Here's an idea. When the car is supported on the chassis and the axle hanging, the Panhard rod will pull the rear axle to one side. This is a design fault, the stud on the chassis end of the Panhard rod is too short. Mine was broken off when I got the car, I replaced it with a 4 inch set screw, with an extra nut, washer and rubber inboard of the chassis mount. This means when the car is lifted the Panhard rod isn't under tension, and it still has play when on the ground.
Gary

That is my point, use the 10 weight only if you want to go ice road trucking.

Sorry, I just don't get it. I cannot fathom the idea of using oil like 10W30 in one of these old bangers. I am sure the teenager at the parts retailer thinks it is good oil, yes it is, for a 2020 engine. As Scotty from Star Trek kept reminding Kirk, ye cannae change the laws of physics. The physics here is called Couette Flow, which in a nutshell means the greater the clearances the higher viscosity oil you need. More recent engines have much smaller clearances, so they can use lower viscosity lubricant, this reduces bearing friction. Engines made 70 years ago were never intended for anything less than 20W50, unless you are north of the Arctic Circle.
The lower viscosity oil will escape more easily from hydraulic lifters too. maybe that is the cause of your lifter rattle. If anyone has been running a Packard engine on low viscosity oil and tears it down for a rebuild, please post photos of the crank and bearings. Additionally hydraulic lifters don't like gunk in them, so one suggestion is use Diesel engine oil. Diesels are filthy, so oil for them has a high detergent content. You will be unlikely to get blockages in the lifters or galleries. Avoid the low viscosity 'water", this is poison.
Gary (mechanical engineer)

Hi Joe. Why are you using 10W30 oil?
Gary

My 49 had been off the road since 1969, I got it in 09 and took the engine apart for a rebuild. I didn't find any distribution tube, just lots of rust flakes in the block. So it must be that the factory did use sheet steel tubes.
The strange thing is I can't remember installing a tube when I assembled the engine. It doesn't overheat, so I must have.
Gary

Lining up manifolds:
I had mine apart recently It's easy. Leave the 3 manifold connecting bolts loose, put the manifolds on the block without a gasket, tighten the stud nuts, then tighten the 3 manifold bolts. Remove the pair, then put the gaskets on.
While you have the manifolds apart, and if you are in a warm climate and have trouble with carb heat, another trick is put some 0.020 shim between the manifolds, and poke a small vent hole through. This reduces the exhaust heat contacting the lower surface of the intake plenum. Of course if you live in the arctic you won't want this. Gary

For assembling the vacuum side, get 2 long screws (4" or so) with the same thread, put these through the top and diaphragm, and into the pump housing, then use a vice to squish the spring.
The same trick with long bolts works when fitting the front spring and locating the inside mounts of the lower wishbone. (But with a floor jack of course, not the bench vice).

Hello Doc. If you need rear shocks, they are the same as a new-ish Toyota Hilux. Same eyes (tapered for 2 piece rubbers), same length.
However shocks won't lift the back of your car. Two solutions are to have the rear springs reset, or put additional leafs in. My 49 sedan has 9 on one side and 10 in the other, that is how it came.
Gary

You could install a tap in the fuel line, reasponably accessable but out odd sight.
Anyway do car thieves know how to hotwire a car these days? It's all laptops and electronic key codes now.
Gary

Since one of these heads seriously lacks anywhere to grab it, as a matter of interest has abyone ever lifted a head using the spark plug threads? Like a piece of box tube with 8 holes and bolts into the plug holes, attach that to an engine crane?
Couldn't see a problem just lifting the head, assuming it unsticks ok. A Chrysler Slant 6 has 2 x 7/16 UNC holes in the head, that's how yoiu lift the complete engine.
Anyone tried this?