I'm at work, so no better picture at the moment. But here's a close up with some call outs.

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The answer is Yes. That's what I'm trying to do. My old one practically fell out. How did you get yours out?

I lightened the picture. If you double or right click on it, it's gets a little larger. I'm assuming the cylinder inside the handle with key in it is identical to the one I pulled out of my thrashed door handle (the one that has been re-chromed to the left with its teardrop bezel).

There's a small round hole on the face of the lock at the rim alongside the slot for the key. I'm sticking the paperclip down there as far as it will go, which feels like the length of the cylinder.

Also I soaked this puppy in Kroil / WD-40 type stuff.

The door lock was pretty much destroyed, so I found in what extra items I had left over, a handle from a sedan (convertible door handle stems are shorter) with a good lock in it. I took it to a locksmith and asked that he remove it and make a set of keys for it.

He made the keys, but when I asked him why de didn't remove the lock, so I can install it in the good, rechromed handle, he said he didn't have to. His partner twisted on it for 10 minutes or so and I had to get back to work. What he did was $40 as it was.

Locksmiths are supposed to know this stuff and he and his dad have been in business for over 30 years. Kind of disappointing. So I took it home and searched online and could find very little specific info on how to get the cylinder out that was for a 40s car.

Mainly
1. Put the key in.
2. Stick a straightened paperclip down the little hole on the face of the lock.
3. Turn the key counter clockwise as you poke down there ...trying to push down on the spring.

I am mechanically deprived, so even with the old lock out in pieces, as you can see in the picture, I could not figure out exactly what I'm trying to do.

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GRILL: The only reason some people choose Packard.

To answer a PM question:
The rivets are from Hirsch Automotive hirschauto.com
PAC-SR Packard Shoulder Rivets $16 for a pack of 20. I needed 14.
The tool is from Hanson Rivet hansonrivet.com.
HT-178 Hand Rivet Clincher for 5/32 dia tubular rivets $25.
As measured using my pathetic caliper.
The tenon diameter is .156
Hanson doesn't mfr these, but using the dimension categories in their catalog, I approximated the size:
Packard Grille Shoulder Rivets FLAT .203 .125 .156 .125 .313 .063 SEMI-TUBULAR BRASS

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SWAP MEET: I went last week and picked up a few small items from David Moe, Seattle-Packard. I found the jack I was looking for at a Portland booth that specializes or has a lot of tools.

I was also looking for hold-down clamps for the removable center posts. Hard to find because only used on convertible sedans. At David's suggestion I visited the Wescott booth. They're from Damascus, Oregon, pretty much hot rods and Fords. They make the hold-down hooks and brackets for the front bow of 1940 Ford convertibles, but but the hooks themselves are identical to 1940 Packard convertible hooks. They don't make the side clamps, but would if I had a sample.

DOOR SILLS. I was looking for these. I had enough for the front, 43 inches each side, but they look awful. I made a few minor repairs and polished them. They look fabulous. David is looking for the a couple of 22" ones for the back.

CHROME ITEMS. I started the debate with myself over the wipers. I have vacuum, and with a double action fuel pump, they will work fine, I decided. I have electric ones unrestored that look very ill. Sent the wiper mounts in and the seat adjustment collar which I got from David, mine long gone.

DOORS: I started with the rear door stop "strap". These looked really bad, rusted from moisture inside the door. I worked on them quite a bit. At the show I found out David makes them new. I made a leather and canvas cushion for the strap to ride on and added new bumper rubber to stop the back door from swinging forward into the front door.

I went through the bags and boxes of door hardware. All the handles had been rechromed. I had done some of the filing myself which gave me a real appreciation for what Oregon Plating does. I added the new plastic from Yesterday's Radio to the escutcheons and made new shafts to hold the new plastic knobs. I used a #5 metric roll-pin 1-1/8 long (all that was available). Set it in my hand drill and put the drill in the vise. Set it in motion and used my dremel tool with a cutting disk to make a slit very close around one end. This is to hold a circular clip which sits inside the end of the handle. I ground off 1/8th in. from the other end, slipped on the teflon washer and dropped some super glue in the knob. Worked well.

John Ulrich has the hairpins that are broken on most cars. I thought mine were fine, but they are missing half the pin, so ordered those. His website shows what they should look like.

HOLD DOWN CLAMP I finally found the hold down clamp, sort of. Perko makes chrome deckware for boats and sells through marine stores. I bought one and removed the part you press on. They come with a hook, but it's different than the one on the car. And the bracket it's on likewise. I had my bracket and hook. I thought I could use the loop that came with it, but it was too short, so I made a longer one out of stainless rod and polished it. It came out great.

OUT IN THE AIR I took the car outside again, this time to the front of the house so I could vacuum out my Brand X. It got a nice airing.

THE GRILL. I've been dreading this job, terrified I'd scratch the new chrome in the process of re-riveting each of the grill shutters or scratch the grill housing itself trying to get everything to fit. I wrapped up everything.

I didn't take it apart, Oregon Plating did, so it took me awhile to figure out where pieces go and which direction. I had bought a riveting tool from Hanson Rivet to use on my Bill Hirsch shoulder rivets and it worked beautifully. (My friends at the Ace Hardware said you can hit it with a punch to get it started, then with a flat punch) But I liked the way this thing worked and too much was at risk as far as I was concerned. As I added each shutter, I taped it to the one already done at the opposite end and held it like you hold a bass fiddle, resting against my shoulder. Once I got the knack of it, it wasn't bad. After I got a set done I attached it to the frame by taping all the shutters flat to a piece of masonite, then sliding the all the pokers in their holes.

Even though there were rubber tips on the ends to prevent chroming them, some poked through and little chrome hairs protruded. I dremeled them off. I took more pictures but they are as bad as these. For me it was an all-day process BUT the patient came through it without a single scratch and is recovering nice.

PAINT. This week the Duchess goes to the beauty parlor ...like some women I've known, piece by piece. All the parts go in Wednesday, and the body and chassis after that.

I'm excited.

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Thanks, Jim, Guscha, and Ross,
My son worked on the transmission is why I don't remember seeing them. We saved everything he replaced. Are they worth saving or readily available and okay to toss? Going to the Portland Swap Meet today. Looking for something hard to find?
I'm looking for hold-down clamps for the convertible center posts, the upper thumb piece, a screw jack, door-sill moulding, headlight adjustment bracket and screws.

Joe

I found these in an unmarked white envelope with my Packard stuff, but can't remember what part of the car they are from. Do you recognize this?
Any ideas would be appreciated. Big SWAP Meet in Portland this weekend.

Yes, I'm asking this question:
http://www.myspace.com/video/zander/what-the-hell-is-that/50236871

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You're in the book now, my friend. OK to edit it out. I have it.

Nice looking, right-sized dog, West. Suki does not back down from dogs. Sophie was 5 years old when Suki was introduced to my household. Imagine a 138# Rotty and a little calico nose to nose. When Suki walks by, Sophie puts her head down and turns away. They travel well in the Pacifica, Suki in front, Sophie in back, but I'm getting some large size doggy hiking boots with rubber soles and velcro straps for Sophie, and probably a throw I can strap to the footman loops. We'll do some trial runs, but I may just have a house-sitter care for them while I'm galavanting.

I wrote a song for Suki (Making Whoopee for the melody)

A little ham. A little cheese.
Albacoretuna, if you please.
And chop it finer. Ain't Sophie's Diner.
It's all for Suki.

Give me fresh water. And kibble, too.
Make sure my cat box don't smell of poo.
When it gets lumpy, I get real grumpy.
Not good for Suki.

BRIDGE
Make sure my cat door's open.
I lead a social life.
I know it may sound catty, but
With me, who needs a wife?

Now brush my fur.
"O yeah, right there."
Just get it right, and I will purr.
Your obligation is adoration.
And all for Suki.

What does have to do with Packards? Nothing unless I need someone to help me push and pull it down the road. Protect me from highwaymen if I have to stop and rest.

BTW My business partner flys. Just finishing up building a little ligthtweight one. Taxied it for the first time yesterday during lunch. He also just finished a 53 Chev pickup and won first prize in his class...stock...at a central Oregon hotrod car show two weeks ago. Besides the museum of flight in Seattle, we have 2 here. One in Tillamook on the coast and one in McMinnville at Evergreen Aviation...several warbirds including a spitfire and a 109, plus the Spruce Goose. So we'll see who makes it where first.

Joe

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Thanks for the invite, West. I always figured 1 hour of repair for every 6 hours of continuous driving. I hope that won't be the case now, but...And I always carried my PI membership roster with me. It came in handy a couple of times.

My last visit to Dayton was in 1954. I stayed and played for a week before moving on to Columbus and Chicago.

Be careful what you pray for. I have traveling companions.
Joe

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Here's the longer draft/filler and larger breather cap. I don't want anyone worrying about my car. It will breathe.

West, you know what a stickler I am for authenticity, but one of the reasons just about everything needed rebuilding or replacing is because I put well over 320,000 miles on it (the speedometer broke). I thought I might feel differently spending all this time and money to fulfill my responsibility to this car, but the closer I get to the road, it's not gonna matter. I'm gonna go, go, go. My sister lives in Maryland. After the wedding, anniversary party, and Pebble Beach (observing only) in California this summer, the nose will be pointed eastward the following summer. But one thing at a time. It needs paint and upholstery.

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