were in development for 1957 and beyond. These plans were shelved, however, when Studebaker-Packard was taken over by Curtiss-Wright in Spring 1956. Curtiss-Wright's management permanently discontinued Ultramatic production and sold the plant and tooling to raise cash for the beleaguered company at the same time they shut down production of Packard cars in Detroit. With no Packard V8s or Ultramatic transmissions being made thereafter, Studebaker would replace the 1956 Golden Hawk's Packard V8 with a supercharged version of its own 289ci V8, and its accompanying Ultramatic Drive was replaced by Borg-Warner's Flightomatic transmission, beginning in the 1957 model year. This powertrain combination would also be used on the 1957 and '58 Packard ranges of Studebaker-based models, in lieu of the Packard V8 and Ultramatic. Surviving Ultramatic transmissions Packard enthusiasts have kept many units in service since the company's demise. Better modern transmission fluids, aftermarket transmission coolers, and improved rebuild parts combine to improve the reliability of the factory originals. References Wards Automotive Yearbook, 1955 & 1956 Automotive News, 1949–1958 Studebaker National Museum, South Bend, Indiana Packard National Museum, Warren, Ohio Packard Advertisements 1955-1956; External links Ultramatic Dynamics - Packard Ultramatic rebuilder, parts, images and information. The Packard V8 Club - The Packard V8 Club specializes in keeping 1955-1956 Packard Powered automobiles on the road. Packard Info - Free online library of Packard Information. Automatic transmission tradenames Automobile transmissions Packard