Re: Howard's 47 Custom project

Posted by HH56 On 2013/4/12 15:08:57

Keith, I hear you on getting tuf but I am a card carrying old fogey and what hasn't fallen off or quit working just plain hurts. I think I'll stick with proven methods.

Tom, thanks to you and Kev for the advice on the oven cleaner. I experimented a bit today and looks like it will do nicely in some spots but the real greasy ones require a bit more.

A little more playing under the car and in the trunk today. Found another small bit of rust in one of the trunk front depressions near the spare tire although not nearly what I would expect looking at the general interior condition and what was left of the flock material. I'm sure thinking that lower cost finish and particularly the flock adhesive they used was a giant water trap. On this car, the adhesive stayed mostly intact in a sheet but cracked and separated from the metal. Any water that managed to get in then run under the adhesive and sat on the metal -- and apparently did it at every opportunity. Maybe the flock is OK on the sides but IMO, putting it on the floor was not one of Packards better ideas -- even for a car they didn't expect to last more than a few years. The worst rust is still the back panel piece and approx 1 inch of the trunk floor where the two join.

Pressure washed the car's outside. Surprisingly, after 20 years of dirt came off and even though it was a repaint at some time, what is there looks pretty darn presentable. Much better than I remembered it.

Guess I will bite the bullet and order Kanter's deluxe brake overhaul kit & brake tubing kit so as to have new everything. Debating a front suspension kit -- even though I don't think it needs everything in that particular package. At first glance, it looks cost effective to order a kit over just the pieces I know are needed. A kit might even cover surprises later & always good to have extras. Have to think about the approach on the rear rubber. Dropping the rear end and springs looks like a lot of work -- two painkillers at least.

Also ordered some engine paint and rust conversion paint from Hirsch as well as a can of Por 15 from another vendor.