Congrats!

Start in the FAQ upper section here:https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb/viewforum.php?forum=14 That will answer a lot of your questions. Great info there.

Wow! I can't even comprehend having to do all that so fast! You picked a good area to be at. I have some friends who used to live around there and they enjoyed it until the hustle and bustle got too much and they moved to the country.

7-12-16

Thanks guys...I remember driving the '51 after I had the brakes fixed (had a shop do it) and I didn't have a problem stopping either. I'm sure it will take some getting used to, just like the column shifter.

Today I tested the brakes again stationary and they still feel firm. I think it will be OK to road test it now. In case of issues, I wanted the hand brake to work too so I went to adjust it now that the ratchet mechanism is freed up and I know I have to pull the handle out further. Tightened the star wheel on the drums until I could just turn the wheel with 2 hands. Then I put the hand brake in the first "notch". Crawled under the car and was surprised to find that there was no slack in the cable! I guess the brake is already adjusted. Released and engaged the hand brake a few times testing the wheels and they lock up and release. Looks like I'm good there!

I put the rear tires on and moved to the front. I'm a little confused/concerned about the directions to tighten the front spindle nut. I followed Owen's instructions in post #2 here:https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=13919&forum=2 but when I back the nut loose 1 hex after tightening to 4 ft lbs, the nut is totally loose. I can move it with my hand. Then I'm supposed to loosen it even more to the next notch on the nut? Later in the posts it was mentioned to tighten the nut while spinning the wheel in the opposite direction until it stops. Then loosen until it spins free and then put the cotter pin in the next looser notch. Should I do it that way if the right way isn't working? I've never done this before so please excuse my ignorance.

If I keep up this pace I might be able to test drive this weekend! I do have to repair the wire to the brake switch because the female barrel connector broke off the wire when I was removing it.

If Fred Kanter is willing to resurrect that other car, this might be in his wheelhouse as well.

7-11-16

Thanks again JW...those wrenches are the ones I have been using. Without them, I round off the fittings easily.

Lots of progress today. I used JW's advice and kept everything loose. First I started a few threads of the front driver's side line into the master cylinder. I was then able to wiggle the master cylinder around and got the mounting bolts started. Went back to the hard line and snugged it in. Finally tightened the mounting bolt then attached the other 2 hard lines.

One area of concern is the drivers side line appears to have been bent a little tighter than I intended. It is not crimped, but a sharp bend that might have narrowed the diameter a little. Hard to tell as I don't have a good light. When I put the 3 way port on the front of the master cylinder it turned way to the left instead of straight. That adds to the difficulty. The prongs for the brake light switch is about 1/8" from the frame so I may add some rubber to keep it insulated.

Next I began to bleed the brakes. I started at the passenger side rear wheel cylinder. The bleeder looked dirty so I took it out and cleaned it. Put it back in loose and added a clear hose to a plastic bottle to catch the excess fluid. Pumped and pumped the brakes. Kept topping off the master cylinder but it would overflow quickly. Made a big mess in the driveway.

I took the bleeder out all the way and fluid started coming out. I had my wife pump the brakes while I tightened the bleeder. Hopefully that will be good enough to get the air out.

Moved on to the rear driver's side. That was uneventful. The bleeder worked fine on that one.

Noticed a leak where the rear rubber hose meets the center hard line. A 1/2 turn seems to have taken care of the leak.

Finally did the front wheels. That was also uneventful, but not easy to get a wrench on the bleeders.

Screwed the lid back on the master cylinder using adjustable pliers (is there a better tool?)

Tried the brakes and it felt firm. I couldn't really stand on them because I was pretty dirty and didn't want to sit in the car like that. It went about a quarter of the way down before feeling firm.

That's enough for today!

I attended this show today. HUGE! There were even a couple of Packards! The 55 Clipper was in the for sale corral. The rest of the cars were in the "Blue Ribbon" section and blocked off with rope so I couldn't get any interior pics. That was a bummer, but happy to see Packards at a car show! Also met a wonderful couple with a beautiful '49 (in the pics) that were a pleasure to talk to. They introduced me to the Wisconsin Packard Club. Looking forward to talking with them again!

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Thanks JW...I will give it a try! The hardest one is the drivers side line. You can't even get a wrench around the fitting with the master cylinder in it's place. Having the bolts started on it first before attaching it may be the trick.

For a bit of a break, I ended up going to the car show in Iona, WI. It was HUGE and there were Packards! Not a lot, but more than I have seen in roughly 20 years! I'll post some pics under the Shows and Events forum.

7-8-16

Got the master cylinder finally. Took the 3 way portion off the old one. The washer looked in good shape so I'm taking a chance and reusing it.

Been a challenge to get the new master in. I hooked up all the hard lines first then tried to bolt the master to the frame. No matter what I did I could not get the bolts to line up.

Took the master out again and started the bolts to the frame first. Tried to get the drivers side hard line on and it wouldn't line up! Got frustrated, threw some tools and that was it for the day.

When I get the energy, next I will try hooking up the drivers hard line first, then start the bolts to the frame and finally reattach the other hard lines. We will see how that goes.

Thinking of going to the Iola car show tomorrow. It's a long drive but according to the map, they have a Packard section!

Great job! Looks fantastic!

Thanks BigKev...will do! Still waiting for the master cylinder to arrive. So much for 2 day shipping! I investigated my hand brake some more. First I soaked it in PB Blaster. I do not have a spring at the end as shown in Tobs blog but realized I have not been pulling out the handle enough! With someone else moving the handle while I observed it became clear I was not reaching the ratchet assembly. The PB Blaster made everything move easier. I was able to use the handle to release the brake. It still needs adjustment and will stick on a tooth. When that happens, I pull the handle out a little more while twisting and it releases. Good enough for now!