Hello:
Thanks for the input, my wife might agree with you that the gremlins are inside me.... LOL, but materialistically, them little gremlins do find a way so I have to fine tune my work on the car. Unfortunately that little car I played with when I was little is gone, I wish I could get it back.
Thanks,
Jim

Hello Ernie:
Thank you for the compliments on the car. I'm not sure if anybody really knows why I built this car. The reason is just as important as the build itself in my eyes. Ernie, when I was 5 to 7 years old, my favorite toy was a metal push car about 10 inches long that was in the shape of a 1930's Indy racer. I played with that simple car for years until I got interested in baseball, bicycles and other things. The little metal car was forgotten about until about 2 years ago I saw a program on TV about a bunch of old restored Indy cars going around a race track. Well the memories of that little car came flooding back to me. Finally I had to see if there was one for sale and the only one that I found was a restored 30's Indy car and it had a price tag of around $275,000 !! So I did the next best thing, I looked up the specs of an Indy car of that era. Knowing to start with a heavy rolling chassis, I came across the 1952 Chevy one ton rolling chassis. I guess the rest is history. I wasn't going to have the lack of money to buy one stop me from having one, so I made my own and it's far from perfect. I call this car, a "we" car, for if wasn't for some of my talented friends and local businesses that are so much more talented than I, this car wouldn't look this nice or be this far. So if you have a dream to build something, do it !! Anything is possible if you put your mind to it. Just be sure to use a Packard drive train....Thanks again Ernie,
Jim

Hi John:
Thanks for your vote of confidence in the build. She is away from being driven, but is ready to show as a "project in the works". I'm going on the optimistic side of the coin and say she should go from zero to 60 MPH in under 2 minutes..... That is with a tailwind is at my back and I'm on a little down hill road......LOL. The big event ( Mississippi Mayhem ) that I was looking forward to showing her is today and tomorrow, unfortunately it is now pouring rain and is supposed to continue with more heavy rains, high winds and possible hail throughout the day so she won't be pushed out of the garage or put on the trailer until tomorrow morning. Tomorrow's weather is supposed to be partly sunny and in the 70's. If you'd like, I'll take and send pictures of the car show.
Thanks again for inquiring and the compliments,
Take care,
Jim

Thanks Mal for all you do, this build wouldn't be able to see here without your help. Anytime you get to our area, let me know. Our trip to Australia was great, what a beautiful, clean country you live in.
Thanks again,
Jim

How true John, I like the way you think. I did make a hood for it although it isn't rolled yet to the contour of the grille and cowl. The carb does stick out on top, I guess I could cut that area of the hood out. The hood I made was just to cover the top, no sides yet. When I get back from vacation, the rest of the build will be in order, so far I'm all caught up on the honey do list......LOL.
Take Care,
Jim

Thanks John, this build is taking a look on its own. I don't know if that's good or bad....LOL. It looks a lot better in person, the pictures didn't do it proper justice. Next is installing the steering column, dash, then remaking the clutch and brake pedals and hanging the Packard scripts on the grille.
Thanks again for looking,
Jim

Hi All:
In appreciation for Mal and all the other Packard members that have been helping and following this build, next week I'm taking the Indy body back down to La Crosse Sign company to have lettering done to honor the Packard. Once it comes back and the body is on the frame again, I'll send pictures,
Thanks again,
Jim

Hi John:
Thank you for your interest in this odd Indy car build. You are right, a 500 CFM carb would have been easier to set up, but this is what I had left when I sold all my carbs, gaskets and carb equipment. I did manage to keep all my strip kits for Carter and Edelbrock carbs that I used when altering the main and needle jets in the past. This is a first for me to make a Packard straight 8 perform, but it is a 327 cubic engine, the same size that GM and other auto manufacturers built 50 some years ago using multiple carb set ups. Pontiac and Chevy come to mind mostly. Oldsmobile in 1956 or so had what they called a J-2 series engine that ran a 3 deuce carb set up, so did Pontiac ( The Bonneville )in 1963 in their 421 CID engines. They later found better acceleration at the strip by setting up mechanical linkage instead of the factory progressive linkage. The other factor I'm pondering on is that in the past I could work with different cams, but in this case the Packard is a stock motor. I also thought of running 2, two barrel carbs. Years ago Edelbrock, Offenhauser and others made an adaptor to fit on a four barrel intake so you could run dual carbs. I'm sorry, I got off track, yep, it will be a challenge with this carb, the whole Indy build has been a challenge and I don't know how it will turn out but that's the fun of a build like this. Every day when I walk into the garage I ask myself, well what are you going to mess up today ? .....LOL,
Thanks John,
Jim

Hi John:
Yes, it is a picture of my original high school car I had back in 1970. Today, I still own it but the drive train and interior has been updated since it was purchased back then. There are more pictures of it in the other post that Mal put up for me on page 6. My computer won't upload or down load pictures to the Packard Website for some reason, that's why Mal has to put them up for me.
Thanks,
Jim

It was a new one on me too....LOL. The 240 Z Datsuns were known for frame rust and around here the rust is a continuous battle. They use a salt and sand method on our roads and highways during the Winter months.
Have a great day,
Jim