Randy Berger and his grandson Ty visited today, shared a lot of stories about Packards, gave me advice on my project. It was a good time!

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I've got lots of mechanical work to do to get to hiway-worthy status on my Clipper. Good luck, JD, on the case of Type F to get to Brandon. (I'll help you get a case to get back home.)

PackardV8, if I am understanding your post correctly, I think I have more than enough "steering hunt" and need more '+ caster.'
I drove a 39 LaSalle recently with 7.00x16 Firestone bias-ply tires. It drove much smoother than my Clipper. Suspect I need steering adjustment (along with some front end re-building).

DanL

PS, Must confess, I am still wondering about radials though!

Does anyone know where i can get a manual transmission and clutch assembly for a 1953 2662 series clipper deluxe, the hydramatic is not the original transmission for the car i am working on, and id like to keep it original.(my preference for a manual transmission has nothing to do with it, really!)

'Old' in the context of my original message referred to Duralon DS Premium J78-15's (made in the USA) off the rack tires from the period (70's?) with 1 inch whitewalls. Not WWW reproductions.

The car's front end alignment is and was per factory specs.

THe term "old" bias ply tyres means exactly what????? Old REproduction bias ply or old PRODuction bias ply tires??????

Dunlop was a "major" tire maker, so in the context of my statement "old" meant OLD front line, production tires. But the situation is probably more acute with reproduction bias ply tires, some, perhaps many, aren't made to the standards of the best bias ply tires in their heyday.

Nice trains, Randy!

Set + caster into the front suspension instead of the factory spec - caster. Don't believe it???? You all just proved it to yourself when u went to radials and here is why:

The bias ply tire has a lot of foot drag. MEANING that as the car goes faster and faster the contact surface of the tire to the road moves BACK toward the rear of the car. THIS IS THE SAME as jacking more negative caster into the front suspension.

The radials have near minimal foot drag. So the radials simulate closer to zero or positive caster.

Negative caster causes steering hunt. Positive caster offers resistance to road and wind compliance thus reduces or eleminates hunt.

So the next question is: if that is true why did the Packard gods (as well many other mfg'ers prior to mid 60's) set negative caster????? After about 1965 most cars went to positive caster.

I let someone else answer the question.

For those not involved with my other hobby, Richard Kughn was the president of Lionel, the toy train company. He brought that company back to life and his museum Carrail was the combination of cars and trains. And two friends actually worked for Kughn on the automotive side. He had many fine automobiles, but I liked his 56 Caribbean. I also support the Proving Ground project and think it very worth while.
It also gives me an opportunity to post a pic of my grandson, which is the reason for my vacation in Minnesota, and my other hobby which is the reason I am always broke. The picture was obviously taken long ago as Ty is now 18.
I, on the other hand, haven't aged a bit.

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Some clarification needs to be made here. THe term "old" bias ply tyres means exactly what?????

Old REproduction bias ply or old PRODuction bias ply tires??????

Wow!

Thanks to all for the fantastic response. I had a hunch this pump was rare based on the difficulty I had finding it anywhere.

If anyone needs a source to replace the top half casting of the Stewart Warner 407 pump I've found a source that manufactures the casting out of bronze, and then cadmium plates it. A few years ago I re-built a pump for a friend and used the casting to replace the top half that was cracked. The replacement fit and has worked fine. I've attached a file that shows the current source.

Since I can get the internal re-build parts all I have to do is find a sample of the three main castings, upper, lower, and pump arm to use as patterns for new castings.

I'll see it I can dig up some pictures of the SW 407 pump to send to Taxman.

I have an original Owen-Dyneto regulator that I can take some pictures of for tbirdman.

I also have a roster of all model 901's I've run across over the last 10 years. May be an interesting post for later.

I've taken some pictures of the Packard section from a 1931 MOTORS manual I have. They are about 1.8M in size each, and about 10 photos. Also have info from a 1930 MOTORS brake manual with detailed info on adjusting the Packard Bendix three shoe system.

Should I send these to bigkev@packardinfo.com for possible WEB site data?

Thanks again,

Dave

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