(Model Body Number, not Chassis)

(####-#### Format)

1926

3rd

267

333

Six Sedan Limousine

78723

*MISSING*

*MISSING*

Current Owner

Barrington, Tasmania, Australia

Poor

Phillip Weeks

Burnie, Tasmania, Australia

Good

Cream And Brown

7 Seats including 2 folding occasional seats. Partition window behind front seat with curved glass panels on each side.Leather trim planned for the front seat and fabric for the rear section.

Body is aluminium apart from the scuttle and hood. It is probably a coachbuilt body but there are no remaining makers indications.

6 CYL

78797

3 Speed Manual

Intercom between passenger and drivers
compartments. Air compressor fitted to
gearbox.

pThe car was bought by my grandfather in about 1946. It had been cut into a Ute,(pick u
is the American description I think). It was used for many years by the family as a farm vehicle (including some work as a tractor) and as a general transport vehicle.


pThe local Choir lead by my Grandmother was transported to various concerts sitting on some church pews in the back! My Mum and Dad used it during their courting days - they were married in October 195. It was last registered in 1962. It then sat in a garage until some restoration started in 1967.


pMost of the had been removed and dumped and a shell of a different type of car welded in place. The frame had rotted to the point where it was not usable. I found the doors and bonnet in bushland not far from the property where the car was stored. A tree was growing through one of the window openings in a door and the bonnet had been run over with a bulldozer.


pMost of the metal work was unusable but the door latches, handles and window winders were salvaged. The small die-cast window winder gearboxes had disintegrated but I was able to mill out some brass to replicate the housings. I found the frames of the occasional seats in the creek on the farm - any place seemed to be a handy place to dum
junk years ago.


pThe only thing recognisable as a Packard was theradiator, guards, wheelsand headlights.


pEven the Packard script from the radiator was gone. When I started work as an apprentice in 1969, I drafted the Packard script word style from the plate onto graph paper to enlarge it, then transferred it to some brass bar. The bar was then laboriously drilled and filed it out until it looked similar to the original script. Today it could have done reproduced with a computer and a laser or water jet cutter in a fraction of the time.


pI bought another Packard which had the remains of a front seat and partition window section which then gave us a start in recreating the original shape.


p4 years later it has finallybeen packed together and sent to a restoration company for a complete restoration. A lot of parts were in a large box on the back.


pThe engine is practically finished apart from some big-end work and assembly. The block had many cracks and repairs and at least 2 holes where a con-rod could have gone through, although it could have also been caused by the engine being re-sleeved many years ago and there being too little cast iron left to support the sleeve as it was pressed in. It has new pistons,valves, valve guides,big end bearings. Another spare block would be good!!


pThe sum
has had 2 large holes and some cracks welded. Yes it's a basket case but it has great sentimental value and is worth the effort. As one fellow said,"kee
it -once it's gone you can't get it back".


pThe restoration has slowly continued for nearly 4 years. Some of the front brake mechanism had to be remade and the rest were kindly supplied by Bob Davis from South Australia. Body frames were remade from satin sycamore and the whole skin is hand rolled and beaten aluminium.


pWe were unsure of the rear dimensions such as the size of the rear window, how far was it to the next side window, width of the rear door and so on. Byron York kindly sent photo measurements of his model. He fixed a cloth measuring tape to his car work and then photographed it to show the actual dimensions.


pOne of the back axles was so badly damaged that a new axle had to be fitted. Apparently the wheel must have come loose and the axle key-way and thread was damaged. The axle thread was re-cut to 7/8 " Whitworth - a replacement axle solved all those problems. Some of the clutch plates were cracked and David McCredie had some spare ones that fitted perfectly - thanks David. The car is now reassembled and I hope to test drive it in late July 213. The engine runs quite well and this can be viewed on YouTube " Starting a 1926 Packard"


pI have since driven the car complete with Mal Harris (Ozstatsman) and Noel Shorter in the back and my wife Marjorie sitting on a plastic crate (with a cushion!) beside me. The last time I drove it was in the middle 6's. The car starts and runs well, 42 psi oil pressure.Slight tappet noise that will be adjusted out. I soon realised that the gears have to be in neutral and the brake applied to be able to press the starter on the floor with my left foot - it is right hand drive if you are wondering. We hoped to have the car back in Tasmania by Christmas 213 but the final plating of the lights, bonnet hinge etc, could not be done until end of May 214.


pThe Packard finally returned to Tasmania in July 214. The trimming then commenced and the car was finally back in its own garage at the end of October 214.


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