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Project began on June 13, 2011 (bought in Atlanta Mar 26, 2011)

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Basic plan: 100% original - 2 year - $8,000 budget - only upholstery and chrome done outside

The "canvas" is fairly clean;
. running, drive-able condition
. <1% surface rust
. few and small body dents
. 99.99% complete (only missing fender skirts and rear sway bar)

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June 2011 - rebuilt 244S Carter carb, replaced thermo and radiator hose, General Duel-90's, polish cleaning.

July plan - joy-ride / sunday afternoon crusing

- then, full restoration begins!
updates and more pictures to follow...

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Sam,

Looking forward to following along as your restoration progresses. You have a great start there with almost a complete car, the parts you're missing shouldn't be too hard to come by.

Love your Avatar, looks very much like your Packard!

Sam, welcome to PackardInfo.com.
If you could please add your car to the Owner Registry we would appreciate it.









Mal (Ozstatman), is it a green turtle [Chelonia mydas] or a map turtle [genus Graptemys]? However, don't call it swan.

Gerd,

Sam has already done so, in fact he did that before starting this blog!

I know how keen you are to see the Registry continue to grow, and at times I've made the same mistake myself because of my Registry Fever enthusiasm, so understand the situation perfectly.

EDIT - Gerd, irrespective of the correct genus, I would call it Myrtle!

Sam, thanks for registering. To ask for it is a kind of conditioned reflex - the so-called recorder reflex, also known in common parlance as Myrtle snapper reflex.
I wish you an interesting restoration period and strong spending restraint.

Gerd, very interesting feature on Myrtle, so much so, it's a good guide for Sam's or any restoration Blog! Documenting your progress of how things are done, any unusual aspects and most importantly plenty of pictures of all aspects including the people involved.

End of diversion. I'll let Sam pick up the running from hereon in.

June ~July 2011

Since the car was drivable when I bought it I wanted to tune it up and cruise around a month or two before beginning the project. The first things done was replacing the top radiator hose, thermostat and cap, plug wires, front tires, repairing the vacuum advance (with bicycle inner tube) and carburator rebuild. Replaced engine oil, transmission and rear end lubes, wiper blades (rubber inserts from 22" Anco cut in half), fuel filter and set the timing.

The improvements made a huge difference in performance - but still needs a few "tweaks". Temp is OK when driving normal but will over-heat when idling and it's a little stubborn and needs a drink of fuel to get started after setting for more than a couple days. Anyway a few weeks of driving under somewhat good running conditions helped diagnoses the total condition a little more thoroughly - all of what I consider to be minor and relatively simple fix'.

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Aug ~Sep 2011
Began dis-assembly and removal of the doors. Replacing broken glass (front driver's and passenger vent) and all of the other side windows (stained with age), window belts, runners and seals as well as all of the door molding and rubber seals. Inspecting, cleaning, repairing and/or replacing EVERY door and window part eventually. Repaired front passenger's vent window frame's broken bottom pivot shaft (picture of jig my dad made to hold it square and true for brazing). All 4 vent glass frames and 4 divider bars re-chromed - my first experience with chrome plating - $ticker $hock - $500 - ouch!!
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Polishing - My dad surprised me by building a buffer out of an old well pump ? HP 3600rpm motor that he had salvaged. Mounted it on 4" square tubing and a disc plow for the floor stand. I added the switch and painted it, bought a starter kit from Caswellplating.com and was in business! The stainless door (outside and inside) trim now looks brand new!

Oct ~ Feb 2012
Removed the rest of the chrome trim and fenders. Wiring harness removed was found to be to brittle and bare to be reused. All engine components (except manifold) removed. Water Distribution tube had to be gently persuaded with 2 files, vice grips, piece of broken hacksaw blade (as a spacer) and a dent puller and finally came out in good condition. Completely disassembled body and interior, logging the sequence and parts as each were bagged and stored in their identified bag and box. Cleaned and stripped inside body floor pan, trunk and roof. Just a few small places rusted through was treated and coated with POR-15 products. Unbolted body from frame and ready to lift off.

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Mar 2012
While waiting on longer, warmer days to get the chassis (with engine) outside for pressure washing, I began stripping the paint from the body. Sandblasted all of the rust spots that will be under the exposed top coated areas, and Ospho treated the rust that will be painted over in unseen areas. High spots in the metal were ground or bumped down, sanded body with 180x DA.

Fighting flash rust on a day to day basis began to seem overwhelming since I can only get in 2~3 hours per day on it. Finally over the weekend I was able to get in one more light-sanding before washing with Mean Green degreaser (dollar store brand of Simple Green?), Dawn dish detergent - rinsing both with water and drying with a clean towel and hair dryer before it dried on it's own. The last wash before the primer was with DuPont Prep-Sol cleaning solvent (of course, as directed - more washing and drying). Just before the sun set on the weekend, I finished the 2nd coat of Nason Epoxy Primer (491-16). My experience with a spray gun is limited, but other that a little orange-peel, I thought it turned out pretty good.

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