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for adding your '51 to the Registry.

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with Bob. Below is a pic of a shackle in my '41 120 Coupe. While obviously not the same as yours, they are approximately in the middle of the J bracket while yours are much much higher.

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Monday 15th September 2008

Hadn't intended going to the workshop today until Packardinfo member DavidM rang me on Saturday to say he was picking up some New Zealand Packard Club members, Bryan and Dorothy, and was dropping in at Wades workshop on the way to his place on Monday afternoon. I advised I didn't know if Wade would be there or would be busy with preparations for his Canada/USA trip but I would be there. And mentioned this to Wade during yesterdays turmoil with the '38 so he was in the picture. Further arrangements were put in place today, with David to ring me when he was approaching the workshop, so I could arrive about the same time as he did with Brian and Dorothy and Wade had also arranged to be there.

Before arriving at the workshop went to Metropolitan Motor Cycle Spares at Silverwater and bought some 6V numberplate light bulbs then to Jaycar Electronics at Rydalmere and bought a couple of mercury tilt switches for the boot light. Smart guy at the M/C Spares shop offered to break the glass bulb and the filaments so they matched the sample I arrived with, and which I declined.

Then at the workshop met Dorothy and Bryan who are over here and had watched two granddaughters competing in the New South Wales Baton Twirling Championships where they won 7 and 4 medals respectively. Bryan is the owner of a '29 Big Eight Roadster which has an interesting history. It was bought new in New Zealand as a Roadster by a wealthy family who's cars were all Packards. Some years later however the Roadster was converted into a hearse and it was in this guise that Bryan bought it. However, not wanting a hearse, he proceeded to convert it back into a Roadster and this he did by making a new Roadster body for it. Bryan fabricated all the panels, door posts, windshield, cowl, top bows, seats, etc, etc himself! And that's not all, Bryan is close to completing a 9 year restoration of a Diamond T truck, from literally junk, and for which he's also fabricated all the body including the metal cabin and many other parts! Seems Bryan's a pretty handy guy! David also showed us a Contour Plane he found at an antique shop on Sunday. He's been looking for one for years and finally found one. He can now make some window interior wooden trim pieces for the '29 633 7 Passenger Sedan he's restoring. He said he even tried making his own contour plane but it wasn't a great success. A very enjoyable hour was spent with Bryan, Dorothy, David and Wade talking Packards in the presence of the 8 Packards there. These being Wade's '34 restored rolling Club Sedan chassis, '34 parts car Club Sedan rolling chassis, '37 120 Sedan, '37 Super 8 Sedan, Kevin's '35 1200 Sedan, John's '39 110 Sedan and my '38 Eight Sedan and '41 120 Coupe.

Edit - Correct spelling for Bryan's name & update picture captions

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Phil,

and best wishes with your restoration. You're well along the way and it's all looking good. Will follow your posts with interest, and keep the pic's coming.

G'day and aboard the Site. for adding your Clipper to the Owner Registry.

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Dave,

When speaking to Wade after arriving home yesterday he also advised that re-painted wheels can experience this problem and advised a thorough cleaning of the wheel centre lug nut surfaces so that metal to metal contact is made. I doubt that's the case here as the wheels were re-painted about 20 years ago. I will however re-check everything including the threaded inserts to ensure all's well and there is no repeat of what could have been quite a nasty incident. I posted the story as much as a warning to others as well as part of my Packard journey and experiences.

Toodle pip old boy! Leave it as it is Kev, just my bit of fun.

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That's great, very comprehensive and a pleasure to read. Look forward to seeing your Clipper as it progresses.

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Kev,

Yes it now works, BUT!

It still doesn't give me anything but American spelling of English, unfortunately I'm used to the English spelling of English.
And it doesn't do anything at all about terminology differences! I'm sure these things are even harder for our non-english speaking friends also. But I'd rather be suffering those little differences than not have Packardinfo.com at all. What a great site.

Today the Packard Club in Sydney went on it's monthly run, this time to the Sydney Tramway Museum at Loftus south of Sydney.
Link to the museum website -http://www.sydneytramwaymuseum.com.au/

The run was organised by Noel as he lives on the south side. This came about because he complained to the Events Director that ALL the runs were on the northside and was told if he wanted one on the southside to organise it himself, and he did! He also did one last year, see link -https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=368&forum=4

All started well, except for the weather, it was wet and miserable. Met at 9:30am at McDonalds Sylvania, which is on the way to Loftus for us northsiders. Unfortunately, because of the weather and some members with other commitments, only 4 Packards made it that far. And on the way to Sylvania there had been some bumping from 'under' the car which I put down to the condition of the roads and when I checked underneath in the McDonalds carpark couldn't see anything amiss. And Kath said to the others, while I was buying coffee, that she had heard a rattling sound too! So at 10:00am it was into convoy mode with Noel leading the way in his '39 120 Sedan followed by Wade and Gina in their '37 Super 8 LHD Sedan, Jeff in his '52 200 Sedan and yours truly with Kath in the '38 Eight Sedan and back onto the highway. Had gone less than 1km, a bit over 1/2 a mile, when the banging started again but this time it was very very noticeable and accompanied by loss of full steering control. Fortunately the convoy was in the inside lane and I was able to pull into a side street straight away, but being "Tail-end Charlie" and although honking the horn and flashing the headlights, lost the others. Is that really the term to use when old yellow 6V headlights are involved?

Pulled up without drama and then on to the cell phone and rang Wade. Apparently they had noticed our plight and pulled over but because of the highway there wasn't an easy way for the group to turn round and come back to lend support. I'd been lucky there was a street which I could pull into! Not to worry, I said I'd call the NRMA our state motorist assistance organisation, while the convoy carried on to the Museum and that I would call them later to update the situation. Had another look under the '38 at this stage and although I could see the left front wheel was skewiff, leaning out at the top and touching the front fender lip, couldn't see or feel anything broken or hanging loose but the wheel did rock like the king pin was shot. Rang the NRMA who organised a tilt tray truck to be there in 60 minutes. My NRMA coverage on the '38 gives me 20kms free towing with additional kms over 20 chargeable at AU$4.40/km. While waiting for the tilt tray to arrive rang Wade who'd arrived at the museum and my son Greg so he could come and pick up Kath for when I accompanied the tilt tray back to Wade's workshop at West Ryde. Wade gave me the phone number of John from the workshop so I could arrange with him for the gates to the workshop to be unlocked so the '38 wasn't left in the street overnight. And Greg started on his motherly rescue mission. However before Greg arrived the tilt tray did and while the '38 was being loaded up I rang Greg to discover he still had a fair way to travel. Cancelled those plans and had Greg return home to await further instructions while Kath and I had our first, and I hope last ride, in a UD diesel 6 speed tilt tray truck.

Must say that Michael, the tilt tray driver, when he first saw the left front wheel and its position was concerned it could damage the fender or body as the '38 was hauled onto the tilt tray. As I felt the '38 was driveable, I offered and drove it onto the tray, so that Michael only had to haul it about another foot to balance it up and secure it. On arriving at the workshop driveway found John had been true to his word and unlocked the padlock but left it in the gates. After opening the gates Michael maneuvered the truck so the '38 could be winched back into a parking slot. While I was at the '38's wheel Michael was operating the cable slowly letting the '38 roll back when he called out "Can you hear that?" I couldn't, and got out to talk with Michael and while out he let the car roll back a bit further and then I heard it a rattling sound coming from the left front hubcap! So Kath was right it was rattling! Michael said it might be that the wheel bearing had "collapsed" but when he cracked off the hubcap the wheel bearing was fine and 3 free rolling lug nuts and 2 very, very, very loose lug nuts were the obvious culprits! I'd rung Greg when we arrived at the workshop and he and girlfriend Emma arrived at this point to see Dad jacking up the left front wheel so the lug nuts could be aligned and tightened. I suspect that Col, when he did the front fender repair and respray, didn't properly tighten the lug nuts on the left front wheel. So also checked the right front and rear lug nuts, as he worked on those fenders as well, but they were all tight.

Upshot of it all was, by the time it was all sorted out, we'd missed what I believe was a pleasant run because now the rain had cleared to a nice sunny day. We also had the pleasure of the UD tilt tray ride, the ignominy of the '38 needing that kind of transportation, the $44.00 it cost for the 10kms over and above my allowed 20kms, having our picnic lunch on the kitchen table, and a close call with what could have been a very dangerous situation if the wheel had parted ways with the '38. And I was able to ring Wade and tell him one word "Relax" as I'm sure he had visions of another Packard, just as I did, needing his attention in the workshop. And he told me the group, having been joined by Pam and Barry in their '35 1200 7 Pass Sedan, was having a good time at the Tramway Museum.

More pic's are in the Picasa album, link below
http://picasaweb.google.com/ozstatman/WadeSWorkshopSept08#

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