Rebuilt water pump, new belt, new gasket, fresh fluid, and new reproduction 7PSI radiator cap installed.

No leaks, however I did notice the tiniest bit of fogging on the base of the windshield. Is it possible that the old cap was worn out and with the new added pressure the heater core is leaking?

So the question is should I go back to the original cap and/or what are my replacement/repair options for the heater core?

Thank you for documenting and sharing all of this information. As a new owner of a 54' you've shared a lot of helpful info.

Any issue with the plugs I purchased?

Ross, thank you for your reply. The manual says to torque those bolts to 25-30 lb/ft. No issues with using ant-seize and that torque spec or should I be using a different torque spec with anti-seize on there?

I do have an AutoLite distributor. Thanks for the tip on point and condenser. Who can I get the cap and rotor from? I ordered LM49 AC Delco plugs. Are those the same as the R45's?

Wesley, thanks for sharing as well. Are there issues if I don't use RTV on the gasket between the water pump and block?

I'm replacing the water pump on my 54' Clipper De Luxe. I noticed when I removed the bolts that there was some sort of RTV on them and they seem to go into a water jacket. Is this necessary? If so, what's the recommended product? No mention of this in the service manual. Though the manual is vague in general.

Who carries distributor parts? RockAuto seems to have the cap and rotor for the distributor I don't have. Also wouldn't mind knowing if the AC Delco plugs are alright to run in these cars or a different is preferred and why.

My cylinder head says thunderbolt on it. I've noticed other Packards of this vintage don't have this. Is there something different about the cylinder head or engine other than the cosmetics of the casting?