Hello I might go purchase a Packard today 1955 clipper, but before I go I seen that it was on flats and I wanted to show it I was going to bring a set of 5 lugs off of 65 Buick. When I told the man that was selling me the Clipper this he told me to be careful because Packard has a special thing with their wheels and not everything will fit, is this true? Will I have any trouble putting on these Buick rims on this Packard and Towing it out Sent from my SM-J727T1 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Packard used two bolt pattern sizes on the Packards and Clippers. Also, there is a locating pin on the drums and the wheels need a hole for the pin.
Back in the day, if we wanted to install rims on a drum that had that pin. And the rims came from car without the hole. We broke the pin off and went happily on our way.
Depends on which '65 Buick you are referring to. If they are from a full size Buick, LeSabre, Wildcat, Electra, Riviera, they will have a 5 x 5" bolt circle. If the Packard lug bolt pattern is the same, the Buick wheels should work as they have the extra holes for the locating pin. Buick used wheel bolts (not lug studs) on the full size cars for decades. If your wheels are from a midsize Buick, Special,Skylark, they are 5 x 4.75" bolt circle. And, they have no locating pin holes. Ray
Bring a couple air bottles as well. You'd be surprised how many long-flat old rags will still hold air. I once pulled a '49 Caddy out of a garage that had been parked 50 years. All four tires took air.
It says 65 Skylark it got some American Racing rims on it right now Sent from my SM-J727T1 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Skylark wheels are 5 on 4.75 pattern and won't fit. Sent from my LG-M153 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I guess you're thinking of flat-towing it home? Suggest you get a trailer, or at the least get a moving permit for the Packard, once the tires hit the road on a vehicle, it can be cited (***uming it's not licensed)...depending on how long it hasn't been licensed, the fines and penalties add up pretty fast. I'm betting them LA Cops won't give you a break either.
Moving permit, not me. LA cops are never seen, seems like the worse the neighborhood the less you see them. Thanks Rich Fox confirmation about the hammer I'm so glad I took my hammer Packard pin on the trip one thing I should have took was a shovel because when I got to the car on one side the, driver side of the car they had no wheels and it was sitting on loose dirt. My plan was to jack up the car on one side first with some plywood under my Jack but it seems like my Jack was failing a little bit. So I had to improvise and I started digging out where the brake drum on the front driver side, are use the crowbar and my bare hands. I brought along three American Racing wheels and one Skylark rim and wheel, are used the Skylark wheel first because it was smaller but it didn't fit right and only one hole would line up. I dug a little more and I tried the American racing wheel and two of the Lugnuts lined up that was good enough for me, seems like the previous owner of the rims made the lug holes bigger to fit application. Two hours later rolling around in the dirt digging holes, here she goes. 1955 Packard Clipper custom, $350. When I went to go pay the man he thought I was joking but the ad says $350 he asked me to show it to him so I did ,I've been calling the man for three weeks already and since I was there only one there and he didn't really care for money so he sold it to me for 350. Sent from my SM-J727T1 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Cool that you got it, and for cheap too. If there's no engine or if its froze or blown up, id see no harm in an engine swap in that car, im just happy to see it saved. Sent from my LG-M153 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Cool deal, what are your plans for it? Don't know why he pushed back on the price. His Packards have been up for awhile priced cheap. IIRC, he doesn't have ***les for most of them.
Squablow. The engine is there, I peaked in the through the grill and seen it. It was a light green color, is that how they come. It's a Clipper Custom i think because it says Custom on the dash. Hot Rods Ta... he had a nice stack of ***les on him today but some are missing. I seen 2 packards, a cadillac and a 67 pontiac lemans leave on tow beds. Theirs about 35/40 cars on the lot. 70% Packard, Lincolns, Studbacker, Imperial, Olds, a boat, seen a hood for a 40's Chrysler. He goes every Saturday to sell cars, if anyone's interested I can PM his #. My plans for the car is to (but they might change) is to get the Packard Engine to run, figure out a trans swap/adapter for a more common trans like a th400 if that's even possible. I want to paint it myself, maybe all Black, or white top with a blue, red,... shave of some of the trim and paint it like this I will try to do everything myself from upholstery, paint, body, ... Everything I can't do then I'll farm out to the real pros. I want to fix/use the torsion bar suspension. I think that's one thing that's I want to do first after the drive train. I really want to get that monkey figured out. Those American racing wheels did look nice on it but they belong on my Skylark. Just a cruiser God willing. But nothing is set in stone yet. Sent from my SM-J727T1 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
That's a Clipper Custom Constellation (the Custom model Clipper got the 352" engine same as the 400/Patrician, bigger than what's in my Super Panama which is 320", so that's cool) and Constellation is what they called the 2 door hardtop model Clipper Custom. Clipper Super hardtop models were called Panama. There was also a standard Clipper in '55 that only came in 4 door sedan and had the '54 style suspension with A-arms in front and parallel leafs in the rear. I look forward to seeing updates on the car. I also like your plans for the two tone paint scheme.
Thanks Squablow, looks like I will be asking you alot of questions in the future. I joined the Packard forum and am really impressed how much info they have. I'm so glad I ended up with a 352, I always wanted a 55 Buick, Olds or Cadillac. My grandpa had a 55 Cadillac Hardtop. But I ended up with a Packard. Never thought I would but after finding out so much rich history on them and they are American I have no shame in my Clipper Sent from my SM-J727T1 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Thanks LosControl,, I seen you post a Clipper grill eairler, cool. I'll keep everyone on the HAMB updated, have a blessed Sunday. Sent from my SM-J727T1 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Thanks Els for always supporting. I'll keep you updated. Sent from my SM-J727T1 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I haven't done a good donut in a year, I had my wife in the car lol. Sent from my SM-J727T1 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Do some research on the Torsion-Level. It takes a bit of adjustment to get your head around the way it works, the way what the front wheels do depends on what the rear wheels do, and vice versa. You have to think differently about it compared to a conventional suspension, but the principle is genius. The Packard engineers seem not to have understood it completely, though, because they put anti-roll bars on it, which defeats the object of the interlink. I think Bill Allison went back to Hudson before everything was sorted out. In theory there's a fix that'd make the Torsion-Level come into its own, but I don't know if you want to go there. It involves heavier main torsion bars, which would need to be custom-made; a different detail around the rear control arm anchors, which affords the opportunity to introduce bags and reduce the stock electric screw jack to a pitch-trim device; and monotube shocks modified to share remote fluid reservoirs and valve blocks between the front and rear. But the result could be unbelievable. As I said, Torsion-Level is a whole different mind-set.
Ned thank you for your insight. I'm going to do some much needed reading on the Torsion bar suspension. And when I get to the point were I think I have it figured out then I'll ask you more on the setup. Do you think at 1955 Packard knew they were headed for trouble and tried to re-capture the market with the new v8/ and the Torsion bar suspension? Sent from my SM-J727T1 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Dang an old r thread, but a packard. If it turns over it will run. Unless cracked or actually broken. They were n r tough engines. The transmission were good too. The ultramatics. Very tough indeed. Beautiful car you have . Any new activity?
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