Here's a question, why are mechanical brakes no longer used?

Anyone?

Because hydraulic brakes are safer.

Why aren't single line master cylinders being used?

Anyone?

Because dual line master cylinders are safer.

Here's another question, how many people drive their Packards more than 5,000 miles a year? I'm betting not many. How many people have the emergency brake system working to OEM specs? Again, I'm betting not many.

Changing out a single line master cylinder to a dual line master cylinder is just common sense if you drive your car on public roads at all. MOST people understand this. If you own a trailer queen that you have to have a 100% original restoration on then fine, rebuild the original BTV. But if you're driving it on public roads then please, please, for the love of God convert it to a dual master cylinder for safety's sake. WHEN someone is killed by the failure of one of these then maybe common sense will prevail. But I highly doubt it, as the "head in the sand" mentality is pretty rampant with Packard owners it seems. You WILL change your mind when you have a teenage girl on a cellphone in a Honda pull out in front of your grand old Packard and you can't do anything to stop in time before your car cuts hers in half.

Think about that for a while, because every single one of you who think that the BTV and single line master cylinders are safe to use are saying that the originality of your car is more important that someone's life. That's it, end of story. That's exactly what you're saying. And everyone knows I'm right.


And Fred, I don't give two bits where your valve is made, if it was made on Mars with the latest Martian technology I still wouldn't recommend using a single line master cylinder on any car that's driven on public roads.

No, I was sitting on the hood/fender many times fully clothed, never naked.

And my butt doesn't weigh 240lbs, that would have been the TOTAL weight, lol!

That book is completely wrong. For one, the 282 is shorter than the 288 by almost 2", which means that the head, manifolds, cam, crank, block, and oil pan, won't interchange with the 1948 288.

Inspired off of the 282, yeah, I'll go along with that. The 282 becoming the 288 with just a simple bore and stroke rework? I don't think so.

That's like saying the 396 Chevy big block is a reworked 409 Chevy big block, ain't happening.

Thanks Guy, I didn't need that visualization!

BTW, My 240lb butt has sat on the hood of my '56 Patrician several times and no ill effects were noticed. Now, I didn't sit right in the middle of the thing but sat off to the side, towards the front and edge.

I have an idea if anyone wants to try, I still have my '56 Patrician parts car, if someone wants to supply the model I'll supply the car, but the model needs to be at least 5'3", under 130lbs, and preferably a redhead with no goth/emo connotations. Oh, and preferably naked, I don't want to scratch the rust.

It's a "well" known fact that when the '56 models came out a lot of people took their cars into the dealership to get the trim added to make them look like the newer models, as well as some dealerships doing it on their own to move unsold cars.

I was gonna say that anyone that's ever seen a 282 and a 288 would know immediately that they're not the same engine, not even close. The only thing they have in common is 8 cylinders and made by Packard. The 356 is closer to being a 288 than the 282 is, the 288 is NOT a "reworked" 282.

If it was me I'd have the pits filled in by your method of choice, welding, etc and then have the shaft hard-chromed. It'll outlast you then.

You can mix leather and vinyl, but I wouldn't mix leather and fabric, for the reason you mentioned.

The reactor clutch is a one-way overrunning clutch. It looks like a set of needle roller bearings but it allows the reactor to only turn one way, totally different from the direct drive clutch disc.

Jim, I had seen that before in a joke email someone sent me. So, it was a small matter of a Google search and there you have it, Keith's new woman.