Gee, that was easy. Thanks, again.

The connection to the spark plug wire and the spark plug, I get.

The two other leads are supposed to connect to the battery ... a bit far away.
Timing lights are mentioned in the manuals, and while it's assumed that everyone knows how to hook them up, there is only a casual reference to connecting them to the battery.

In 1940, with the battery under the front seat, what did they connect to?

I'm getting a dim orange flash hooked to the plug/plug wire. It seems like there would be plenty of juice to light the lamp bright white, but I'm not getting that.

I have 2 leads left and a trigger on the gun which doesn't seem to move. Are these to automate the starter from the timing gun?

This is a 6v timing light.

It's strange, but some colors I wouldn't choose from chips look so different on a car. And some colors, now out of vogue, look great on a car of a vintage when that color was popular. It just looks right on the car. It works rather than fights with the interior and appointments. I remember thinking There are no good colors (for a conv sedan) in 1940. But I was wrong. I decided to go with the original color, Harbor Gray. It was the "announcement" color, the first cars out had it, with red upholstery (also available with any exterior color). It was appropriate for San Francisco where she put on her first miles.
But I kept an open mind and reconsidered Blackhawk Gray Metallic. I did a search for '40 Packard images and looked for another convertible. I just didn't find another in that color. I guess it was used mostly on 110 sedans, whatever. I choose that. It looks fabulous. So I used the other colors to rule out ones I might like, like a big wig Republican one in Wilshire Green that looks as good as it gets (until you see one in Blackhawk Gray). Here are some 47s. Does anything resonate? Keep looking. The light / dark grey combo looks pretty elegant, but so do others.

http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=1947+clipper+images&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

I'd check with Jerry at Yesterday's Radio.
jerry@yesterdaysradio.com
www.yesterdaysradio.com

They make the strips and other parts. If he doesn't have what you need, he can probably tell you whom to call.

Thanks so much. I won't throw them away now.

I put that extra piece over the top, trying to match up the ends.
I didn't think to push it through the slit at the base of the contact arm. Of course there were no instructions with it, except to lubricate it.

After my wiring arrives, I'll put them in. As told my mightier minds, the way I had them over the top of the copper, they were grounding out the spark.

Attach file:

---

  (30.86 KB)


  (26.95 KB)

I added the battery charger and it started, very rough at first. Better now. I'll check all my plugs and connections, then, Dare I, rotate the distributor.

What a relief. The car still works. My life is back.

Thanks again to all the usual suspects, Howard, Dave, West, Kev, JD and JW, Ross, and the car guys GTO, Su8overdrive.

You know, OD, putting the pointer in the wrong place was never my problem so they say.

Joe

I moved everyone over 1 space counterclockwise, so Number 1 is at 5 oclock.
The light flashed at this point, too late for TDC.

On to your suggestion, Howard. I'll use the battery charger and try to start.

When #1 is in the 7 oclock position as shown in the Packard diagram (same as mine tho unreadable, maybe click on it), the light flashes before TDC is reached. When the #1 wire is in the 5 o'clock position, the light flashes after TDC is reached.

I guess that it's better if it's early than late, so I will move No 1 back to 7 o'clock where, it appears from everyone, it ought to be.

Attach file:

---

  (34.97 KB)

I decided to walk through the cranking using the start and stopping the second the timing light flashed.

Look at the position on the damper where I stopped after I saw the light, pun Intended I hope. I have a very hard time thinking about this, so I drew a picture. I tells me that the spark is timed for the previous cylinder, perhaps.

So I will put 4 into the 7o'clock slot where the #1 wire is now and move everyone one post counter clockwise.

Perhaps the mystery will unfold.

It's ok to tell me if I'm going in the wrong direction.

Attach file:

---

  (45.88 KB)


  (32.09 KB)

I remounted the old points and old condenser.

I set the points. I now have spark. I have the timing light hooked up to #1 and it's flashing.

But the engine doesn't start. I poured some fuel in the carb and still nothing, not even a cough.

Attach file:

---

  (106.08 KB)

Yes, well aware of the distributor/oil pump relationship. We fixed that a couple years ago and have not touched it since. That had some similar aspects...the car wouldn't run.

I changed the points and condenser to no avail. One thing, there's a metal strip that serves to strengthen the springiness of the points, but the back end of it rides on the distributor octagon.

Besides tat, does anyone see anything else weird. After I changed the points, I got no spark to the plugs. I had spark with the old points last night.

I put the old points back in and I have no spark.

The wire to the coil from the ignition switch is plenty hot.

Even tho I ordered new ignition cables, I can't believe that these old ones (1 year old) can't do the job since they worked fine last week.

I did confirm the 7 o'clock position for #1 using the compression tester.

Very frustrating. Hot-hot day. Begs for convertible. No spark.

Attach file:

---

  (110.14 KB)