Tested the vacuum on the Vacuum Advance today and it failed.

I contacted one place I found online about rebuilding it but they wanted $125 to rebuild it. I just called Kanters and ordered one from them. After I return the Core it will only be $85. I have to stop overthinking every part I come to.

Tomorrow is the 5th Anniversary of my purchase of this beast.

I am rebuilding the Delco-Remy distributor as mentioned above. I'm not sure about the vacuum advance that on it.
I am planning to lightly media blast it to clean it up. Of course, I'll cover up all the openings before blasting. I have removed the internal spring and cleaned it up.

I am assuming since it's controlled by vacuum, that there is a diaphragm inside. Would it still be any good after all these years? This does not appear to be a part that can be disassembled entirely without destroying something.

Avanti64, JW
I did not know any of that about the rotor but it's all being replaced. The points and condenser will be removed due to the Pertronix kit. I am not sure what else will remain of the original electrical parts but I'll make sure I get the correct rotor.

Henry
He was maybe 30 but NAPA is the only place in town that I trust. At least they never ask me "what type of vehicle is it".

Riki
I'm not sure I want to soften the gasket now. If I use that multitool I think I want it to be brittle to cut easier.

Thank You Ross,

I knew something was missing from that filter. The guy at NAPA tool me that the filter would float to seal itself.
I'll shop for a spring this evening.

Finally getting some of my non-Packard projects wrapped up and getting a little more time doing the fun stuff.

The fuel filter housing is all cleaned up and ready to re-mount.

Also about that Clipper junkyard windshield. I still have several feet of the old windshield molding that I kept for future reference. I cut off a few inches and did a test by soaking it in both PB Blaster and Brake Cleaner (didn't have brake fluid). Neither one of them made any difference in how hard that 60-year-old molding was. However, I do have an oscillating multitool that I think will do the job. It's not the model in the pic below but it's the same type of tool. I have 5 batteries for the one I have so, I should have enough power to get the job done. Trying not to break the glass is the real trick. Was hoping to go this weekend but it's supposed to rain.

I pulled the distributor off the shelf recently and getting ready to disassemble it for cleaning.

I was able to pick up a Pertronix Electronic Ignition conversion kit (Model 1183) on eBay for $29. It came from the parts department of a marina in Illinois. That's about an $80 to $100 savings. Sometimes I get lucky.

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Its been a while, again.
It has not been a productive winter for my Packard but I am getting other stuff done.

I got the fuel filter above cleaned up easy enough, ordered a new gasket and filter.

Fit the carb and breather on because I just could not help myself.

I have located a 55 Clipper about an hour from me in an old junkyard. The car itself appears to be toast but it appears to have a good front windshield that I need. Mine broke while sitting on the shelf.

The problem is removing it from the car. It took me a week to get the windshield out of my 400. I guess I'll take a few dozen very sharp utility knife blades and try to cut that gasket an inch at a time. Should be fun.

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I almost have the carburetor back together.

All this fair weather here has kept me working on other projects. We had an F-1 tornado touch down across the road from us about 2 weeks ago. It destroyed 2 barn's and mobile home further down. All we lost was a single shutter off the house.

I can't believe I am looking forward to the cold week ahead. I have also been adding a ceiling to my shop so it will hold heat better.

The only thing missing on the carb, at the moment, is the choke flap. I had to order a couple of replacement screws for it because I destroyed the original two. I thought I ordered 2 screws. They were kind of expensive for 2 small screws but it would have taken me weeks to find them another way. Like an idiot, I actually ordered 2 packages of 20 screws.

Also pictured below is the glass fuel filter housing. I'm just cleaning it up. Replacing it would be easier but I want to use it. Does anyone know if it's possible to replace the rubber seal inside the top of it? This one is solid.

I see my project blog has topped 100,000 views. It only took 4 ? years. I'd be more impressed if I didn't know that at least half of them are me looking at my own post.

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I don't know squat about the V12 engines but this seems a bit pricey

1938 Packard V-12 Engine
https://louisville.craigslist.org/pts/d/packard-engine/6372307740.html

I have come to the conclusion that I have underestimated my abilities and knowledge on this Rochester carburetor rebuild.

To me, it's just a disassembly, cleaning and put it back together. The disassemble, clean & rebuild process has gotten me this far but this is far more important and now I understand that.

I think what I am going to do is complete the rebuild with the new parts from this cheap $45 rebuild kit. I will then use it this way to get it started in the spring as I had planned. I'm not talking about getting it running for an extended time just getting it to turn over for the first time. I have to rebuild it anyway since I doubt anyone wants me to send it to them in pieces.

Then sometimes after it's been started I'll send it out to someone or someplace with much more knowledgeable than me to rebuild it properly.

I can't tell you much about this 400. It followed me home from Memphis TN almost 5 years ago. I never drove it and like a fool, I never tried.

I took it entirely apart down to the chassis and now I am reassembling it.

Its the only restoration I have ever attempted so it's all new to me.