Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Question. I have a few photos of 47 steering columns and there seems to be a varied opinion on the color treatment in the engine compt. Some really fine looking restored cars have all black yet I think the factory way is the brown that is inside the vehicle was carried down. One tiny part visible in a photo seems to indicate that. Also the gearshift tube. Should it remain natural or be painted brown or black. Opinions??

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Both steering column and shift tube are brown inside the cabin and under the hood all the way down. There was no reason for the factory to paint them different colors merely as they continued on the other side of the firewall.

That is true for the Supers, but the Customs have a chrome steering column in the passenger compartment. Don't recall what the shifter tube is, but will be visiting my '47 in the next couple of days and will take a look. I believe the column and tube in the engine compartment are the brown color like in your photo.

(o{}o)

That cable connect in the top photo is scary and dangerous. At least it should be on the ground (+) terminal, not the hot one (-).

JW, I would appreciate your looking. My shift tube does look like there might have been chrome down low at one time but it also has some areas that look like there might have been paint too.

While you are looking at your car would like an opinion on something else. I took advantage of Steele's offering to supply a customized list of all rubber pieces needed for a 47 Custom 8.

While almost everything seems obvious and correct, for some reason there are several mentions of fender welting in various width, bead size and color. The car is in such an embarrassed state right now it's hard to tell but I don't see any remnants or remember any welting needed in the conventional sense. Can you see or remember any place 1/4 or 3/16 bead or chrome bead welting would be used. All the lists says is typically used to attach fenders but these fenders are already attached.

Howard et al,
On my car the steering column is brown and the shift column may have been chrome at one point, but in any event it is not painted. Inside, both columns chrome.
BTW, Plasticote T-36 "Chestnut Brown" is a good match for the steering column.

Here's what my Maroon 47 Custom Super Clipper steering looks like in the engine compartment.
Wes

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Here are a couple more pictures inside and outside of fire wall.
Ws

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Thanks for those photos. Most helpful and even picked up a couple of details on the firewall that didn't show in other views I had collected. One more question. On your vacuum antenna, where does the rubber supply hose to the manifold route and is it rubber all the way?

Is all the hardware mountings under the dash painted brown --e brake, hood release, vent etc? Looking at mine can't say if it is a grayish color or a faded brown.

Not a very good picture but here it is. Picture of a 47 Super Clipper vacuum lines for antenna going into the firewall.
Wes

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Much appreciated. It looks like a metal tube comes off the manifold and up maybe 6-8 inches where it connects to a rubber hose that goes inside the dash to the valve. I would not have thought that. I had thought that grommet opening where the vacuum hose enters was for the washer option.

Wonder where the washer hoses route if that opening is occupied.