That solution begs the question: Is the axle on backwards? Don't laugh, because I have seen it done.

"Oh gee, it's on backwards. I got it!. Let's just switch these arms."

I saw a Pan-Am race car wannabe that had a kit trans, but I don't what. So, there may be something out there that will work.

If you are lucky those speedometers read only 10% fast, so a good one reading 110 is actually 99. Given the cars tested new were hitting 104 a 10% percent error translates to 114 on the speedometer.

So, get a Garmin and check the accuracy. My modern car reads 0-1 mph fast using the Garmin.

If you put heavy stuff in the earlier cars and gun the engine on start up in extreme cold it can blow a hole in the crankcase oil regulator passages.

You always can put a bottle of 10w-30 and 15w-40 in the freezer overnight. The V-8 requires splash to the pistons. Keep in mind that the oil pump has to draw that heavy oil through a screen and if the oil starts cavitating you can get foaming that will reduce pressure which probably is what happened here given the gauge wasn't damaged apparently.

I don't think those were part of the original build and were dealer installed later. There must be a service letter somewhere because I have seen any number of variations, including an elaborate contrivance of brackets and rubber parts on a 32, but missing from any number of other original cars I have seen.

I know one of Paul Lamb's cars had them but have check on the other ones. He had 34 Super Eights. His 1104 sedan didn't have them as I recall.

As to this issue in general 12th series and later had the hood rest as part of the rubber cowl pad. On the earlier cars a microfiber towel always can be rolled up and the hood layed over on that. I suppose straps may have been added because of high winds blowing the hood over.

Here are two more:

First is "Station 13" and in that they recorded the gear whine on that 443 Roadster.

The second is from "Scarlet Street" with Edward G. Robinson. That Super 8 phaeton also shows up in "The Grapes of Wrath", and "It's a Gift".

Those cars sure looked great when they were new. The restored stuff does very little for me in comparison.

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Not going to work. The oil pump gear is supposed to be timed before the block is installed. There are marks on the cam and the drive gear that need to be matched. It is dropped into place with the block off the crankcase. If you have the valve cover off, you will notice a locator tab for the gear housing that goes into a slot in the block.

Attached is a picture of what was a nice original 902 before this wack job left it outside to rot in Pennsylvania. It shows the correct position of the distributor.

What to do in the case where they put the motor together without timing those gears? If you can't get timing correct and don't want to pull the motor apart you can put the distributor shaft in a vise and very carefully give it a twist, but document the part thoroughly before you do that so that it can be returned to original.

This method does not work very well on the North East twin coil system which is not fault tolerant, but works on the earlier cars.

If you do decide to take the motor apart the housing is best removed by carefully driving the gear and housing upward from the bottom using a brass punch.

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Here is a film noir - "Impact" 1949 where they run a 48-49 Packard convertible off a cliff. Also, a 39 in the background.

Of course, I think it is a studio stunt where they put the car on a rotisserie and zoom out, but the effect is decent. Or some very good modeling.

I like film noirs because they explore the darker side of humanity while meeting out justice, unlike today's system where the bigger the crook the bigger the effort to keep them above the law. It seems the only justice being served up anymore is in old movies on junktube.

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On the subject of insert rod bearings, one method that works is to rebuild the rod to use a modern insert bearing. This involves reworking the big end to do away with the babbitted collars by welding and then machining the rods for correct end play as is the modern practice.

Packard was using the collared bearings I assume because that was a carryover from the babbitt engines.

Another work around that I haven't heard being done for years was fitting a Chrysler slant six thrust main bearing insert into those rods.

These methods are expensive, but they work.

Years ago, I was sitting at the bar with John Cavalero and Walter Wary. We were chatting over booze. Johns says "All Packards run hot, the only Packard that doesn't is your car (Walter's low mileage 343), I can be boiling over, but you'll be driving away." John's car (840) was pulled out of swamp, so the block had corrosion loss. It ran and ran like that because John didn't beat on it, but there is a limit.

If the car has been serviced with modern long life greases in the past, then don't worry about it.

If the wheel bearings are starved, you will hear them humming. In the old days if the car started, stopped, and steered; it was driven home. I knew somebody who picked up a Hispano-Suiza at the New York City docks and drove it to San Francisco.

Give the car a good visual inspection, work up your sense of adventure, and roll the dice. I would stay off the freeways to be on the safe side. If it konks out, you can dump it in the nearest abandoned parking lot.

One thing to consider is having insurance and a temporary registration, or enough valid anything to avoid the cops. The Hispano guy was stopped by the cops twice who were so overwhelmed by the thing they didn't notice there were no plates on it.