1940 WOODGRAIN Not to beat a dead horse, but I thought I should clarify what mottled aspen looks like, or rather what the grain on the plate looks like, because the mottled aspen plate emulating what Packard used, is not your simple, wavy woodgrain, but more of a hand-hewn pattern where the tree responded dramatically to every external force as it grew season on season. It may have been one reason why the dealers didn't like it.

But according to Ray Anselmo, in an article in Number 121, Winter 2005, issue of The Packard Cormorant entitled Reflections on Being a Packard Dealer, besides the fleur-de-lis trunk emblem and the Packard script hubcaps, ". . . The light woodgrain stain on the dash and window trim was also objectionable. The dark woodgrain used on the 1939s was preferred. In early spring, the dark woodgrain was used along with improved upholstery,. . ."added trim, and medallion color change on the 110 and 120 from red, which washed off, to green and blue respectively.

So now I think the color of my kit is dead wrong, because it is dark, at least at this stage, like the later 1940s and the 1939s, instead of light grain like the early 1940s. Grain-It Technologies recommended what would be the normal color for 1940. Yet, and bear with me bouncing off the wall so many times, the black and white promotional photo of the woman in the hat, shows a strong grain. So perhaps it is only the basecoat that needs to be much lighter.

edit: They also changed from the mottled plastic to solid beige or caramel. In that great photo of the woman, the plastic is mottled, so I'd say that's early 1803 dash.

If anyone has done any research on the distinction of early 1940 grain and color versus later 1940, please chime in. If you have a paint formula, I'd like to know.

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OK Got it.

I could not find my correspondence with Grain-It. I know I made it clear about the difference in the early 1803s. I'm sure I have the right grain. It does look as I remember it and as it does in the black and white photo of Guy Noir's latest client. The color is elusive. Aspen itself is a white hardwood with not much grain. "Mottled" Aspen must be different. We have a hardwood mfg client in central Oregon specializing is the every variant of wood and grain. Maybe I could get a sample of mottled aspen and see what Packard was trying to emulate.

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I must be really dense.
The metal area in the center is the original?
The yellow around it is from yellowing lacquer?
The left side is from too much UV?
The far right side from hand oil?

Also I don't doubt that this can be done and look great. I've seen articles where the car owner says 'I did the woodgrain myself' with a kit. I watched the videos.

I'm just relating what my experience is. 10 inches at a time on a 1.5 width moulding that bends and curves with raised areas for the heater air flow and depressions for the screws. At this point I don't really like the way it looks, but I am trying to finish the car. And I am reserving judgement. If it looks like a cheesy job after the urethane is down, then I will start over, change the colors to what is correct if I don't have that or send it out. I liked what was in there when I first got the car in 1959, but it was sunbaked and worn down, kind of green. I know the dealers didn't like it and it was changed to red-brown mahogany after Feb 1940.

But this is the kit I was sent, so I'm trying to make it work. I drove to the other side of town to get the Dupont paint and had the color mixed. I'll take pictures of my set up. It's kind of a wet, messy, tense kind of process for me. Just saying I'm reserving judgement. If the result is good, that will be great.

So, JDee,
West is impressed, but I'm not getting it. I know the lacquer turns yellow over time. What does this photo show?

In the photo, on the left, darker yellow, is what?
In the center, lighter yellow, is what?
The rectangle in the very center (metal) is what?
The reddish brown on the right is what?

Here's what I had as a sample. What would this have looked like new?

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They do help you pick out the plate. I send them the wide photo of the edge of the clock panel and they identified mottled aspen. I think it may be mentioned in Jim Hollingsworth's 1940 book, too. I don't think they got the color even close, but reserving judgement until the urethane is on there and polished. The colors, light walnut and elm are dark chocolate and reddish chocolate. The color will be harmonious with the basic taupe on the steering column and wood bow, so, again, reserving judgement.

It is like the county fair hawker product. There's more to it than they tell you. Their initial video about it being so easy and fun is an overstatement to say the least. Of course they will do it for you.

But I felt I made progress on developing a technique. And it is forgiving. If you mess up, just wipe it off and try again (which means, washing and drying the roller, putting stain on the plate, squeegieing, and blending where you left off with the new roll. Pieces are not flat, and if you press too hard to grain an area that falls away, it will mess up. But it gets better. At the moment, color, texture, definition doesn't get any Os or Ahs.

Does it look that bad, Howard? No it's Grain-It kit, which costs plenty for what's in it. Remember this is mottled aspen, the early 1940 wood grain that the dealers didn't like and had changed to either mahogany or chrome.

Have to see the difference when the urethan goes on. Like the painting of the car with water-based PPG paint, the color coat looked dull, lifeless and rough.

Reserving judgement for the moment.

West, I'll take pix of the glass install when they do it. Waiting for double flap rubber from Steele at the moment. Then we do the side window bottoms and the windshield. MS Glass is doing the job.

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No problem, West. Max Merritt cut me plenty of slack to find some.

WOODGRAIN: My first attempt. The windshield moulding is a tough piece to learn on because of the twists and turns. Glass people say they need it. I don't think they can put it on until the have the windshield in place, but I'll be prepared. I'll take pix of the set-up, though there are plenty of videos. It's a bit of a messy operation. In the center is the painted moulding. The windshield was overlaid with woodgrain and dried overnight. It looks dull and rough and dead. The next step is shooting it with clear urethane.

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INTERIOR MOULDING: I practiced woodgraining last night. I think I can do it, but starting with the windshield moulding and all its curves is a challenge for a beginner. Tonight I will try again with a better set up.

CONVERTIBLE TOP BOX: The has been a lot of praising regarding the top box Gary Martin built, not only from the guys in the upholstery shop, but visiting customers of the shop. It has a coat of marine varnish. The inside will be covered with red leatherette board, antique leatherette vinyl on board (a perfect match to the leather) or genuine leather on board, if there's some left. The interior of the trunk will have black hogshair from Bill Hirsch with black rubber mat on the floor. But I'm leaving the box as it is in the trunk. It's oak instead of ash. Hard as nails, so it may never need replacing. It's a beautiful job built exactly, and I mean exactly to the original.

DOORS: I have striker plates now. Could use 3 cores to get some of my deposit back from Max Merritt.

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That's what I was thinking, too, West. I've taken the moulding out without any consequence to the windshield. They may not know how to do it. I'm waiting for the double flap weather seal for the bottoms of the side windows, then I'll talk to them.

Is there any end to this? I ask. I know the answer and I prefer this alternative. Still it's frustrating, not having the knowledge on some issues.

REAR DOORS: John replaced the gears where the teeth were worn off in the rear side window regulators. The replacements came from a different make of car, but I don't know what. Now I'm trying to find the square rod in order to crank it. And I found the nicely painted black piece which looked like it interfaced with the rusty regulator but doesn't line up with anything on the door.

If the black one didn't come from the car, why do I have it? And why did I clean it up?

WINDOW MOULDING:Got it painted, but not wood-grained. And now I think I will paint it again after a little more filling and sanding. Supposedly required to install the windshield so it must be done soon.

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