Quote:

I'll post pictures in a separate thread, probably later tonight. That way it can be easily found and referenced by others who might be looking for the same thing. Most of the components for the system are from Vintage Air.

-Kevin

What carb are you using,a Stromberg? The way you have the safety wire will tend to open or richen if there is any flexing of the vacuum line,that it is tied to. The original factory carb was CHandler-Groves or later known as Holley.The original factory replacement was WA1 Carter. Even though the C-G carb was said to be bad,I have known two 115C owners who used the C-G carb with no problems.

On Senior cars the seat bottom just lifts up. Sometimes a tight squeeze though for whatever reason.

Power seat uses motors and a switch or two. Typical electrical repair. Also need to clean off and regrease the lead screws. I can walk you through some things a bit once it's apart.

I don't have a better idea than JB weld for the clips

I think you meant put a 288 head on a 327 would increase compression. The 120 I'm picking up is a 1940. I might be new to Packad, but not to engines and transmissions. Packard did know what they were doing. My objective is slightly different than Packard's smooth low end torque engine.....200+ hp instead of the 120. A lot has changed since the 30's to incorporate refinements....but no one will see the internals.
If I were ever to put a V8 where there was a Packard L8, it would only be with a Packard V8. I do have an R11 to pick up...and rebuild. I've liked Packard for a long time and have come close several times to buying one. Now, here I am about to delve into a 1940 120 to ready in time for the Great Race 2025.
thanks to everyone that has taken the time to reply,
Mark

Waiting on steering parts. So, I am inside the car and way out of my comfort zone or knowledge. I know there are two heater boxes under the front seat, and it is a powered seat (that doesn’t work). Would like to pull it out so I can lay down a few moving blankets while I treat the rusty roof and apply sound deadening. The manual shows the bolt location and the connector; but it also says, “remove cushion.” Does it just lift up or are there clips? Can the back part of the front seat be removed prior to removing the seat from the car? It looks heavy as a whole seat, and it is just me. Any suggestions or tips for resurrecting the power seat. Also, the chrome strips on my door panels have basically fallen off. The bendable tabs that protrude through the fabric and panel are basically rusted away. The chrome looks great just no tabs. Appears as though these were on a strip that was pinched by the outer chrome. Right now, I am contemplating using JB weld to attach some soft metal to the backside of the chrome.

First Eliminator, listen to Ross. He knows all these engines. You didn't say what year 120 you're picking up. If 1938-on, you won't have to do all the reconfiguring Bob J did on his 120" wb first generation 120, because your wheelbase will be 127".

You can't use a 288 or 327 head on a 120 because they have 3 1/2" bores, while the 257/282 120 engines 3 1/4". BTW, looking for a first year only '35 257 is ridiculous. You're going backwards to go forward. More cubic inches, all things being equal = more power, hp and torque, the latter more important because that's what gets you through the gears. If you want a good road car you can drive fast enough on the freeway to have your license revoked, add overdrive, assuming this 120 you're picking up isn't 1939-on and already has the optional overdrive.

Acceleration = torque, gearing, weight. Absolute speed = horsepower, gearing, CD (coefficent of drag ratio).

"Weight is the enemy." Congratulations for not destroying your new Packard by dumping in a modern V-8, turning it into another retro rod/Frankencar. So many bozos with no understanding, and no appreciation of the past, no historical perspective, just want some "cool old timey" car to wow the other dullards at a cars 'n' coffee.

Knowledge is power. Listen to Ross, HH56 and the others above.

If you brought your 120 into the Packard dealer's service dept. with a shot or tired engine, they routinely replaced it with a 288 from 1948-on. The 288 is an underrated, gutsy engine, and with its short stroke, will wind. Put a 327 head on it and you'll boost compression but still won't exceed 8:1 as Ross sagely reminds So your 120 will still be "authentic" and "correct," should any clipboard wielding cupcakes at some show notice, and in this day and age, all they'll see is that murky Packard green engine paint, and eight spark plugs in a row.

Too many newbies want to reinvent the wheel. Packard knew what they were doing. But if you're rebuilding a 288 anyway, port and polish the manifold, lighten the flywheel.
Otherwise, just follow the Packard Shop Manual. Packard knew as much about engines as Lycoming, Chrysler or GM. The 120 engine is pure Pontiac in design, but viva la difference in execution, refinement. That was Packard's way since the aughts. While Cad, Olds, Chrysler, even Studebaker about to debut or working on OHV V-8s, Packard, distracted by hefty, less hassle govt. jet engine contracts, increasingly phoned in the cars after the war. So the 288 and 327 are just large bore revisions of a 1935 engine.

You do not want a 356. A 327 is nearly as powerful, more so with compression boost and/or four-barrel car, and weighs nearly 3 0 0 lbs. less than the 356 boat anchor. 356s are an expensive nightmare to rebuild correctly, and just a 282 with four more unnecessary main bearings. BTW, hydraulic valve lifters were a $25 or $50 option in the 288 and early 327s, the later editions of the latter came standard with hydraulic lifters.
Since you're a rodder, i'll leave it to you whether you want dead or hydraulic lifters. But remember, Packards were about low end torque and smoothness.

Losing weight and the right gearing will give you a real road car.

Remember, Packard's most profitable year ever was 1929, and while they owned the fine car market through 1936, that was a minute fraction of the car biz. They were on the skids ever since, and just as they had a bell ringer in late '41, the war cut that, left them cash cows but making one automotive bad move after another ever after, a moot point because all independents were doomed.

So if they couldn't get a V-8 out 'til 1 9 5 5, the same year coincidentally as Pontiac, and that V-8 had glitches and the cars shoddy, at least they still made really good flathead straight 8s.

Finally, a Packard 327 and four barrel carb on either a 288 or 327 would give you more oomph. If you don't have an overdrive, get an R-11 introduced late '48. They are slightly simplified from the 1940-early '48 R-9, more plentiful, so cheaper. Jeff Adkins, Moose Motors, Penngrove (Petaluma, CA in the North Bay) has several. packardguy54@sbcglobal.net (707) 792-9985. Jeff has all the mechanical and electrical parts 1935-56. Another A-1 source is Mike Chirco, Tucson Packard (520) 336-0057, packardautoparts@gmail.com
As is Mike Grimes, Merritt Packard, mike@packardparts.com, Mike Grimes, (317) 736-6233, (317) 736-6233 ext 103, ext. 103

Please tell these gents that Mike, Walnut Creek, CA '47 Super Clipper referred you.

And thank another day of 100+ heat for trapping me in the office and enabling this humble seminar from half a century of Packarding (with forays into Cords, Hudsons, and dozens others).

Wonder if a couple of external tooth star or serrated lockwashers would provide enough grab to keep vibration under control. One at the carb between spring and base and the other at the screw head might bite into the spring and each surface to hold it in position. If that would not work perhaps a small dab of gas resistant glyptal or varnish at the threads would seep in just enough to lock it down but would still "crack" open to allow future adjustment.

I felt the same way about Facebook for many years before I realized that the groups are private so one can "lurk" there safely.

HPH, An excellent question and one that puzzled me when I first ran into it. After reading their Newsletter notice you posted here I reluctantly agreed with the reasoning for the other categories they limited but not the forum. Seems to me like they would want to have an information outlet wide open but apparently not. Maybe it has something to do with spam posts which had gotten somewhat prevalent there.

After the initial limit to the forum something happened and it was open again for a couple of weeks or so. Whether that was an accident, a trial run, or something else is unknown but it was locked down tight again and has stayed that way since. It is a shame that some people will not get a timely answer or maybe any at all as you are correct in that the traffic there has been very low for some time. Many do not know about packardinfo to ask questions here either.

AACA used to be the go to forum for Packards but I think it was some actions by a heavy moderator that drove people away from there so it also is barely alive. Kev stepped in to start this forum so we can thank him for packardinfo being open and so popular. Between a former moderator at the PAC forum and the lockdown I fear the same has or will happen to that forum. Whether people are going to a facebook place I suppose that is a possibility but I am not now or ever will be a member of facebook and I expect there are many others who feel the same way.

OK, so here’s the story.
37 Packard 115 C.
Stock carburetor.
I have a constant issue with the air fuel idle mixture screw drifting. This causes over fuel condition, rough running, etc.
In the picture was my fix.
Does anyone have other suggestions on how to keep the needle valve screw from adjusting out.
This usually happens after I’ve driven the car and parked it and let it cool down.
The car started right up at the garage. Ran great until I got about 2 miles from our dinner stop..
When I parked I turned the screw about an eighth of a turn, maybe like a 16th into the lean and the car idle right out.
It ran ok back to the house and then t turned about 1/8 turn lean and it smoothed out , better than the parking lot adjustment.
Thanks

Attach file:

---

  IMG_2544.jpeg (2,332.41 KB)


  IMG_2545.jpeg (4,286.95 KB)