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Evening all,

Is it just me or is it a common experience?

Everytime I drive my Packard I hear a new rattle,squeak, creak, groan and moan!

Am I just too sensitive?

Pat.

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With some of your experiences recently, maybe you are more tuned in waiting for something, but after all, it is an elderly contraption entitled to a few squeaks and rattles. If and when we reach that age, maybe we will be as lucky to only creak, moan and groan--not that I don't do enough of that already.

I don't think you're being too sensitive, when the wood is sound these composite bodies are almost silent, the only significant noise in mine comes from one of the window glasses that rattles in the channel on severe road bumps, but otherwise the chassis and body are as quiet as a new car.

Sounds like you've got some work ahead of you and tracking down sounds can be really difficult, but I'd start with the chassis and suspension. If the Bijur has been inoperative for any length of time, you can expect all manner of groans, grunts and noises from the suspension, just try rocking the car on the springs - give it a try and see if you can narrow down the noises to suspension or body.

PS - if they turn out to be suspension noises from a previously inoperative Bijur, you can remove the line at the Bijur pump and force-feed oil thru the system as a temporary measure and see if that quiets things down. But if the groans and noises come from the body, i.e. from deteriorating wood and wood joints, that's a hearbreak because it's so expensive to fix. Hope you find it's something easy to fix.

That can happen when you go crashing through potholes hard enough to wreck the suspension.

Suggest you make sure the springs and suspension are in good shape, the shocks filled with the appropriate oil, and the tires properly inflated.

If it is still too noisy take it down to the Jaguar dealer and trade it in on a new car.

Well I cover an average of 175 miles a week so I suppose I am aware of any new noises, particularly when transporting Brides on the most important day of their lives. Old sounds are usually replaced by new ones, nothing serious.

At the end of the day its not a' trailer queen' but is out there working for a living.

Asd for trading it in for a Jag, I will treat that comment with the contempt it deserves !

Possibly not sensitive enough. If you pound a 70 year old car over the roads without mercy 175 miles a week naturally something is going to give.

I was not kidding about trading it in on a Jag. If you want a car you can hop into anytime and drive like a taxicab you need something better than a 70 year old Packard and I don't think they sell Lincoln Town Cars where you are.

(If you pound a 70 year old car over the roads without mercy)

Would it be your view that this is what I do?

I feel a certain amount of antagonism in you post, or am I over sensitive?

Just because a car is a certin age does not mean it cannot serve a useful function instead of sitting wrapped in cotton wool waiting for just the right day.

In any event, I would trust my Packard better than a Jag or indeed any modern car. It has faithfully served me for 4 years and thousands of miles with only one major problem in that time.

I have a new Chrysler 300c and whan I open the hood I close it again just as quick, no side of the road quick fixs there!

My first post was a rhetorical question.

If I came across as antagonistic I am sorry. I find it difficult on the internet to get a point across without being blunt.

The plain fact is you are asking a lot of any 70 year old car. You already told us you hit a pothole hard enough to damage the front suspension. If this is the kind of road you drive on all the time no wonder the body is starting to squeak and rattle.

I can appreciate your problem. You have a business to run. You need a vehicle that is ready to go at any time and one that needs minimum upkeep.

I am suggesting the car you have is no longer man enough for the job. That is not an insult to you or the car, it is plain speaking.

Even though this is a Packard forum I can also tell you that for sheer grinding hard work a Cadillac will outlast a Packard. Now we are talking the period of 1920s to 1950s when Cadillac and Packard were rivals in the limousine field.

I can also tell you that in the 40s and 50s Chrysler and DeSoto sold more limousine type vehicles than Packard and Cadillac put together. I am talking about the DeSoto Skyview taxicab, Suburban 8 passenger sedan, Chrysler Windsor 6 cylinder 8 passenger sedan and limousine, New Yorker eight cylinder ditto and the Imperial limousine that was a favorite of the rich and famous in the New York and New England area.

They all had an excellent name for reliability, long life and low cost service.

It does appear that the Packard does not fill your needs. This is not your fault or Packard's fault.

What alternatives are available to you I do not know. I can tell you around here practically all the limousine services use Lincoln Town Cars and they routinely drive them 300,000 to 500,000 kilometers without major repairs.

In your case being in the British Isles a Jaguar Rolls Royce or Daimler might fill the bill better. But I assume you already considered them as they would be the default choice for someone in your business.

Or to put it another way. If it is not a common experience it is only because other owners of similar cars do not use them as much as you do. If they did they would probably have similar experience.

It appears you are asking too much of the car. It might be a wise plan to sell it and get something newer and/or tougher.

That's just my take on the situation. Not being antagonistic just blunt.

And, I admit I could be completely wrong. But at least there's no doubt where I stand.

I love 1101s. Never met one I didn't like. Best and smoothest riding/running 8 of the classic era. Some say the 37. Hogwash. You have one of the nicest and quietest of all body styles. Start here...go under the carpets and locate the body bolts. Give em a 1/2 turn or so and re-snug as many as you can locate. Temperature has much to do with cars and bodies framed in wood so do it on a cool day. Next, look inside the trunk. There's fasteners in there that attach it to the main body. Snug them up as well. Once done get some talcum powder, shake it into a cup and take a soft bristle paint brush and coat all of the rubber stops and bumpers on the doors. Put a lot on there and don't worry about it. It cleans up easy from the painted surfaces and blows off the fabric easy as well. See what that does for you. If after that you find add'l noises then look to the chassis for things like exhaust hangers, splash pans around the engine, etc. Don't hesitate to powder the hood lacing as well. Liquid lubricants often aggrevate squeeks instead of correcting them. Talc makes for a nice dry lube on such things. You get smoother closing doors and sometimes even better fits on things like trunk lids. Good advice above regarding the Bijur system. It's essential to quiet chassis operation.

Last item, on a day when theat one squeek just drives ya crazy, go out for a drive with a spritzer bottle of soapy water. Locate the area of the squeek as in rt rear, left front, etc., and stop the car. Squirt some soapy water around the fender welting and don't be cheap with it. If the noise is gone then tighten up that fender, frame cover, or what ever it may be. Happy motoring and I hope this was helpful.