The rear interior looked like a bomb went off in it, roof rusted through in places so water poured in. Rear oval window was lying on package shelf, headliner was draped over rear seat/floor. We saved everything, will look at and post photos soon.

Progress has slowed a bit due to the need to run a business and other distractions. Motor #2 has been disassembled and magnafluxed, to my dismay it too has a crack from an exh valve seat over to a cylinder wall. One repair shop said they can't get to it until after Pebble Beach, will try another.

While waiting, the chassis is being sandblasted then it will be painted an appropriate semi-gloss black. Next will be the clear coating of the front suspension, rebuilding of the brakes, new shocks and installation of new custom made front and rear springs which have already arrived. Soon we'll have a pretty, 99+% accurately restored chassis.

Robert Neal's magnificent book notes that there were 4 of these beauties, one completed by Dietrich Inc with a fancy interior and 3 others started by them and completed by Henney with plainer interiors. Ours appears to be the #1 car with the fancy interior as the car in Neal's book has a more utilitarian look in the front compartment

At this point I no longer believe our car is the last coachbuilt Packard. Live and learn.

Tom,

You are correct that it does no isolate a particular cylinder but just one cylinder is usually not the cause of hard hot starting.

My suggestion does isolate a single system, the accelerator pump circuit. There are many possible causes but only the accel pump circuit can be diagnosed without any tools or meters except possibly a screwdriver (or coin) to loosen the air cleaner.

I find it best to do the simplest analysis first if it is a likely cause. The second simplest would be to compare the cold and hot starting voltage at the starter to diagnose resistance and battery condition.

In my experience and opinion vapor lock is blamed for many problems where it is not the culprit. As with the subject vehicle other things need to be explored.

As I understand it:

Cold start and run are fine
Problem occurs after the car is warm and it is shut down, then it does not start until is sits fro 1/2 hour.

Here is what I have found:

1. Cold start the choke is closed letting the engine suck in gas to start

2. After a hot run it is shut down and the choke is wide open, thus cannot suck in gas.

3. Problem is often an inoperative accelerator pump circuit which squirts gas in the carb throats.

4. Cooling down for 1/2 hour closes the choke somewhat or 100% and presto the car starts "proving" it was vapor lock.

5. When cold open the choke plate and look into the carb, pump the gas and see if the squirter is working in both barrels. If not, you've probably found the problem.

6. When hot, repeat above.

Hadn't considered that, now it all makes sense.

I've always wondered how Darrin made a 38-40 Coupe into a finished Darrin Victoria in 2 weeks an d today it takes a year to restore one??

No Packard prior to 1940 had any type of "rear crankshaft seal" at all, thus you will not find any for sale or any manuals telling you how ti install one. The vehicle in question needs only one thing for the rear slinger to work, the crankshaft must be turning so it slings excess oil in to the return groove.

I would not recommend trying to outthink the engineers from East Grand Boulevard and cram a rope seal into the groove which is not intended for that use.

Old cars even when they were new were not antiseptic like a new Lexus, they coughed, spit and leaked a bit.

Give us more symptoms etc. Does it crank very slowly when you have the problem? Does it crank well and just not fire? Does any fuel run out of the intake manifold lower check valve?? etc etc

I'm far from knowledgeable on Darrins, one thing I've always wondered about are the '180' Darrins. As far as I know the differences between a 160 and 180 production cars besides the emblems are the use of foam in the seats and higher grade fabrics. But Darrins did not use the Packard seats or fabrics so what's the real difference??

Darrin started with a coupe body in '40 and converted it into a Victoria. Coupes were produced in 110-1800/120-1801/160-1803 series but not in the 180 -1806 . So how can you make a 180 Darrin if there were no 180 coupes??

I will look at photos of 1940 120 vs senior Darrins to see the difference. The 41-42 Indiana cars are more "production" than the 38-40's, will look at them too.

All info appreciated.

I've never done that comparison but the stock 120/160/180 all use the same front unwelled fenders and the same hood top panels. All the Darrin victorias are on the same 127 wheelbase. Can you explain what the apparent major /minor external differences are. I'm not aware of any.

thank you

In my experience with flathead 6's and 8's I pour a "bit" (unmeasuered) of oil in each cylinder, the ones with open valves it probably goes into the manifold. The others it goes into the bore. When I take readings on all 8, if 3 or 4 increase significantly I know the engine needs rings at least on those cylinders. But you never put new rings in just 3 or 4 cylinders, it's clear that all rings need replacement or need to be bored and new piston/rings installed.

Likewise If i detect a few bad valves they all will be done.