Was working on putting the engine back in, bolted on the transmission mount, motor mounts and others trying to put everyting back on when I saw a loose torque converter bolt. Then I noticed a scratch on the flex plate. Then I noticed the thick bolt head up against the flex plate.....Then I knew I had to pull the engine back out. When I put the flex plate in, I put two bolts in the wrong location. The 1st picture shows the scratch at the arrow, I had to turn the engine over to get to all the screws. The 2nd picture shows the correct way for the bolts, the black arrowed bolts were where the blue arrowed bolts are now and there was not enough room between the bolt head and the flex plate. I am in the process of putting the transmission back on the engine so I can put the engine/transmission back into the car. I am glad I took the front clip off. I should have checked my pictures as I took and saved a lot of them so could go back and look at the way it should go back together.
The hardest part was trying to pull the flex plate off the crankshaft. I pried and banged for 2 hours and nothing. Then I made a few phone calls and one said, "Just a couple of prybars should do it." So I tried that and pop, the flex plate came off real easy. I wish I had done that the first time.

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Thanks Kevin, will keep that in mind when I get to the chrome.
Today's picture is the engine resting in the car. It's not bolted down just sitting there waiting for me to get more time.

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I know the engine stand was not built for this engine, the picture does not show it but there is a 2x4 holding the end of the engine up so its not sagging. The engine is now sitting on my homemade engine stand made out of 2x4s. I put the engine and transmission together tonight and will put the engine stand away back in the shed.
I will try putting in the oil pump first and then the distributor trick. I don't like learning the hard way, which seems to be the norm.
This is not a show car. It will be a good looking car that my wife will want to be seen in and even drive. That's the goal of this exercise. The car has been sitting in my possesion for over 10 years and it was not getting any better. So I thought I'd get it running and fix a few things along the way and never thought of painting it. Then I thought I'd at least put it in primer to get it the same color. Then I thought that primer does not seal out the moisture nor stop it from rusting....so the paint job got a little out of hand.
I was thinking I might get this together in time for the National Tour in Arizona, my backyard. If it is, it will still be in rough shape, but it would be running and together but not done.

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Got the engine back. All the bearing were replaced, the crankshaft was ground down, the cam shaft was replaced due to broken teeth. The Oil pump was rebuilt. I replaced 3 hydrualic lifters and 1 cam follower. The valves were previously ground and the guy took a little off the shaft as well. I am in the process of putting the engine back together. The oil pump is not in so timing will be fun.
I am trying to clean up the interior chrome. The 2nd picture is of the 2 chrome pieces on the dashboard. The top one is the after picture as the bottom is the before I took steel wool to it. I did not use any lube or paste, just steel wool.

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We were wondering if it was going to happen. We were planning on going to both events. We enjoyed ourselves and look forward to going again. We are in Phoenix and would not mind doing both. Hopefully I'll have the 53 Patrician back together or I can find what the knock is under the hood of the 40 160 or I can always drive the old reliable 55 Clipper, but we will look forward to when the next one is.

This is purple and white. White was not offered in 1953, but it was for 1952 and 1954. The purple is a metal flake that the wife chose. She didn't like the lilac of 1957, so she had her own color made. She's hoping it's not as dark in the day light.

Finally stole some time and pulled the tape off the 53. The easy part is done, now for the real work: wet sanding and buffing.
The mechanic said the connecting rod bearings were 20 thousandths off, so he contacted where I got them and now we wait for engine parts.
I still need to do the front fenders, hood, fender skirts and bumper aprons. The inside trim was painted when I did the dashboard, roof and door tops. Wife really likes the color.
And I need to fix the floors.

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Tobs,
I know that painting the tops of the doors is not 'original' but neither is the color. White was not an option choice for 1953, but it's what the wife wanted. After all, this is her car. It will be all original Packard drive train and every other part as I can do and find. I just found a door panel in Pennsylvania that I can use as a pattern and its trim. I am still trying to work on arm rests for all 4 doors as mine are missing or shot.
I can't wait to take the tape off and start polishing it. It will look good, even if not 'Packard' colors.

Been busy, found a supplier for new hydrualic lifters, Bob's Packard Parts, in Marietta, Pa. I ordered 2, so I'll have a spare used one. The mechanic will put the engine together, except for 2 valves so I can install the lifters when they come.
I painted the outside of the car white and then took the wife down to choose the color for the top and inside.
Here's a couple of pictures. I need to add more paint to the top and then it'll be a lot of sanding and buffing. The interior is a tough one because I left most of it in place. This is not a frame off repair, just hoping for a nice paint job.

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Been busy this weekend. Set the garage up like a paint booth. Cleaned the Packard and sprayed it with primer. The first paint gun was clogged and it dripped. Went out and bought a new paint gun and finished the job. Now I'll let it dry and I get to sand it down to get rid of the drips and runs and add more primer. It looks a lot better. The wife says we'll have to wait to fix the rust spots, but at least it will be one color.
The parts for the engine are still on order. Hope to see them soon, but I still need to do some body work.

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