I guess cautionary tale or not you could look on the bright side. At least you had 20 shops you could call and all probably within a driveable or relatively short distance for one day service. Maybe if you were still in LA or Riverside area you would be as fortunate but I suspect here in the Central Valley we'd be lucky to find 20 period -- and probably most of those are 2-3 hours north and don't bother with anything not Ford or GM. Like chrome shops, another dying specialty. As scarce as good used drums are starting to be and now a shortage of shops still working on them maybe all the people that have asked or have committed to disc conversions are on to something after all. Fronts are covered but anyone figured out rotors on a Packard tapered hub rear axle yet?

I have a 56 senior axle that would be suitable. I have to extract it from the pile so I can read the tag and tell you the ratio. Perhaps over the weekend.

In the process of prepping both cars to make the drive to Wisconsin for the National.

I knew I needed to turn the two front brake drums on the '37, as I heard a high spot rub when making an adjustment. No problem; I pulled the two drums last night, removed the seals and bearings, and cleaned them up so I could go get them turned.

..and then the adventure began.

I called over 20 shops in the area, even the "old" ones. No one turns drums anymore, and they have long departed with their brake lathes. Finally, I got a referral from another referral, and I was able to find a small shop that still does them. The first response was, "Well, depends on how old it is". Once I said '37 Packard, then it was, "Whew, no problem". I guess they don't touch anything newer than the last 30 years or so. As any modern drums are "one-time use" and are replaced as there is not enough meat on them to turn.

So, hopefully, they are able to get them turned true again, and that will be one more item off the list.

However, it shows that the shops that still have the equipment to do this kind of work are drying up quickly.

Quote:

Hello...

You might like to know that America's Packard Museum in Dayton, Ohio has a collection of large scale Packard styling models. These are on display at the museum and I am certain the museum would welcome your scale model to the group there now. These are large scale styling models. At least one or two came from Mitchell-Bentley... the company that did the 1953 and 1954 Caribbeans– among other things.

The museum is housed in the old original Citizen's Motor Company Packard dealership. Located in downtown Dayton.
find them online here...https://www.americaspackardmuseum.org

and...
info@americaspackardmuseum.org
PHONE: (937) 226-1710


Here is the display of Packard Styling models at the museum in Dayton. These scale models are actually quite large in size (my photo makes them appear deceptively small). So as an old-time scale modeler (who built championship models in the 1950s-1960s) I would say these Packard Styling models appear to be the same scale as the one you have...

Thanks everyone. I did check the records I have to see when that rebuild was done, but don't have anything.

You all may find this interesting, the car does have a motor record book which gives 44962 mi on 9/29/67, thru 59125 mi on 8/9/70.

7/3/69 to 6/9/70 gives 1753 miles at a stunning 9.6 MPG. Gas price: 32¢ ($2.60 today). 10/29/67 to 2/5/68 gives 1496 miles at 8.5 MPG, somehow even worse. Also, records around the 50k range indicate it was losing a quart of oil every 1k miles or so. Apparently this engine burnt a rod around the 70k mile mark. Wonder why...

During this time the recorded repairs were a generator armature ($12.45 plus $4 labor), a "starter pin" ($5), a second armature some 8 months after the first, and a "broken speedometer" (though apparently not odometer).

In recent years, the carb was rebuilt in 2007 (then again by me this year), and the trans I think was done in 2011 though it was patched up also in 2007. The trans parts were seemingly purchased from Ultramatic Dynamics though the rebuild was said to have been done by someone local. I also think if Fitch did it, it wouldn't have the couple issues it does. Oh, and the brake lines were replaced around the same time.

Not a PACA monthly run but a PACA National Rally, one of best I've been on.

This story is also in two parts because it was first published in two separate "The Packardian" magazines. Also, coincidentally, the 10,000kb limitation would have necessitated that happening anyway.

Attach file:

---

Warrnambool - First part of story.doc Size: 6,018.50 KB; Hits: 36
Warrnambool - Second part of storyRevision2.doc Size: 8,920.50 KB; Hits: 27

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I've contacted the Facebook user with the parts car, as well as the major parts dealers. Let's see what comes up.

I would have been tightening that bolt like this 😂

Attach file:

---

  20240406_134525.jpg (4,376.00 KB)

Quote:

See if this guy has a diff in his parts car. He's a few hours away from me, so I can't really go and pick anything up, but I thought I'd let you know.

https://www.facebook.com/share/NRwyjRTRBnKjZgBm/?mibextid=kL3p88

In addition to the goo in the bottom of your reservoir, I see that the return port has been plugged. The rust in the vacuum can is not a big problem as the power piston seldom goes down that far and the leather seal is quite forgiving.