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G'day Kevin,

aboard Packardinfo, a great Site.

Could you please add your '31 to the Owner Registry together with a pic, any known history and how you acquired it?

Now there are 260 Packards in the Owner Registry, and 870 Forum members.

To all those who haven't yet added their Packard/s to the Registry -

Do it NOW! Add your Packard/s to the Owner Registry!

Don't forget - Include a picture, history if known and how you acquired it.
And to all those who have added their Packard/s to the Registry

Gerd,

You've brought this thread 'back to life' so to speak.

Because of that I'll now unleash an unproven Packard connection with General Douglas MacArthur. Seems that when MacArthur was in Australia after leaving the Philippines a car was "requisitioned" for him and is believed to be a '37 Packard Super 8. It's also thought to be the '37 Super 8 that Harvey, the guy who woodgrained my dash, now owns. Trouble is it's history can't be tracked or verified during that time. But it's original bail radiator cap does bear the scars of having had an attachment to it for mounting a pennant or flag. The Super 8 has also been restored and any military markings it may have had cannot now be found. My understanding is that there is also reference to this car in an authorative local publication but nothing specific enough to positively identify the Super 8 as having been used by MacArthur.

And another lesser connection to the US military, also unsubstantiated, is my '38 Eight. Story goes it was a Hire Car in Melbourne, was "commandeered" by the US military early in WW2 and used on a fortnightly mail run from Melbourne or Adelaide to Darwin. Decent roads were mostly non-existent and sometimes conditions necessitated driving on railroad tracks, dry creek beds, through scrub and bush. The round trip from Adelaide was about 3,600 miles and from Melbourne about 4,500 miles. Blew an engine on one trip which was replaced with a '37 engine in Darwin. And the gears in the transmission were very worn tending to be "knife edged" when restored about 20 years ago.

A couple of interesting anecdotes which if substantiated would make the history of either Packard just a little more "special".

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Dave,

There's a similar topic on the AACA Technical Forum "Are 9/16" fine thread wheel bolts obsolete?". A guy in Norway is after flange head wheel bolts 9/16" x 2" UNF thread to fit a 1929 Chrysler. Could be an answer will come up there.

http://forums.aaca.org/ubbthreads.php/topics/553678/Are_9_16_fine_thread_wheel_bol#Post553678

I know the Soviets embalmed their leaders bodies but there still seems to be life in Uncle Joe, amazing that he continues to get around, see pic's.

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Probably because it was custom built?

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Eric,

If only it were that simple. You guys are 'spoiled' at times as our auto parts stores just don't stock that type of stuff for older cars.

Although it's not "correct", after all the sweat and effort expended yesterday I'm not about to replace it any time soon. The next guy who has the pleasure of owning and restoring the '41 will be able to do that.

And speaking of "correctness", the '41 will not be altered in any way unless necessary and even then any alterations are for functionality, or availability as well as fiscal constraints and are easily "correctable". Even though it's more a mechanical rebuild than a restoration it will still look like a Packard, feel like a Packard and drive like a Packard.

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West,

Tested the effectiveness of this set-up after install and there seems to reasonable air flow. 'Cause this was without the benefit of heated air and "the proof of the pudding will come in the eating" when all systems are running once the '41's back on the road. Although not hot, it is

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Mat,

Thanks for the '34 in the Registry, only leaves the '55 then you'll be safe from my wrathful vengeance!

Thursday 20th November 2008

Yesterday Wade had re-built the trans for John's '39 from the best parts from the original trans and the '41 trans found on eBay. John had also called in to see the trans and discuss progress on the '39 generally. And while John was there Harvey, the guy who woodgrained my dash, also dropped in to see the re-woodgrained dash in the car. Sorry I missed both the guys as it would have been good to catch up with them and to again thank Harvey for the wonderful job he did on the dash.

And today arrived just after midday to find Wade under the '39 re-installing the clutch and brake pedals, bracket and linkages. And while I tackled some things on the '41 Wade plugged away, in his natural habitat under a Packard, re-installing the re-built clutch and pressure plate in the '39.

While Wade was under John's '39 I started under the dash of the '41 disconnecting the demister tubing setup installed last week. Because the tubing for the demister had been heated in hot water and slid over the T piece while still hot and flexible and gave a good tight fit dis-assembly was another matter. But with a little persuasion was able to slide the flexible tubing off the T piece. To fit the new PVC 90 degree bend had to file down each end of the bend, especially the end connecting to the flexible tubing left up under the dash running to the left side demister outlet. After many failed trial fittings and re-filings finally managed to wriggle the tubing onto the bend. The other piece of tubing running from the bend to the demister blower outlet I'd previously put on the bend on the bench, a much easier working situation. Then to the right side. Should be easy, right? No - because of the confined space and although the tubing is flexible it's only flexible to a certain extent and kinked when I installed it. So off to the hardware store for another 90 degree PVC bend. This time had to file the inside surfaces of one of the bends mouths so it would fit over the metal blower outlet on top of the heater. Again many trial fittings and re-filings later got a good fit going. And this time heated the end of the flexible tubing in hot water and slid it on the other end of the PVC bend, makes it a whole lot easier. Then mounted this assembly on the blower motor outlet and the dash demister outlet, a great fit in the end.
Jim, again for the heads-up.

Next was re-mounting the horn assembly, horn relay and coil on the engine. While I was doing this Wade retired to the sanctuary of a comfortable chair in the office to have a drink, watch the cricket on TV and recuperate his aching back. Had to call on Wades assistance to sort out which wire went where for the horn relay, they still all look the same to me even though they're different colours and are numbered per the wiring diagram listing! Turned then to the left front inner panel between the grill and radiator surround. Needed a bit of 'panel bashing' as it had a few bends and warps in it which shouldn't have been there. I had POR-15'd it months ago and Wade said this would be a good test for the claimed qualities of the product after a good thumping. Wade gave me some rudimentary instructions of what to do. And so with a cloth between the shop "anvil", for want of a better term, and armed with a proceeded to re-arrange the molecules of the panel so to speak. Gave it a bashing then compared it with the right side one which didn't need belting and repeated the process a number of times until it looked in much straighter shape than before. Installed it back on the '41 but first had to chase through the captive nuts as 'someone' had again been very liberal when applying POR-15. And the POR-15, how did it survive the onslaught? Very well, didn't crack or anything so it appears the makers claims are justified.

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