Packard Motor Car Information

Re: KPack

Posted by kevinpackard On 2021/1/17 19:59:29

Some progress on the Panama over the past week. I've been getting things ready for eventually getting a new windshield installed. As part of that process I am doing a bit of body work on the strip right above the windshield flange and below the drip rail to smooth it out and make it as nice as possible. I also removed all the old seam sealer from the drip rail. Most of it had surface rust underneath it that was bleeding through the white paint. With it out the way I used a wire brush on a Dremel and cleaned it as best I could. Then applied some Ospho with a small brush and let it sit for a day. Reapplied Ospho and immediately cleaned it off with water (supposed to be the only way that you can get the acid off). Then mixed up some epoxy primer and painted it into the seam. I'll apply new seam sealer soon.

Fabric samples came from SMS. They are very good. The seat fabric is right on. My original fabric is definitely faded. The headliner sample they sent is not correct though. The original headliner (confirmed with other Panama's) is smooth, like the center sample. Compared to the scraps of the original that I have left, it looks like a good match. So the headliner is now being made and should hopefully be here in a couple weeks. Now I have to learn how to install a headliner.

I had previously wire wheeled, applied Ospho, and primed all the headliner bows. I went back and scuffed them up and painted them with a gray enamel (easier to see against the black when installing) and put them back in place to test the fit. All good.

It's amazing to see the difference on the roof from when I first got the car. 6 months ago I pulled down the original headliner to reveal a disaster. Now I'm getting ready to install a new one, and the roof is rust-free, epoxied, painted, insulated, and clean. Too bad it will never be seen again.

I took the lower interior windshield trim and cleaned it up. This was another of the pieces that had been covered in fake wood vinyl sticker at some point in the past. I'm glad it was because it kept the chrome almost pristine. Removing all the glue gunk was a pain, but they polished up very nicely.

This next week I will finish the body work above the windshield, seam seal the drip rail, and learn all about headliners.

-Kevin

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