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My friend took those pictures and modified them right on his phone. I like them as they help me see afresh something that I have been looking at for too long.

For grins here is a similar effect on the 51 Packup I built last year.

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Ross I really like your eye... you have the vision and the skills to customize your cars to the next level.

Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for the kind words. I am following your project with great interest.

As mentioned, I was not pleased with the placement of the continental spare, so have lowered it quite a bit. It now sits level with the bottom of the bumper and peeks just above the decklid.

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Have had some inquiries about the lack of progress on the After Eight--it was preempted.

Am turning 60 this year and decided to throw a week long bash for all my mountain biking buddies out in Moab Utah the first full week in Sept. Add to that a long standing plan to drive my 63 Lark convertible out there to enjoy the national parks with the TOP DOWN. So the 63 got a major campaign done on it from April til the morning I left on August 29th. All of those NOS parts I'd been sniffing out for 20 years were installed along with a minor engine overhaul, every rubber bushing on the chassis, new dash, top etc. Whew. But worth it. Drove 4800 pretty much trouble free miles in about two weeks.

For what it is worth, I would take a visit to the mountains and canyons around Moab over a trip to the Grand Canyon. Sorry for the non Packard content but thought some might like to know

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Hi Ross

Good decision to lower the continental spare. The proper visual relationship between the deck-lid surface and the top of the tire has to be just enough to identify the spare as separate without being too obtrusive. The 1940-'48 Continental set the standard; the '56 T-Bird the example of how not to do it.

Your '63 Daytona must have been quite a sensation on the main Moab drag! I had the pleasure to visit there a few years ago to tour Arches National Park. What magnificent natural wonders, so grand in scale.

Steve

Is it in paint?? John

Ross, just went thru this whole thread and read all the posts. Wanted to say that I am super impressed with not only your planning and workmanship, but also your creativity. Hope to see more updates.

Got well hung up on the folding top mechanism, and then life and a lot of other projects injected themselves.

Went with a design similar to that used on the 49-51 Dodge Wayfarers and actually many other convertible coupes with only one side window. Took me quite a while to get my brain around it and how to work out the pivot locations. The problem is compounded by the 13 degree tumblehome and the taper of the car from the windshield to the center pillar.

So, have fabricated the two sides of the mechanism and have made the header bow. This will sit down over, rather than on top of the windshield header making the windshield look less tall while the top is up as the upper chrome molding will be obscured.

Have two Packard and a Studebaker truck in build along with a '38 Chassis and two Ultramatics. A bit stretched just the moment.

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I have no doubt you'll figure a way out. Maybe a foldable hardtop....

Finally got most of the customer cars out so am back on the After Eight. The car sat in the shed way longer than anticipated and seized but a huge dose of acetone and ATF freed it. Much smoke ensued on the first startup.

Have spent the last couple days incorporating a Chevy-into-Jeep conversion radiator. The normal Packard radiator is now simply too tall. Welded plates to the radiator cradle to accommodate, fabbed mods to the splasher, and made an entertaining fan shroud. Fun. Was also able to work out the radiator hoses and thermostat housing. This is a major step towards getting the beast to move on its own.

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