Take a zero off the end of the price on that '40 coupe, and now he would be in the ballpark.

I saw that '53 cavalier as well. I'm at a loss for words. That has to be the worst photo I've ever seen on an ad.

-Kevin

Couple of cars from Bremerton, WA. All are from the same individual who is moving.

1953 Patrician - $9,000. Poor pictures, but appears to be in good condition. Apparently was running before the pandemic, has been parked since. If everything checks out, it would be a great car for someone to jump into.

1941 Clipper projects - $12,500. Two cars in the lot. The first was apparently the only Packard sold to the US government in 1941. The second car is a parts car to restore the first. Something about fire damage. Only three pictures.

-Kevin

Looking really good. Can't wait to see the body in paint once spring arrives.

-Kevin

Don - the valve lifters are mechanical on mine, so it shouldn't be too bad adjusting them after watching Ross's video.

John - I'm assuming it's the vacuum pump making that noise...it has a kind of hollow sound to it. The fuel pump seems to be working fine. I don't have any fuel delivery issues at all. But I'm at a loss as to what to do regarding the sound. At the best it's annoying, at the worst I'm concerned that something isn't right. It's a brand new pump.

OD - I have no idea if this radiator is OEM or not. My guess is not, but I don't know what an OEM radiator looks like. I don't think the leak is coming from the hose, which means it's at the bottom edge of the tank. So I guess that means I'm pulling the radiator and sending it to have it repaired. Might as well have it tested at the same time. Hopefully it's nothing major like a recore.

-Kevin

Thanks Paul! The sign is great, and it wasn't that expensive (compared to other ones). She got it from Kristen's Neon Garage, $329 (https://kristinsneongarage.com/products/approved-packard-service-neon-sign)

I had some time yesterday so I decided to start the Panama and let the engine warm up. Haven't started it for a month. The battery was low, but it started right up.

Pulled the car out of the garage and found a new spot of liquid on the ground. Yay! So now I get to add a radiator leak to the power steering leak, rear main seal leak, and transmission selector shaft leak. I can't tell for sure, but I think it's leaking at the junction of the upper tank and fins. Never had a leak anywhere on the system before, so this is a surprise.

Overall the engine sounded okay while running. The tank is full with brand-new ethanol free gas, and I put in Sta-bil and some Marvel to run through the engine. The MMO really seems to help quiet down the valves. I need to do a valve adjustment at some point.

The fuel/vacuum pump is super loud though. The camera in the video doesn't do a great job picking it up, but the pump sound far overpowers everything else. It's like a hollow "pump' sound. No idea if that's normal or not. I haven't been around too many cars that have original engines, so I haven't been able to hear other fuel pumps. When the engine is warm, it is overall pretty quiet but the pump can be heard from outside the car, inside the car, and from a mile away.

Video:


-Kevin

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No progress on the Panama over the past month. All of my free time has been going into building a separate shop building on our property. I decided I wanted to learn how to do electrical, with the help of an electrician friend. It's taking forever!

But my wife got me a neon sign for Christmas, to go in the Packard space in the garage. I'm loving it!

-Kevin

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Merry Christmas! I'm grateful for all the good folks on this forum and for all the advice I've been given. Without your help I never would have gotten my car up and running.

-Kevin

I'll put in my 2 cents as a "younger" and recent entrant into the Packard world.

There are still a lot of people my age who are interested in older cars. I can't tell you how many guys I talk to that would love to have a classic after seeing mine. The problem is that most don't have the time/money to devote to it. Young families and other priorities in life trump something like restoring a classic. But children grow up and earnings increase over the years. They'll end up getting into the hobby later in life. I'm fortunate myself to be able to jump in earlier than some.

That being said, not many have heard of Packard before and know nothing about them. All the more reason to drive and show ours.

On the topic of modifications, I tend to lean towards the 'keep things original' side of it. As much as possible, that is my goal. Partly because I want to enjoy the engineering the way that Packard designed it, partly because it gives me a connection with the past, and partly because nearly all the classic cars around me are modified and rodded and I want to be different.

I drive my Packard gently and carefully for leisurely cruises. I don't drive it like a modern car because it isn't. The brakes (drums with a non-original dual master....not my doing) stop perfectly well, but I never give myself a chance to try them out because I drive so defensively.

If I want to go fast, that's not what the Packard is for. Different cars for different purposes. I have an '05 Audi S4 for speed...plenty of power to slam you back in the seat through all six gears, and 0-60 in about 4 seconds. The Audi is designed for speed with all the modern safety equipment. The Packard is not.

-Kevin

Will do Ross. Anything in particular I should know about removing it? Does it just slide out after removing the screw, or does it take more work?

I took a look under the dash to see what's involved in removing the radio and heater controls. I'll have to find some time to get it done. Doesn't look too bad....just really awkward.

Yesterday was a balmy 47 degrees in the morning, so I figured I would give the car some exercise. It had been a few weeks since I had started it. I drove it work and was pretty cold but it was worth it.

One thing I have been experiencing more and more frequently is a non-start "click". I turn the key and just get a click and nothing else. Fully charged battery. I have to try the key a couple of times and then it was will crank and start right up. Usually by the third twist of the key.

Starter issues? Solenoid? Bad cable to the starter (mine is original and not fantastic)?

-Kevin

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