I too am going down on Thursday PM. Haven't been in many years. Where do all the Packard vendors hang out? Is there still a Packard Row? Do want to meet the other Packard people at Hershey...
Looking forward to Saturday's show too!

So I have my two manifolds off and I am cleaning them up. Ready to paint the intake manifold but not sure what color is original. Looks satin black to me. Of course I will not paint the exhaust manifold. Could I use POR-15 chassis black on it or will that manifold get too hot? My '38 is not a show car but I do want to keep it correct.

Thanks in advance for the help.

The Great Race came to my home town for a lunch stop. Truly awesome. There are four Packards in this year's race: 1916, 1936, 1941 and 1951 models. Talked to most of them and they are excited to compete. Catch the photos and blogs through the website. Was proud to see fellow Packards in the race as I have a '38 Eight that could make that run. The Grand Champion from last year and doing okay this year is from my town of Fairport, NY.

Many good points and many angles to consider... I am a retired shop teacher who worked all my career with high school students. Often I would bring my Packard to school and the kids would love it. Tons of questions, rides and lots of discussions including the state of our world back in 1938 and why more Packards were not on the road then and of course now. Lots of birdwalking questions that provoked loads of interest in antique cars. Fast forward a few years and now as a retired teacher with more time on my hands, I go to many cruise nights during the summer season. That's the best time to get the younger crowds excited. Kids come up and of course are clueless as to what it is. I use a nice bio sheet on the windshield that tells the Packard story, both of my car and the Company. But that effort is only half the story. Get out of the lawn chair at cruise nights, walk around and talk to the young kids that bring their beauty to display. Ask them about the turbo, or the nitrous system, or even the cool paint job. Show interest in their car and they will always walk around and stop to see your sled too. Yes it is worth the effort. Show that baby off in the community and the cruise nights. Make it a two way street.

DJ

Welcome too from a fellow Packard lover...

My son is a 2001 graduate of Penn College. He studied Aviation Tech. and received his Airframe and Powerplant FAA certificate. He is now working at Gulfstream Aviation in Savannah GA fixing corporate jets all around the world. Penn College was just what he needed. What are you studying and would love to hear more about the Packard. I have a 1938 Eight.

DJ

Regarding the limo business, my son recently got married in Savannah, GA. His limo was a '37 120 four door. I talked at length with the owner operator (I was paying for it) and he shared stories. His car was retro fitted to 12 volt, original engine, added after market AC, oversized aftermarket radiator for the hot southern summers, and nice sound system. The rest of the car is basically original. He works two to three weekend weddings a month. Said he could work many more if he wanted.
He did say there is a lot of hurry up and wait issues. He did have to sit for a few hours at my son's wedding as the party took a little longer to wrap up. Also there are many little things that pop up in the car dealing with reliability and being able to make his commitments. Fortunately he is a good car wrench and he shared with me the cooling issues he had. Wow...
I too have done weddings with my '38 Eight but only for very close friends and I always did the driving. Additionally I drove 60 miles to Buffalo in 1983? to audition for the movie "The Natural" that took place in 1939. Well long story short, I made the first cut and they were going to pay me $100 a day to park the car in a street scene (filmed in Buffalo) and an extra $100 a day if I had to drive it on set. Well it rained all summer and there were many cancellations and they never called me back. The cars adjacent to me at the audition, '39 Pontiac and '38 Ford were in the movie. One was repainted as a taxi and the other was a drive by. Cool. Many members of our AACA club were also in the movie including the opening train scene.
Knowing what I know and questions I have asked I too would stay away from the big business side of the limo thing. Just do it under the table and enjoy. The insurance issues could kill your profit margin no less the other licenses.

DJ

My '38 Eight has the moveable louvers and they are soooo coool. The linkages are easy to get working and a little patience in aligning the parts is necessary to make it happen. The brass bellows control unit in the upper tank is pricey at $225 but it does work well. Many vendors have them. Don't forget the two gaskets around it.

How cool to see all that chrome closed up when she cools down. I can send pix on my system and more info if you wish.

PS. Keep the moving parts lubed and free as they like to rust up.

DJ

I have a '38 Eight model 1601 with original running boards. Do you still need some help with measurements?

Also, my rubber surfaces are not real nice but still look okay. I have been looking for replacements with none available anywhere. Please fill me in on what you are using as new rubber. Are they covers or bonded mats to the metal? Any info would be helpful.

Thanks in advance.

DJ

I just finished rebuilding most of the front end on my '38 Eight and found that the wheel supports need to be sleeved after I installed the new King Pins. The King Pins are reamed perfectly but the wheel support (section between the bushings) appears to have a little too much play in it. Looks like sleeving the support is the best answer. Yes I know I should have test fit it before we assembled the unit. Everything will come apart real easy if necessary. Also, can the lower support pin get this sleeve too?

Anyone have experience in this issue?

Thanks in advance for the help.

DJ

In reupholstering the interior of my '38 Eight, I am looking for a vendor that either sells a complete kit that can be used to cover my original seats, not necessary that the fabric is exactly true to the original but is a modern replacement for the wool. Color choice is important as I want to match the good door panels. Secondly, is there a vendor that might sell just the fabric that comes very close to original. My local seat guy will sew it on. Again my car is a driver and not a trailer girl so I do NOT need exact original fabric. Third, has anyone had any luck with finding premade headliners? Or the fabric to make one?

Have surfed the web and really did not find much. Help!

Thanks to all in advance.

DJ