I had the same problem with my car. First thing is put a trolley jack under the diff, if it still leans then it is the front springs. Then move the jack under the center of the front crossmember. If it leans, then the issue is rear springs. If so, have a good look for a broken leaf. If it is the front, take the springs out and see if they are the same height. All I had to do was swap sides of the front coils. Please let us know what you find. Gary

Hello Warren. I am guessing your master cylinder is barreled. A test you can do, no need to have the car moving, give the brake pedal a quick hit. I would expect it to be hard and not depress too far. Then release and very gently press the pedal down. If it goes further than previously, then it means the middle of the master cylinder is worn in its middle, and fluid is leaking back past. Hope this helps.
Gary

When I first brought my 49 home (as a basket case) and stripped the engine, the water distribution tube was gone. Supposed to be brass, as the replacement is, but obviously the factory used steel sometimes.
Simple test, if your car has a heater bypass it, if it doesn't, just connect the heater outlet on the water pump to the fitting in the head (near no.6) and see if that makes a difference. if it does, it means the distribution tube is the problem.
Gary

Thank you for that.
Gary

Hello Everyone. Can anyone please tell me when Packard first used an open driveshaft, enclosed live axle on longitudinal leaf springs (i.e. Hotchkiss system)? I am not familiar with really early Packards.
Thanks.
Gary

Here's an idea. When the car is supported on the chassis and the axle hanging, the Panhard rod will pull the rear axle to one side. This is a design fault, the stud on the chassis end of the Panhard rod is too short. Mine was broken off when I got the car, I replaced it with a 4 inch set screw, with an extra nut, washer and rubber inboard of the chassis mount. This means when the car is lifted the Panhard rod isn't under tension, and it still has play when on the ground.
Gary

That is my point, use the 10 weight only if you want to go ice road trucking.

Sorry, I just don't get it. I cannot fathom the idea of using oil like 10W30 in one of these old bangers. I am sure the teenager at the parts retailer thinks it is good oil, yes it is, for a 2020 engine. As Scotty from Star Trek kept reminding Kirk, ye cannae change the laws of physics. The physics here is called Couette Flow, which in a nutshell means the greater the clearances the higher viscosity oil you need. More recent engines have much smaller clearances, so they can use lower viscosity lubricant, this reduces bearing friction. Engines made 70 years ago were never intended for anything less than 20W50, unless you are north of the Arctic Circle.
The lower viscosity oil will escape more easily from hydraulic lifters too. maybe that is the cause of your lifter rattle. If anyone has been running a Packard engine on low viscosity oil and tears it down for a rebuild, please post photos of the crank and bearings. Additionally hydraulic lifters don't like gunk in them, so one suggestion is use Diesel engine oil. Diesels are filthy, so oil for them has a high detergent content. You will be unlikely to get blockages in the lifters or galleries. Avoid the low viscosity 'water", this is poison.
Gary (mechanical engineer)

Hi Joe. Why are you using 10W30 oil?
Gary

My 49 had been off the road since 1969, I got it in 09 and took the engine apart for a rebuild. I didn't find any distribution tube, just lots of rust flakes in the block. So it must be that the factory did use sheet steel tubes.
The strange thing is I can't remember installing a tube when I assembled the engine. It doesn't overheat, so I must have.
Gary