Howard, they are not grooves but rather are raised upward under where each rib was. This not only strengthened the steel but also required less rubber for the vulcanizing process. They really can't be ground away as doing so would leave gaps, kind of like trying to grind off an anti-theft number from the firewall.

I thought it might have been a shadow but even enlarged, it appeared to be at an angle! Thank you for the clarification.

The originals as these two that I found in my stock were very basic and, while I can’t quite make out how they vent, I know they do. These were from my 1939 and 1940 and are very slightly different from one another but the difference is almost imperceptible.

1954 was the first year that Packard used vinyl covered wiring without the cloth so it gives many more options while still maintaining some sense of authenticity.

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Doesn't the Panama have hydraulic lifters?

Looking at the photo it appears that the needle had gotten twisted at some point which may have been why it was off so far. Where the needle comes up out of the hole and the needle itself begins should be straight to one another and it usually aligns more or less in the same direction as the swing arm underneath but, unless it's just a trick of the photo, yours appears to be at an angle. Since it is calibrated now, obviously leave it alone but I would have probably started by physically aligning things, then calibrating it.

If you're not replacing the pistons, be sure that Egge's rings with fit the stock ones. Otherwise you'll have to find NOS.

Olson's Gaskets should have them for a better price than from one of the Packard parts dealers. They are fast, friendly and family owned so I get most of my gaskets from them. They can also make custom gaskets from a good sample or even from an outline.

Other than the horrible door jambs, it looks great! Just kidding! The door jambs that you worked on so hard look wonderful too and the whole package looks like a new car.

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My partner at home in California where it is far from totality said that it got slightly dimmer out for a very short while but here in the High Desert of Central Oregon where I am at my shop, it's totally and heavily overcast so if there was any dimming at all, it wasn't noticeable. For the last total eclipse, this area was in totality even though the closest town of Terrebonne was not so we made it a point to be here. It was during some very heavy fires with lots of smoke and usually virtually no visibility but the winds changed for a while so for that brief time it was very clear. We could see the shadow of its edge coming across the plains, then the other edge when it was passing. It got noticeably cooler and the dogs were confused not knowing what was happening so they hid under the deck. Absolutely incredible!