Dave, thanks for the offer. I'll measure the bracket on my car to compare to the one you have. The belt that was on the car when I got it was so short that I had to cut it in order to remove it (as covered in an earlier part of this thread). So, I am suspicious of bracket length being right. I should know tomorrow.

I am at the stage of the project to start fastening the engine to all the parts I removed. I have the radiator and its cradle screwed together. I will install them as a unit rather than separately as I did during disassembly. I back-flushed the engine and heaters today. Only clean liquid was expelled.

Incidentally, I am taking many photos as I start the work on going through all the systems for a possible blog.

Isn't this fun!?

Did you get the trunk light installed?

Do I see that only the condenser lead is connected to the point set?

There should be a wire from the primary terminal of the coil (low tension lead) to a connector on the outside of the distributor. This is visible in the photo.

Another wire lead connects to the inside of the connector and the other end connects to the breaker points set. I can't see this wire in the photo.

The condenser lead also connects to the points at the same place. It seems to be there in the photo.

There may also be a ground wire from the breaker point plate to the body of the distributor. This would be inside the distributor. Can't tell from the photo.

Check to make sure that the connector that goes through the distributor body that connects the breaker points and coil is insulated and not being grounded.

Make sure none of these wire leads are grounded.

Make sure the condenser is making good contact with the breaker plate.

Make sure the breaker contacts are clean and adjusted to the proper gap. (.015" - .018" is generally a good gap).

I always like to work on the distributor out of the car, but this entails some knowledge and experience working on ignition systems and setting the timing.

Good luck.

Thanks JD in KC, now it is getting more confusing. I got a Gates TR 30537 belt from O'Rilley's but have not fit it to the car as the water pump is off and the pulley is off of the water pump. I think it is going to be too long. I may need a longer generator adjusting bracket. I'll let everyone know when I get it back together (probably in the next couple of days).

Since the lug bolts (screws?) will secure the wheel and drum to the axle flange, why weld the drum to the flange? That is if the drum is in serviceable condition. Maybe the way to get around the difficult job of removing the drum from the axle to do work on the rear brakes is to remove the rivets that hold the drum to the axle flange. Then the drum could be removed much more easily; remove the lugs remove the wheel, remove the drum. This would work like the flanged axles that were used on the 1956 cars. Just thinking (?) out loud ...

tony610, there are also other engine specification tables in the Literature and Manuals section.

David, are your sure about this? The cast date on my 356 is cast on the rear lower right-hand (passenger) side, and the engine number is stamped on the front upper left-hand (driver) side. Maybe I need to look more closely.

David, I apologize for being so slow in responding to your request. Here are three photos showing where a trunk light would be mounted on my 47 Custom Clipper Sedan. I looked, but could not quickly find where the wire to the light emerges from the loom. I hope these photos help. I am still looking for a trunk light assembly for my car. I would appreciate it if anyone out there who has one for sale would let me know. Regards.

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Nance was not involved in the 22nd and 23rd series cars. He came to Packard after the 51-54 cars were designed and being produced. It was on his watch that the V-8 Packards and Clippers of 1955-56 came to be.

I had a distributor problem with my 1937 Six. The lobe shaft came loose from its attachment to the automatic advance mechanism and caused the car to stop running and not restart. This is probably not your problem, but it is easy to check. Remove the distributor cap, and try and turn the rotor. It should only move a slight amount that the automatic advance mechanism allows. If you can move it more than this then you have "lobe shafteritus". It is not terminal, and better than a slipped timing chain.

Kev and Dave, thanks. I will check with NAPA and O'Rilley's today and post my results. If I am successful in finding the belt I will post the numbers and source on the Packard Parts X-Ref section. I have had good luck with NAPA in the past, but lately I am finding O'Rilley's to be a better source for parts. Both have helpful counter people. I used to be able to decode the Gates belt and hose numbers, but not any more.