Couldn't resist this bit of whimsy whilst pulling the body on another car. Could title it "how Packards give birth", "where roadsters come from" or some foolishness.

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Had cause to do a chassis-ectomy on a 51 last week and decided to try a different method to save some labor and minimize handling of large and already nicely painted items like front fenders and hood.

Undid the body bolts as usual, and disconnected linkages and wiring harness from the engine. Removed the floor plate around the pedals and adjusted them to a fully down position. Pulled the pitman arm from the steering gear and unbolted the gear from the frame. Dropped the gas tank and undid another handful of inner fender screws etc. Removed the radiator and heater hoses.

Then I laid 4x4s on my lift arms the full length of the rockers and front fenders and up she came with a singular lack of drama. Seats, steering gear, even the fender skirts still in place. Doors, hood and trunk all open as per normal and the whole process took only 4 hours.

I set the thing back down on another chassis for safe keeping (1/2 hour), but it could just have well been set on a big dolly. I am still giddy about the number of parts I did not have to remove and handle.

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The clutch plate should have its springs away from the flywheel. Am a bit baffled by the question as any clutch I've seen can not even be assembled the wrong way round as the springs will foul the flywheel to crankshaft bolts. Can you post a photo of yours?

Geez, mellow out guys. Look at the pictures. The car has already been picked over, probably so someone could restore their roadster. We got no carb, no lifters, no bumpers, no glass no roof and on and on. Let him do what he likes with the thing. There are more than enough restored ones to go around.

Let's do a little demographic study. What percentage of Packard owners are in their 70s? And eighties? I would guess half of all the owners that I know will no longer be able to drive in 15 years. The market will be awash with cars that are poignantly irrelevant to the coming generations.

I think we all love the quality, the style, the performance, and the history that Packard represents. We'd better be on our toes to make whatever portion of that heritage as accessible as possible to younger folks. I maintain that any interest in the cars, even if I don't agree with the outcome, is preferable to no interest.

I need to get back to work now--on a Packard that was MODIFIED in the early fifties--but would like to address this subject some more.

The starter is engaged in the flywheel and will remain so til the engine starts and kicks the Bendix back. That is your noise. There is nothing in the Ultra that will make a noise like that unless it were thoroughly toasted already.

Mousies can't get into Ultras unless the filler cap was left off as the vent and weep holes are too small even for them.

If you have a NAPA store nearby, ask for a gallon of 65-201 which will give you the GL-1 he was mentioning. Do NOT use it in your rear axle, however. Get 80W-90 GL-4 for that.

Just saw Transformers 3 and noticed that a few of the scenes had Packard Factory Ruins as a background. Or some other ruined Albert Kahn building.

Bottom should be straight and the same cross section as the rest. Have straightened these by forcing different sized sockets through the pranged portion.

I'll happily sell you the parts you need to install the manual brake; I probably have 3 or 4 sets available. PM me for details. It's not all that hard. Does your car have Ultra? Or, I could rebuild your Treadlevac for you. Even easier.

Traveling just now and for a change not within reaching distance of of a straight eight, but I believe many of the straight eight heads have CL cast on them. Or am I crazy? How odd they would have farmed these out and cast other things in house.