Thank you all, your knowledge always is invaluable to us home mechanics.

I have the front end apart on my '39 Packard Six for other maintenance and now is the time to correct my alignment. Should the wheels tilt to the outside at the top the wheels when the car is sitting on the ground? I know when it's jacked up they will be different. It is not clear in the Tech manual as to where the Negative or Positive angle is.

Is there a good source for improved aftermarket pistons and rings for this motor?

Thanks for this info, it's very enlightening. I'll be putting in all new pistons and rings now, this motor will never get many miles on it now but just in case whoever is the next caretaker of the car is, it'll be ready.

I was driving my car, a'39 Packard 6 with about 80,000 miles a few weeks ago and started hearing a strange motor noise. About then I had a valve start sticking causing a major miss so I have decided to pull the motor and go through it. It has seemed down on power and when I pulled the #4 piston, ring pieces came out with it. The cylinder is not scared and there is no ridge at the top of the cylinder. What could have caused this?

Unfortunately I am having to pull out the motor on my '39 "Six" 4 door. Is it possible to pull the Motor / trans out as 1 unit or do I need to separate the Transmission, remove the flywheel, remove the bell housing and then pull the motor? Not looking forward to this but I will appreciate some helpful info.

I wanted to give an update, I installed the new block thermostat on the head and filled it with water for a test, now, no water is blowing out of the radiator. At a fast idle there is no bubbling which I take as a good sign. I ran the motor for probably 15 min. at various speeds and the temp stayed right around 180. I didn't have the cap on and once when I revved it up pretty high just a little water came out of the radiator but I think it was overfilled. I couldn't go really drive the car because I had some other parts off but I am very encouraged.

After some discussion with my friend Terry Weiss, a long time Packard mechanic that lives near me, I recalled that I had removed my engine thermostat last year for some reason. We believe that the motor needs that thermostat to help slow down the water flow going up to the radiator. I can't find it so I ordered all new pieces from Maxx Merritt and will install them and find out, fingers crossed.

I don't have a thermostat in this motor, it has shutters but someone else told me that I should use a Thermostat in the neck housing. What would be correct?

Not really, I had done a long drive (95 mi.) at the Salado Packard meet and with about 2 mi. to go the motor got hot and started spitting water. Since then I have only done a few very short drives with it but I wanted to get it going for some Winter Parade plans.