Hi guys,
I recently had Alcast Castings in Redondo Beach, California recast the back seat footrest brackets for my 1929 model 645 and they did a phenomenal job. They cast them in bronze specifically because it is very durable. I don't know what they might say about these starter end plates, but if mine were broken I would definitely email Niko (niko@alcast.com) a photograph and get his opinion.

Hello,

I just sent you a pm about the aluminum filler tube in the photos. Please get back to me if you are interested in selling it. Thanks!
John Wogec

Hi,

I sent mine to Tom Sparrow at Prairie Porcelain in Faribault Minnesota. He seemed very knowledgeable and has done a bunch of them. His prices aren't the lowest, but he definitely knew what he was talking about. He was able to describe over the phone where my manifold was likely cracked, based simply on the make and model of the car (model 645). I had to look with a magnifying glass to see the crack, but he was right. When I confirmed it with him he said. "yeah, they all crack right there". The good news is that he has a guy who can weld cast iron, so he could fix it.

Prairie Porcelain
17250 Cannon City Boulevard
Faribault, MN 55021

Thanks for the recommendation! I kinda assumed I would wind up finding something close that works. So many of the Senior parts are getting harder to find.

Hi everybody,
I am searching for the spring that fits inside each end of the steering connection rod on the 1929 cars and compresses up against the bolts behind that big threaded slot nut on each end of the rod. One of mine came out in three pieces. The parts book indicates that all four models (630, 633, 640 and 645) used the same spring.

It is really heavy duty. it is an inch and a quarter long, one inch outer diameter and just over half an inch inner diameter. It has four coils and the ends are ground flat. The spring material is about 3/16 inch thick, so the spring is really stiff. If anyone has a spare they are willing to part with, please private message me and let me know what you want for it. Thanks!

John Wogec

Hi all,

I recently went through the research on engine colors for my 1929 model 645. The research was a dead end as I couldn't find any decent paint chips. I spoke to a long time restorer who has forgotten more about these cars than I will ever learn, and he suggested that the color was a dark green, but that Packard may not have used the same shade of dark green from year to year. I have seen blocks painted with the Bill Hirsch color and they come out very nice.

My father had the exterior of the engine on my car sandblasted in the 1970's, so I thought I had no legitimate color samples to go by. However, as luck would have it, I took the cap off the end of the starter, and there was a fairly good original sample of that dark green paint. I matched it to a stock Valspar color at my local automotive paint store. I could have had them do a custom match, but the guy said that given the curvature of that starter cap, and the fact that the light bounces around down inside the cap, the custom color wouldn't be any better than the stock color. I can look up the Valpsar number if you are interested. The results are below. The block and head were both shot in two stage polyurethane with a satin clear coat at the same time. Mine is shinier than the original, but just a little bit, because I went nuts with the polishing compound. The difference in shade is due to lighting. This shade is slightly darker than the Bill Hirsch, but again, it may not matter.

You may notice that the aluminum crankcase is also painted. Yes, they painted them silver from the factory. Again, I went to that same guy who has done this for a living since he was a teenager. He assured me they painted them. As to the shade of silver (there are probably a hundred shades of silver), this is Valspar's pure silver tint, nothing else. Your guess is as good as mine!

Just sharing what I have learned in my quest to try and get it right.

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Hi everyone,
I haven't been online in a while. I am still working through a ground up restoration on my 1929 Seven Passenger Sedan and I have a question for anyone who may be an expert on the Spicer driveshafts. At the "differential" end, there are two metal covers that partially overlap and cover the universal joint. The outer cover has a groove along the edge which I suspect held either a cork or felt grease seal. Does anybody know what the material was?

John

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You guys are great! Thanks so much for all your effort. I found a model 645 with original springs. The picture below shows they have ten leafs. David M, can I possibly get those data sheets which show the specs for both the front and rear springs. I already have the parts book pages. Thanks

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Hi everyone!
Apologies, I haven't been here for a while. I am restoring a 1929 Model 645 sedan and am having new springs made by EATON Detroit Spring. My grandfather purchased my car in 1930 and it has been in the family since then, so it has only been mildly adulterated, but I fear grandpa may have made changes to the rear springs. He was a blacksmith, turned auto mechanic so he could have easily added a leaf to those springs and the guys at EATON tell me that my rear springs should have ten leafs. Well, mine have 11 leafs, and a couple of the clips look suspiciously "hand crafted", much like several other parts of the car. If anyone has a 645, could I ask you to count the leafs on the rear spring and send me a picture of the "outermost" clips on the springs. I have included a picture of the ends of my springs, showing the unconventional clips and a possible "additional" leaf. Many thanks to anyone who can solve this mystery for me.
John Wogec
916-316-5561
Wogec@yahoo.com

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Hi Everyone,

It has been some time since I have posted. I am restoring the generator for my 1929 Sedan (Owen Dyneto CD840) and I broke a brush spring. I have searched all the logical places but I can't find one. Does anybody possibly have one lying around?

John Wogec

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