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Don't know about Packard but have replaced the water tube in a DeSoto flathead 6. It was necessary to remove the rad and water pump but not the grille. The hard part was getting the tube moving, if it does not come out I suggest using 2 hooks if you don't want to damage it.

I would also suggest turning the rad upside down and flushing it with a garden hose. I did this and got out a big mess of chewed up paper shop rags. Probably an old mouse nest. This was causing my overheating.

Or take it to a rad shop for a thorough flushing.

You can also take out the frost plugs and wash out the water jackets. In my case there was a couple inches of "mud" it washed out easily with a pressure washer.

Great ideas, thanks. I am definitely heading for the water distributing tube, and I plan on taking the fenders off any way so I might as well take the grill while i'm at it. Thanks for the info on the double hooks and the frost plugs. I had the radiator professionally cleaned 2 years ago.

eBay has brake shoes for 78 dollars for the front axle, covers seniors from 1950-1954. sounds too good to be true.

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Not necessarily. Don't know that particular company but am almost positive the shoes are used on other common cars. When I did a 54 Pacific a few years ago, took old ones down to a local independent brake service. They pulled new ones off the shelf. Turned out they were used on something else-- a pickup, I think--don't remember which one though & at the time wasn't forward thinking enough to write it down.

eBay has brake shoes for 78 dollars for the front axle, covers seniors from 1950-1954. sounds too good to be true.

Last fall I bought 4 new shoes for the 56 Caribbean from Kanter. No core charge so I kept the old shoes just in case. I believe Kanter's price was $60 ($15 per shoe). EDIT - lining was bonded, primary shoe was shorter as it should be, but by color and appearance both primary and secondary seemed to be the same material. Nevertheless I'm more than satisfied with their performance.

You can tell if the water distribution tube is OK without taking the engine apart. If the tube is shot the back of the engine will get hot while the front runs cool. All the water streams up the front of the engine and straight out the rad hose.

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So do I tell the difference from the front of the engine to the rear scientifically with a digital therm or just use one hand on the front and one on the back while the engine warms up...

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Seller is Falcon Global ($78 for front pair, $69 for rear)

http://myworld.ebay.com/ebaymotors/falconglobal/

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Packard-1951-56-300-400-Senior-front-brake-shoes_W0QQitemZ190299590004QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item190299590004&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A1205|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

I found a hood for a 51 Packard on ebay; $100. I should fit my 52, correct? I know the lettering is wrong, and there would be holes to fill.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1951-51-PACKARD-HOOD-1952-52-53-54_W0QQitemZ130299425460QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item130299425460&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A1171|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318#ebayphotohosting

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Carl,

Lucky you live in the US because shipping to Oz is US$73.50!

Laid off today from the power plant. Now I have ALOT of times on my hands.