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Barrie,

The "Wobblies" don't look too wobbly at the moment with a couple of good results against the Boks and the Blacks. The game this week-end against the stirred-up Blacks will be a real test!

Wednesday 30th July 2008

After the plumber finished the sewer fix mid morning, it was off to the workshop. Because Wade wasn't in, left to my own devices so started on the rubber components for the body. Made 2 rubber washers and eyes for the clutch and brake pedals because the originals were badly perished and the eye for the clutch one was missing, see pic's. These were all cut out by hand using a Stanley knife, very carefully mind you as I don't like the sight of my own blood. And as you'll see from the results Steele, and others in that game, have nothing to fear whatsoever. I believe they'll do the job, and were cut from rubber about 1/4" thick. Using the same 1/4" thick rubber and using the old heel well pads as templates cut out some new pads also with the Stanley, see pic's. Then onto the big one, the front floor and under-seat underlay. This was cut out using 1/8" thick rubber and the old underlay as a template, see pic's. Last was the underlay for the sloping bottom of the firewall. This has been cut to overall size, but needs holes cut for things like accelerator, brake and clutch pedals, etc. The holes and any other trimming will be attended to on Friday as I'm unlikely to be able to get to the workshop tomorrow. The plate around the clutch and brake pedals and the bottom of the steering column will require some corrective surgery as it's been modified at some stage, see pic. And John advised me that the new rear brake lines are ready to be picked up.

And Al, we'll be sure to check out your suggestion.
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Guy's,

I thought I recognized it as a '41 too, but left the original description "as is" in case. I'll pass news of the confirmation back to the guy who sent me the pic and he can take it from there.

Quote from an email sent to me by a guy in the Hudson-AMC Club here in Oz:

"Mal,

Here a some pix of a ?SHED? Andrew Lidden once had! He has moved his collection to his farm now I believe. We did a tour of the shed during my President's Weekend back in 2005. Maybe this will whet your appetite!!!!!!!!!! ALL of the cars along the left side of the shed (DSC04242) are Packard's?.. all along the back wall & some of the right hand side wall is pallet racking for ?some' of his Motor Bike collection. He has ?the disease' (old cars, bikes, trucks & tractors) really bad!"

NOTE - Click on a pic to enlarge it(one at a time)

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G'day,

I was sent these pictures by a guy in the Hudson-AMC Club here in Oz. Here's what he said:

"I see that you have a '41 Packard! Do you know that Admiral Nimitz (World War II) car, a '42 Packard that he used when in Australia is being restored in Taree? It's owned by a mate of mine who bought it from the estate of the late Bruce Cooper. Bruce bought it many years ago as a tow car for his Maserati race car see original photo (taken at Bathurst I think)".

And later he sent me this:

"The guy who owns it now is Kevin ........ ? a mate who has done some superb restorations of cars. He has quite a collection in his ?shed' just out of Taree. He also bought another car from Bruce's estate, a ?35 & later sold it to Andrew Lidden so I don't know if we will ever see it again! I have attached a couple of pix of it on Andrew's tilt tray when he picked it up.


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Tuesday 29th July 2008

Didn't get to the workshop today but did catch up with a few things. First went to Hare and Forbes at North Parramatta chasing the plug tap, They don't have them but recommended another business who could. Hare and Forbes are now in modern premises but 40 odd years ago where in an old building in the back of Parramatta and dealt in 2nd hand equipment, war surplus stuff and all sorts of goodies. Mate of mine bought 2 war surplus sidedraft German tank carburettors and used them on his Ford Model B Ford 4 banger powered dragster! And out the back they had 2 HUGE solid rubber tired trucks probably from before WW1, sometimes wonder what became of them. However, went to Lee Bros which was Wades fallback option, and they came to the party producing a HSS 7/16" UNF Bottom Tap at a price of AU$30.80, apparently the Carbon Steel one is cheaper but I thought it better to go with the HSS.

Then off to General Instruments at Lidcombe to pick up the new handbrake cables and clevises for John's '39. Got to talking with Ralph and Daniel there and found out they are real into it car guys. Ralph has restored a RHD Model B Porsche as well as a 912 and a 914 and a couple of Jag XK120's. Pic's of Ralph with cables for the '39 and one of his cars, can't remember what! And a Pic of Daniels Formula V, he was racing it last Sunday at Oran Park, south west of Sydney when it started lightly hailing, apparently circuit was white! Also pic's of the clamp before and after Ralph's repair.

Next dropped in to see Kablan, the guy who cut out and replaced the rust damage at the foot of the cabin of the '41. I'd dropped in to see him on Saturday but he wasn't there and instead spoke to Robert one of his sons who told me Kablan usually came in after 9:30am during the week. Robert also mentioned that his dad didn't drink now because of Diabetes and that kiboshed my plan of a suitable liquid refreshment as a thankyou gesture, have to find something else more appropriate. Taking to Kablan he tells me he has a '56 Holden (Local GM make) which he's restored and has 60K original miles on it.

And, last night, picked up the '38 Eight fresh from having the right rear fender repaired.

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Monday 28th July 2008

After donating blood plasma early got to the workshop and spoke to Wade about the leading/trailing brake shoes for the '41 and the clevis yokes/pins for the '39. Regarding the brake shoes, the leading and trailing shoe linings are all the same size and no problems or dramas are expected with this setup. Regarding the clevis yokes/pins, the sample provided by Ralph of General Instruments proved to be acceptable so that's where I headed next. Instructed Ralph of the requirements and he showed me the clamp he'd repaired and said he'd got 2 NEW springs and advised the cables would be ready about 11:00am, it was about 10:00am at the time, pretty good service, but I had other things to do so I advised I'd be back later in the week.

Back to the workshop where I cleaned up the handbrake pivot mechanism of POR-15 overpaint while Wade spray painted some old radio parts, his other hobby, he's busy man. Wade also got under the '41 and found the the clamp for the handbrake cable from the handbrake itself to the pivot mechanism was only being held by one nut and bolt. Wade dug out a couple of nuts and bolts to fit which I cleaned up and then installed the clamp on the gearbox cross-member as it should be. Next positioned and installed the pivot mechanism and connected the front cable to it. Then connected the new hand brake cables to the mechanism. This took a bit of fiddling to get the lengths right but the worst part was installing the split pins in the clevis pins and spreading them, but I finally got there.

Onto adjusting and bleeding the brakes. First time I've adjusted the brakes and of course Wade guided me through it. Then onto the bleeding, started well filled the master cylinder with silicon brake fluid, then as I gently pushed the pedal to the floor and held it there, let it return also gently, and repeated many times also checking and replenishing the fluid level in the master cylinder so it wasn't sucking air, Wade bled the right rear wheel cylinder, first of air, then of brake fluid. That is until the fitting connecting the line to the wheel cylinder starting leaking fluid. All pedal pumping was put on hold while Wade re-tightened the fitting, which tightened up a considerable amount. Started pumping again, but only briefly as it was evident that the fitting was still leaking. I then checked the left rear wheel fitting and found it too was leaking so it was also tightened. The right rear fitting was tightened again by Wade but on pumping the pedal again, only about 2 to 3 inches, it still leaked! After some head scratching it was decided to take off both brake lines to check for cross threading, and I'm pleased to say it wasn't apparent on the line fittings. However the wheel cylinders may be cross threaded but this hasn't been checked yet. Wade took the 2 rear metal brake lines round to his brake guy and we're having new ones made irrespective as I damaged one of the fittings on one where it mount's to the T on the diff housing.

While Wade was seeing his brake guy I was searching for the missing sway bar rubber. And found it! Right up against the back wall behind a pair of metal wheel ramps in the shadows, no wonder I couldn't find it on Saturday. Then to connect the sway bar. Easier said than done. I was still at it when Wade returned and his opinion is that I've got the wrong sway bar, sway bar links or both. So, need a bit of advice here, please see pic's of sway bar end and links. I'm looking to find out if either or both are right for the '41 or not. All comments are welcomed. Wade had also brought back a new fitting to check the wheel cylinders with and suggested it might be worthwhile to re-tap the threads for the fitting in each cylinder. To this end I will pick up a 7/16" NF 24TPI Plug Tap tomorrow, probably from Hare and Forbes a machinery, tool and equipment supplier at North Parramatta. I'll also swing by General Instruments to pick up the new handbrake cables for the '39. And Wade told me today he'd been speaking to Harvey who expects to complete the dash woodgraining this week.

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Frank,

Pity you don't have the story behind the bullet hole. If there was a good story that would sway me for one to leave it as is and restore around it as a "feature" of the '50's history.

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Dave,

Good start there, parts look great. What paint are you using for this? And from the pics, looks like the parts are in the kitchen, is that right? If so, you have a more than understanding wife, you have a saint!

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Guys,
I'm sure Belgium is like Australia and local parts stores are highly unlikely to stock parts for US cars or even be able to get them in. Specialty or performance shops may be a possibility but unlikely too. So the source for most replacement parts will be the Packard vendors or eBay I suspect.