Keegan's 55 Clipper Deluxe
Posted by Keegan Chaput On 2008/3/6 1:36:27
I'm going to take full advantage of a project journal that I can't possibly loose or get grease on or set fire to!
A quick background is in order: I purchased the car February 8, 2008 and drove it home the next morning. I paid $1000 for it with the proceeds from selling my 54 Chevy for $1300. It was originally a North Dakota car, but spent the last 25 years or so sitting behind a car dealership in St. Cloud, MN.
The trip home was interesting. The weather was in the teens and I had about an hour drive to my shop while enjoying the fresh-air vents that time had created for me in the floor. The roads were pretty clear though and it didn't quit on me, though the transmission did have a hard time finding a gear that it liked.
My goals for the car are to have a reliable driver that is safe and fun to drive and not to spend my kids college fund before I have a chance to save it. I would like to keep it original looking, but I have no problem upgrading areas for safety, reliability, and comfort. Let's face it, this car was probably the cheapest Packard on the lot at the time is was originally purchased. I don't believe that I'm hurting the value of it by changing out original parts for upgrades here and there.
I want to do the car in small projects. I'd like to keep it drivable as much as possible and together as much as possible. If I have to ignore it for a few months I don't want to come back to a pile of parts and no memory of where they go. (Go ask my old Camaro how that plan worked out for it!)
I'll try to document as much of it as possible with pictures and for my own curiosity, I'll keep a running tally on major purchases for parts and labor.
Finally, I'd like to point out that I'd never have attempted this without a resource as great as packardinfo.com!
Running Tally:
Car Purchase----------$1000
New Battery------------$35
Brake Drums Turned--$30
Wheel Bearings---------$44
Grease Seals-----------$23
Front Shocks-----------$46
King Pin Rebuild Kit---$103
Windshield/Front Seat Combo---$225 (Thanks PackmanDon)
Current Total:--------$1506
Attach file:
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A quick background is in order: I purchased the car February 8, 2008 and drove it home the next morning. I paid $1000 for it with the proceeds from selling my 54 Chevy for $1300. It was originally a North Dakota car, but spent the last 25 years or so sitting behind a car dealership in St. Cloud, MN.
The trip home was interesting. The weather was in the teens and I had about an hour drive to my shop while enjoying the fresh-air vents that time had created for me in the floor. The roads were pretty clear though and it didn't quit on me, though the transmission did have a hard time finding a gear that it liked.
My goals for the car are to have a reliable driver that is safe and fun to drive and not to spend my kids college fund before I have a chance to save it. I would like to keep it original looking, but I have no problem upgrading areas for safety, reliability, and comfort. Let's face it, this car was probably the cheapest Packard on the lot at the time is was originally purchased. I don't believe that I'm hurting the value of it by changing out original parts for upgrades here and there.
I want to do the car in small projects. I'd like to keep it drivable as much as possible and together as much as possible. If I have to ignore it for a few months I don't want to come back to a pile of parts and no memory of where they go. (Go ask my old Camaro how that plan worked out for it!)
I'll try to document as much of it as possible with pictures and for my own curiosity, I'll keep a running tally on major purchases for parts and labor.
Finally, I'd like to point out that I'd never have attempted this without a resource as great as packardinfo.com!
Running Tally:
Car Purchase----------$1000
New Battery------------$35
Brake Drums Turned--$30
Wheel Bearings---------$44
Grease Seals-----------$23
Front Shocks-----------$46
King Pin Rebuild Kit---$103
Windshield/Front Seat Combo---$225 (Thanks PackmanDon)
Current Total:--------$1506
Attach file:
(37.00 KB)
(34.44 KB)
(57.84 KB)
(58.25 KB)
(51.91 KB)
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