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'34 Muffler bracket parts mailed this morning and soon will be winging their way "home" across the Pacific to the US.

Friday 8th May 2009

Morning spent with Wade chasing parts. First to ABC Bearings to pick up the new axle bearings and to get a rear trans seal, a timing cover seal, upper steering box shaft seal, roller bearings for clutch pedal and roller bearings for king pins. Got all except those for the king pins. While there Wade showed Dennis one of the damaged rear axle bearings, Dennis just glanced at it and said "Been sitting for a long time?" And that's what had happened, Big Red spent from 1961 to 2007 until Wade bought it, sitting in a Museum with very little use. Apparently a "small rust area" will form then while being used will cause the hardened steel to chip away in that area. A similar thing happens when cars are transported long distances because the bearing is not rotating and the car "bounces" on the one point causing similar damage. This can be especially so if cars are shipped by train.

Then on to Cedrays, an engineering and welding supplies company, for some threaded plugs to use as welch plug replacements. These will be available next week as they weren't in stock. Then to Hare and Forbes, a machinery supply company, chasing replacements for the 2 broken wheels on the engine crane but without luck. Then to Jaycar to buy a new battery powered movement for Gina's Mum's wall clock, got it! Then approaching the workshop dropped in to see Col, the Brake Guy, so Wade could pay the bill for the rebuilt brake parts picked up last week. Then back to the workshop.

At the Workshop, Wade installed the upper seal on the steering box and re-installed the steering shaft cover. Next will be further clean, paint and re-installing the steering box back into "Big Red". Then it was off to see Sam and Ivan for a "spot" of welding and some lathe work. But first, just as we were stepping out the door Tony, Noel's panelbeater friend, arrived. Tony looked over the Water distribution plate Wade had detached from the water jacket side cover plate and declared he could make one to replace the rusty original. Later at Sam and Ivan's. Sam spot welded the nuts holding the handbrake cable positioning clamp to the inside of the removable trans crossmember. This because it's impossible to hold the nut while tightening the bolts holding the clamp to the crossmember, unless as Wade said, you have the hands of a gynacologist! The lathe work involves a slight machining of the housing at the rear of the trans for the replacement oil seal being used. OD of replacement seal is 72mm while housing size is 71.4mm = 2&13/16", or "just a smidgeon".

Back at the workshop Wade got a call from Tony "Shocks" that "Big Red's" shocks were ready. And earlier in the day Wade had a call from All Metal Bumpers advising the grill and other parts(EDIT - for the '34) being re-chromed were ready to be picked up. So it looks like Wade will pick up these parts one day next week.

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It took SMS a year and a month to do my friends set. They had excuses every month. With that said, they are absolutly perfect!

As far as I know, you just install the clips, and pop them on the door.

Best of luck,
Jim

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G'day Steve,
to PackardInfo and for including your '54 Clipper in the Registry.

I sprung the cash for and ordered new pre-made door panels for the Patrician earlier today from SMS Auto Fabrics. The samples that they sent me appeared to duplicate original materials pretty exactly. Anyone who has used these have any pointers or advice? I have absolutely zero experience with this sort of thing. I have plenty of time. The lady said that I will probably get them toward the end of the summer.

Fortunately I live in a state where we, so far, are not bothered by the bureaucrats in this respect but I have lived in others where where the, "car Nazis," (I LIKE IT) reigned supreme. I am all for clean air but I am also all for common-sense. In case you folks haven't noticed, common-sense and bureaucrat are usually mutually exclusive, one to the other.

H. L. Mencken said it best well over a half-century ago:

"The only good bureaucrat is one with a pistol to his head. Put it in his hand and it's goodbye to The Bill of Rights."

Thanks, Owen, they mostly all look familiar ('cept the thumbscrew type--ow!), but who knew the names? Not me.

It sure beats trying to tell someone you want "one of them clamps, y'know, with the slot in the middle..." when you can say: "I want a Sherman clamp" and get an even more blank stare.

The "double wire" is the only one that sort of speaks for itself. And the Wittek Tower, if you remember to say "tower."

So now everybody can get busy and have period correct hose connections. No more excuses.

Owen,
Thanks for the info on post #8. Just received the gasket today and will be performing the transfusion next week.
Bill

Yes, that's the kind you want.

Yes, I think I can sneak the SS sleeve in; I'll do it, I'll order the larger SS and use steel brake line.