Thanks, Dave, I'll check it out.

Interesting stuff!!! I, for one, did not know Packard had a Canadian plant. In spent my working life in the industrial rubber business and the 'reach' of our products was almost universal. We had the GM contract for forklift tires at all their Canadian manufacturing facilities and, as such, I called on the Windsor plant. I believe there is only an axle plant left there now, (if even that) as a great deal of automotive manufacturing has gone to China, but based on Big Kev's article, it sounds like a great number of Packard components were Canadian-sourced, and manufactured for the Windsor facility. Is there any way to tell 'by the numbers' if one's car was produced there??? I know this is 'off the topic' a little bit, re the export block mystery, but any 'spin-off learning' along the way is of value, right??

Thank you David (Flackmaster) for your help. Words fail me!
And Dave, (Owen Dyneto) I will be on the phone at 8:00AM Monday to see if Kanters does indeed have stock and then I will be calling the rebuild shop to have a conversation with them. I realize nothing is to be gained by getting on the wrong side of them, but I absolutely HATE being lied to. As previously stated, I availed myself to them at the onset of this rebuild, telling them I could help with anything they had trouble finding, and would scour the planet to come up with any of the hard-to-find stuff. They blew me off, saying they had a one-stop-source for all their classic rebuild components (in California, I believe) and could get everything from them. Now when I find the whole deal has been held up because of a timing chain (purportedly) I start to get cranky and feel the need to 'inspect what I expect' with the rebuilders. I'm sure lots of you Packard owners have been through this kind of situation before, and delays and hold-ups are part of the 'normal' process, and I get that. I just want straight answers, and for the rebuilder to be able to ask for, and accept help when he/his suppliers strike out! That's not too much to ask, is it?!?!?!

I am replacing EVERYTHING! New oversize pistons, ground crank, 10-over bearings, valves ground, the whole 9 yards - just need a timing chain to 'complete the order' and everything else is in stock.

The engine for my 1939 Six has been sitting at the rebuilders for a couple of months now... I finally got out of him today that his supplier cannot find a timing chain for the motor. I had volunteered my procurement assistance at the outset of this endeavour but the engine shop seemed proprietary about sourcing their own parts and, not wanting to step on any toes, I went along with them. Now the guy admits that 'HIS' guys have tried (including Kanters) and have struck out. Does anyone KNOW where I can, for sure, find a timing chain for this engine that I can get shipped Monday. I really want to make a point with this guy that the Packard community has reach, clout and knows where 'the bones are buried' when it comes to hard-to-find parts and come up with a chain. Anybody that can help, I owe them, that's for sure!!

I THINK I may have figured out the problem with my parking brake handle. Actually, I took it to show my 91 year old Dad and we poured over it for a good hour, trying to isolate the issue. The attached pictures show a notch in the end on the thumb-button release lever. Both my Dad and I thought the notch was supposed to be there as it looked 'manufactured', We ended up looking at it with a high-powered magnifying glass and it became obvious that the notch was WORN into the lever end and shouldn't be there. I will grind the rivet off and take the piece to a welder and get it filled in and I think the spring action of the release lever will apply pressure to the pawl and hold it in place. I'll use a clevis pin, washer and a cotter key to reassemble the unit and once it is all sprayed to match the interior brown, no-one will know the difference.

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Hi Don,

Wow, that is both very generous of you and fortuitous for me!
The pictures you posted of your hand brake assembly look quite a bit different from mine and so therefore not sure if the springs you have will work on my unit. I will be photographing my hand brake tomorrow and will post. Maybe when you see mine, you could weigh in with your thoughts/opinion?? Have to say, the help available here is unbelievable! Many thanks to all.

Thanks for the correction, Don - I was thinking of the tread width - I should know better! Chris

Thanks Guys. I'll be at the car tomorrow and will take photos and see what you think. I don't kind of fancy myself as a 'spring maker', but I have taken on stranger tasks in my day, so, if all else fails???......

In studying the parts pic Howard posted, it looks like maybe that long tail on the end of spring (1.120) should sit on 'top' of the tail on the pawl (1.118) to provide tension on it. If the spring IS broken, is there any chance on the planet of finding one!??! I would think that would be on the north side of impossible. I could certainly grind the rivets off and reassemble with bolts and thin nuts, if I COULD come up with a spring. Probably be easier to find a replacement complete assembly. Anyway, I WILL post a couple of pics and see where it goes.