, no factory a/c. The doors, hood, and truck open and close with 1 finger, smooth as silk. All the stainless and chrome is in very good shape (five footer or so). The guy I bought it from bought it from the original owner, she had 4 56 packards that he bought, all equally solid. They were all barn kept since 1982 which is coinsidentally the year I was born. Very minimum rust, only in the very lower fenders, rear arches, and rockers. Everything else is solid as you'd ever want it. Trunk is perfect with the trunk spray all still good, no rust at all. Floors are all perfect other than one 2" spot under the drivers foot.

This is also the beginning of my build thread, I have a clear direction minus a few details I'll figure out along the way.

Paint: I plan on painting the body in one of two scenarios: 1. rich blue body with a silver top 2. bright rich green and a rich cream color top.

Interior: For the interior I'll be either matching it 2 tone with the paint I pick or peanut butter vinyl with peanut butter croc inserts.

Wheels and Tires: I plan on using the 3 og hubcaps that came out on the car, finding one that matches and mobbing them on some fat white walls.

Suspension: I plan on lowering it 2.5-3", upgrading to discs in the front driving it til the wheels fall go bald.

Motor/tranny: I plan on going through the og 352 and leaving it all stock, all but adding a/c for the kids well being

I want to get it running and drive it the whole time I'm fixing it up, I don't want it out of commission more than a couple weeks at a time.

Enjoy, and any tid bits you know that could make the build smoother for me would be greatly appreciated. Also feel free to share pics of your packards.

 

Nice car. I've always had a soft spot for those tail lights.

 

Thats sweet. I think someone on here has an avatar that is the back of that car, i think it is blue. I never knew what it was. I like it.

 

nice find, looks like a good start

 

Torsion bar suspension. Does it have the load leveler option? You'll have to do some MAJOR surgery to lower it....... I'd leave it alone. Those cars handle and ride great.
The 1956 Clipper doesn't say "Packard" anywhere on it..( Just a little piece of useless information.)

 

Very nice car

 

Nice!

Once you get it on the road, assuming you've driven other cars of the era, you will be very surprised at how nice they handle. I'm the caretaker of a 56 Packard and its just a way nicer handling car than a Caddy of the era, even a Lincoln (and that's saying a lot).

Whoever put those wheels and tires on it should be killed with fire however.

Clippers don't have the push button shifter for the Ultramatic, that's one less pain in the ass.

The only caveat is the Ultramatic, they are really good trannys but they aren't really like other automatics of the era and really need to be rebuilt by someone who knows them.

I may have an extra hubcap for that car. Post a pic of your hubcaps and if mine matches you can have it free.

 

Here is a picture of the hubcaps, if RLD14's isn't a match, I'd appreciate a lead on 1 or 2. Thanks guys for the kind words. I also need a windshield if anyone knows if any other models interchange. I was told a 56 chevy windshield would, anyone know?

 

Sweeet!

 

Yup them looks to be it...

 

Thats a great looking car...the most beautiful tailights ever and a gorgeous grille. I like the side trim, it fits the car perfectly, especialy the rear quarter trim, the way it flows upward over the tailite. I like your ideas, the green and cream would be perfect.
I would remove the ships wheel in the grille to clean it up and remove the hood ordament and clipper script (nose it) and then deck it. Fender shirts would make it look low and lean....perfect for a family cruiser. Good Luck.

 

Yep, I agree. I am gonna get rid of the ship wheels, but I like the clipper script on the front, I'm flirting with the idea of getting rid of the hood ornament though. I probably will do skirts too. Thanks

 

I don't know why I can't see the pics. any suggestions?

 

No clue whatsoever.

 

Anyone know what this part is/does? The guy I got it from said they were expensive to replace, but that is all he told me about it. Any help would be great.

 

looks like the window washer bottle to me.

 

The torsion bar deal was optional, not standard on the Clipper, which was their base model.

 

pretty sure its a washer bottle
but my 62 cadillac overflow looks just like that, i wonder if that even came with that car.

 

That looks like a great project.Check this out,packardmotorfdn.org.These people are doing every thing possable to preserve the Packard name. Some of the "track" is still there, nice place to vist.Good Luck!

 

Our neighbor/friend had one around 1982, his uncle had died and it was his for free. Pink and white, in very nice shape, with the load leveling suspension. When he died around 1990 his family tried to sell it, no one wanted it, they eventually took something like $1200 for it.

 

I figured it was either an overflow or a washer bottle, I just figured a packard guy out there would know for sure. I'm planning on reusing it either way, however it seems to be missing a couple vaccuum sized lines. I'd say it came with it stock, nothing else on it has been changed, but who knows right?

 

I love that front bumper.

 

pretty cool family ride , always liked the dash in those cars , post some pics as you freshen it up

 

I'll keep the pics rolling, I plan on getting it started sometime this week, I hope...we'lll see how that goes. Then I'll be able to decide on how deep I'm gonna have to go to get her road-worthy. Thanks for the kind words guys, I can't wait to drive it.

 

So I'm curious. Does it have the load leveler? I had one 56 Clipper with it and one without.
I remember the day I brought it home. It was there in the driveway and we sat up on the trunk. I didn't know anything about it and what a surprise when the car began leveling itself.
See if you can find an old Mechanix Illustrated from the day with Tom McCahill doing a road test of the 56 Clipper. (it exists, maybe on Ebay). A great article. If you read it you will never molest that suspension.

 

No torsion leveling suspension, it'll be easier to work on and modify but not as cool I know.

 

Great looking car,,nice to have something you don't see everyday and all it needs is one hubcap and a pail of purple paint.

 

since you are from ky, im surprised you dont recognize that as a moonshine bottle nice job disguising as a windsheild washer bottle tho. they would never look there

 

Who you been talking to? It does look like an old mason jar.

 

My Grandfather, whom got me into cars, used to say that the Packard V-8 was the best damn engine ever made !!! He also told me a story about a 'shine runner that had one with a McCullogh on it. I assume that was a McCullogh Supercharger(VS-57 ???). Was never too clear on if it was in a Packard car or something else ???