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A deficiency?? This is in response to a post in pedal play.

I'm glad someone has a cure for the pedal problem but a little sad that it seems to not be general knowledge. I wonder how many more things have been fixed and are out there but only advertised in a regional newsletter or even in a national publication that maybe 10% of people needing the item would know about or have access to. Some of the lists in the PAC monthly publication are just jumbled together and it's not easy to see or pick something out with a quick look. PI is same and believe even less frequent but I'm not a member there anymore so don't even see it--nor do numerous others not a member of either club.

I know Kev has mentioned before that he would welcome a link to other regions project sites or would be willing to post their products page if they would send it yet no one seems to take advantage of it. Maybe few of the proper people know of this site or want to use it because they have their own. Whichever, it's their loss.

I don't see anything on the PAC site except their own online store. Maybe something is buried in the classified section but that doesn't work on my computer - IE only maybe?? It seems that would be a way for things to be known if there were a regions product area and the project mgrs were encouraged to use it with some publicity. The current "regions" only seems to get an email form.

PI has a site with some info on their club projects. Otherwise, they do have a link to their regions pages. Sometimes, if the region has projects, that will get you a page where there is a link to projects but still a bit cumbersome.

I guess the point of this is so much is probably out there that no one knows about and are there any suggestions of ways to change that.

End of Rant.

If any Vendor or Club has a list or catalog of the reproduction pieces they sell and wants me to post it then I will. Never a been a problem there. I actually have a "Sticky" thread created in the For Sale/Wanted forum to cover that.

One point I tried to make a long time ago is that if people didn't know what you had to sell, then how do you expect to sell those items?

So I have no problem providing the "Corkboard" for clubs, vendors, individuals to post their reproduction Packard parts list on.

HH56. I went out to the PI web site about a month ago looking for the Packard V8 oil pump technical write up they had. It was on the website for a several years beginnig 1998 that i remeber. Can't find it now. Seems like other tech articles are not available there either.

On a different badge i've noticed recently that one of the Well known Indian dealers no longer has a parts or price look up avaiable at their website anymore. Just alot of sales pitch and general information about Indian. However, a magnificant parts cataloug has been added.

The dealer wants everyone to call them now for parts availability and price.

I'm wondering if this is a trend and why.

I wonder how many more things have been fixed and are out there but only advertised in a regional newsletter or even in a national publication that maybe 10% of people needing the item would know about or have access to.

Good reason to belong to one or more of the national Packard clubs.

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I absolutely agree but the fact still remains that even belonging to a club doesn't help if the item is in a regional newsletter and it isn't your region. The PAC site does not appear to link to any regions to even check. I would think that is something they could look into. O_D, maybe you could make that suggestion since you know many of the movers and shakers.

Incidentally, I did finally find the item mentioned on the brake pedal. It is advertised for 41-7 Clippers which brings the question of fitting the 48. It appears it will but wonder why they listed it as maybe not.

I believe all PAC's regional projects also appear in the National newsletter, though perhaps not every issue.

I'm a lot less-connected to PAC's management than you might think, but I'll try to remember the need for better access to projects and pass it along when I see an opportune moment.

EDIT- the last issue of PAC's newsletter than had all the regional projects was March 2010. I believe that list is published quarterly. I also checked the project for the brake/clutch pedal shaft kit and see that it's for Clippers thru 47 - my mistake, I thought it was also for all Packards thru 1950. Sounds like the best way is to ream the two pedals the least amount to give a true hole, and have a machine shop make an oversize shaft. Sounds like a fun little project.

I'll play devils advocate for a minute, so don't be to hard on me.

Isn't this one of the strongest tools a car club has to gain membership for their club? I'm all for sharing information, but if the car clubs opened up their newsletters and technical info that they have posted over the years for all to see, it defeats the purpose of a club. Isn't it one of the perks to belonging to a club, that you get to get free help and tech tips, and even purchase club manufactured parts?

Why buy the cow, if you can get the milk for free?

portlandon--You may have a point and I agree all should belong to at least a main club to support them.

My feeling on the links is if you are going to go to the trouble to make a project and have it to sell, why would you restrict that information to the point only a small percent of potential buyers know about it. No one is asking for it to be given away--just provide a way to let people know you have already done the work and have it for sale. I would think that a project would almost be treated like a commercial company would treat a product they sell.

I don't expect a person to belong to each club and region--at least not at the costs involved unless you're fortunate enough to be very well off. That is where the info seems to go in a hole. AS O_D says, maybe regional info published monthly and maybe quarterly. Also unless you take the time to sit down and thoroughly read and remember a publication, a lot of the parts info is just sort of missed. With it being scattered in amidst the coats, caps and other soft goods, when you need it two months later and remember reading about it but then which magazine and when gets you. If you're PAC, obviously you don't get PI info and vice versa so there is another rub.

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" I would think that a project would almost be treated like a commercial company would treat a product they sell."

Sure, but now with OPEN Internet discussion it becomes difficult to control the promotion of a product or project. EVERYTHING becomes subject to critical thinking and analysis. Any solution to any problem whether simple and cheap or complex and expensive is now subject to cross examination.

No one (person,club nor vendor) can be all things to all people. So clubs, vendors and individuals with varying perspectives are no more open to critical analysis of their promotions than Ford or GM is open to analysis of their prodcuts or promotions.