Greg, John Ulrich has not gotten back to me, so I'm still at a loss as to what I need and where to get it. I need a diagram to explain how it all goes together so I can make or buy the missing pieces! Not sure how Ulrich's "button backers" work and how they attach to anything. Do you have any pictures of the whole assembly and how it is installed? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Brad

Thanks, Todd - I had already separated the metal cap from the tenite plastic part so I could clean things up. Unfortunately, the wire lacks an end - I assume it had some kind of tab to be soldered to some part of the mechanism. What I can't figure out is how the button assembly is held in place. The tenite is a bit shrunken and barely reaches the metal tabs on the horn ring piece, but more importantly, it seems that I am missing something to hold it in towards the steering column?? Brad

I can't figure out what I'm missing in the horn button assembly for my 1940 160! First, where and how is the conductor wire connected and second, what holds the plastic center button in place. I'm guessing that I am missing a part?? I can't find any diagrams in my parts books!

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I remember when Jerry told me he was going to retire - he gave me some good tips! However, I have trouble thinking that some of the colors LaVine shows apply to 1940 - maybe they applied to 1941. I am embarrassed to ask them about it since I'm making my own (I'm on a budget, and I like the challenge!) Just hoped somebody had original color charts, or better yet an idea of how to get that great marbled effect of the "fudge" that was in my car. And I've always restored my own steering wheels - which in my car was not marbled, but a sort of ugly caramel color. Does anybody know if the steering wheels ever originally had the marbled "fudge" color?

Can anybody point me to color charts showing the original dashboard plastic colors offered for a 1940 160? I've seen some wild colors at shows and I see that Lavine offers a diverse palette of plastic colors that they call "Packard" colors. I've made the molds and the solid colors are fairly easy to make. Unfortunately, mine is the "fudge" color and I'm not having much success reproducing it, so I want to know what other colors would be accurate! I also have the same question concerning the steering wheel, although I'm pretty sure I've duplicated the color on mine.

Does anybody rebuild the vacuum cylinders like I have in my 1940 160? I really don't want to convert to electric - would like to keep the original system. Can the original cylinders be "awakened" with a shot of oil or other lubricant/gasket expander, like vacuum windshield wiper motors?

Todd, Thanks for your response, but I couldn't open the website you referenced.

Thanks for your response, Joe, I was being too gentle - it came right out! Interesting that you said 2 screws, as mine had 3.

Does anybody know where I can get different sized offset thimbles to allow me to properly set the camber in my 1940 160 convertible?

I am embarrassed to say, but I cannot get the rear seat back out of my 1940 160 convertible. I removed the three screws at the bottom and the removed the adjacent arm rests but the top of the seat does not lift out like my other Packards did. What am I missing?