Re: BigKev's 1954 Packard Clipper Deluxe Sedan

Posted by BigKev On 2011/3/25 20:10:34

Took the Clipper out for a 45 min drive today with my daughters (price they pay for wanting Drive-Thru for dinner). Once fully warmed up she ran like a top. Even the transmission is feeling better off the line. Still no direct lock-up, but I had her up to 60mph without the motor feeling stained at all.

Kids didn't believe I was going to pull the car through the narrow driveway in the burger joint drive-thru, but the old Clipper handled it just fine. Then came the next question "Where are the cup holders?", my response "You each have two of them, they are on the ends of your wrists.". I made one of them hold my drink as steering the car at very low speed (under 5mph) requires two hands. Above that you can steer with one finger.

The eldest daughter wanted to be dropped off at a friends house on the way back. So I took the long way, which gave me a 4 mile stretch of open road to get the car up to speed. Temp stayed pegged at slightly above the 1/2 mark no matter if the car was moving, or sitting in traffic.

Coming into the driveway of her friend's house, the car scrapped in the front and back. The driveway did seam particularly steep, but there is a dip where the driveway meets the street. So backing up I had to take it at an angle to avoid scrapping the new tailpipe on the pavement. Those radial tires sure make the car sit much lower that stock. Put they do make the car track straight while at speed.