Tom, I would have loved to have seen a picture in the parts manual. Far as I can figure, you've right on. But as I said next week's Grand Classic should have several 34s, as well as many of the real Classic Packard gurus here in NJ. I'll see what I can learn.

OMIGOD, another 12-volt conversion. Oh for the good old days when folks wanted to save a piece of history and experience what it was like to own, maintain and drive cars of a prior era. When I started in this hobby longer ago than I want to remember, it was all about preservation of cars of an older era, learning to maintain them, and getting the driving skills needed which were often different that we had learned. And preservation meant authenticity. Sure there was some restoration, but not to the standards we see today, more often than not a "restoration" was a home paint job, some reupholstery done by a handy owner or wife, and some plating. If you didn't have the mechanical skills to do your own work, you probably weren't in the hobby in the first place. We felt like we were preserving a piece of automotive history for future generations.

Today it seems the goal of so many is to have a Packard skin covering as many of the modern features as we can cram into it, A/C, disc brakes, alternators, 12-volt conversions, replacement transmissions and engines in some cases, tilt steering columns, etc. And of course a rationale for all those things. Nothing historically significant in that kind of a vehicle, and in some cases it certainly detracts from future value, but it's your $, just don't call it "restoration" - (from Webster's Unabridged - bringing back into a former unimpaired state)

I don't mean to rub anyone's nose out of joint with this, just reminiscing about how the hobby has changed. And in some ways, not for the better.

Quote:

Mal,

I think ball nuts are what you see holding the rubber grommets onto the shaft. In fact, I think the grommet is part of the nut. From what I can tell, they are used where linear motion is providing the stress. Dave, please correct me if I'm stoned.

Tom

Oh, we have lots of info on the car already. It's the '34 auto show pictures that we are trying to find. We have Blend's book, my father has spoken to him in the past as well.

I don't know if we've asked Steve if he has photos from the show though - that's a good idea. He's a great guy.

Ozstatman, we (well, we being Dale) own the car, so there's no worries there. :) It was in Oklahoma for many years, and my dad purchased it from John Wheatley in 1996. We've had it ever since, and are slowly restoring it. Before John had it, it had been seeing service as a taxi in Puerto Rico, if you can imagine! Painted red with a brush, the passenger door had been removed and discarded, along with the passenger seat - then a yellow beltline was painted on. It wound up in Akron, Ohio in the 60's, where Wheatley bought it.

We no longer restore professionally, everything at our shop is either ours or that of a friend that we are working on. We closed our doors in 1997. Our website now is primarily an information tool. This Packard will be the final Dale Adams restoration, really. We're looking to possibly get into custom coachbuilding in the future.

I sure wish there was an "I'm being sarcastic" button on 'Puters! I meant no disrespect! Just some friendly banter. I will not be able to answer many questions till I have the car here at my home. I know the basics: It seems to have all power options except "cool breeze" AKA air conditioning.

I read here some where that the glass fuel filter in line to the carb was not correct? Is this true? It sure looks like it is supposed to be there. Mine has it just like the one I read about...

Attached is a photo of my last resto: I hope it doesn't offend anyone.

Attach file:

---

  (155.48 KB)


  (171.24 KB)

Glue weather stripping (think STEELE PRODS.)to the rumble seat lid and leave the channels open as the water flows into drains behind the seat. Check for rust out in the drain trough. Greg

I want to upgrade my 1949 Packard to 12 volts. I have read several magazine articles on generally how-to-do this on a Ford. I would want to replace the wiring with modern insulation, any sources for this wiring loom? Are there any lessons learned in doing this upgrade on the Packard? Any archived information somewhere? The information on alternator upgrades I have read look very straighforward. Phred

Guys,

Here's what I think we have:

Wade's 1101's. One built for export the other for the US market both have the same shock links with compression rubbers and a "U" upper bracket.
Terry's 1103. Built for the US market. Terry's Owner Registry entry cites "Purchased from the states late 2008" and has ball type links.
Tom's 1104. Built for US market. Has compression rubbers but the upper part has NO "U" bracket. Doesn't appear to have ball type links. But the rear shock arms appear very similar to those of Terry's 1103.

I'm learning as I go here about '34 Standard Eights and Super Eights, so bear with me.

Quote:
From Dave's info all Standard Eights had the same setup by part number. While for the Super Eights all had the same setup but different from the Standard Eight. Although I'm confused by this "the 1934 Super Eight links have different grommets and cite use of ball nuts" because Tom's pic's appear to show, to my untrained eye, compression rubber type fittings and not ball joints. Is this so? Or have I misidentified the fittings in the pic's? And Tom, thanks for the pic's they are great.

I had pretty much the same problem with my 51. It turned out to be the wrong radiator cap. The right one has about a 1" drop (Distance from the top surface of the filler neck to the bottom surface where the rubber gasket is supposed to seal. Check that. The cap you have may be only about 3/4" which does not seal at all.

Quote:
G'day Jeremy,
to PackardInfo. Usually I also invite new members to add their Packard to the Owners Registry, but as this car is in your Dad's resto shop, permission from the owner would be a "courtesy" and necessity before doing so unless the owner wishes to add it in themselves. If it is included in the Registry could it please include a pic, any known history and how it was acquired by the current owner?