BigKev wrote:
Late on this, but my 54 wheels were so crusty they wouldn't seal and leaked air. I had them media blasted clean to remove any trace of rust, then primed with epoxy and painted inside and out.

The '54 rims are different as they were made for tubeless tires.

Marty or Marston wrote:
My preference for sealing two metals where you want a great seal with some flexibility is to use a polyurethane caulking compound (Home Depot). Of course, the key to success with any of the products mentioned above is a good, clean surface. There is also automotive seam sealer found in paint stores that specialize in auto paints. It has great adhesion propertied with some flexibility.

kevinpackard wrote:
I ended up wire wheeling my rims, then cleaned and primed with epoxy. I sprayed the inside face and areas the tires sit with black epoxy spray paint. Haven't had any leaks so far with my new Diamondbacks, so I'm assuming the epoxy primer did the trick.

-Kevin

Fish'n Jim wrote:
I think '53 is far enough along to be totally welded. This was mostly a case of riveted wheels, which would've been the case in '48.
Doesn't hurt to protect steel from corrosion in any case.
All else fails put a tube in.

Wat_Tyler wrote:
My inclination would be: silicone caulk. I've used and misused it to seal all manner of leaky bits off and on for the last 40 years. Contrary to rumor, it doesn't bond the parts, but it will make them a bit more difficult to take apart should that become necessary, like on those threads that just won't seal.

If it's water-tight, it's air-tight, too.

Phil Randolph wrote:
" Phil Swift here" Spray on Flex Seal

Mechagon wrote:
Yes, if they leak you will need a sealant of some kind. But most of the time it's not an issue. Some people like to go over any rivet holes or seams before mounting the new tires. If you have the tires dismounted it would be a good preventive measure.

HH56 wrote:
I have not read the book so not saying it is wrong but saying it is more a matter of opinion. I don't think there is any question Nance tried to upgrade Packard when he came on board but while there may have been some serious attempts to upgrade the 53 convertible and hardtop interior and upholstery to senior status, the exterior and mechanical is still almost identical to the earlier models so in that respect I think it barely moved the needle.

The 51 upgrade to 250 status primarily depended on adding teeth in the grill, a few options becoming standard, and a bit more interior chrome over their more junior siblings and that carried over mostly unchanged for 53. I believe the 53 convertible and HT models got the extra bar on the bumper to make it appear more massive like the bumper in the Patrician and 300 but that is a relatively minor senior change.

IMO, the initial look is still what most people would go by -- or at least I do -- so to me the 53 is still more junior looking compared to the significant changes in the 54s. Add in the top of the line engine for 54 and you have a real senior.