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

Hi all,
It's time for me to start taking care of the rear wheel arches that are rusting again. I guess after 15 years or so the first restoration is starting to fade. The rear wheel arches are bubbling/rusting and I might even have to do the drivers side rocker panel/threshold outside.

Is any reproduction sheetmetal available on the market, or is this all to be self fabricated?

Car is a 1953 Clipper delux club sedan. Here's a couple of pics so you get an idea of the extent of rust. I guess it would also be possible to fab the sheetmetal since I don't have the lines like the 51 cars do.

Thanks,
Mike

Attach file:

---

  (14.51 KB)


  (23.33 KB)

Unless you can find a doner car with good arches and doglegs, they are going to have to be fabricated. Currently there is no one out there reproducing Packard sheetmetal that I am aware of.

Tobs: Like kevin has stated your going to have to find a good metal fabricator to make you new panels.

John F. shireman

If the thought of metal fabrication bothers you, consider trying your hand at fiberglass. Autozone and sometimes even Walmart sells what you need for that kind of work. You might be surprised what you can do with it.

Also check out a product called "Kitty Hair". Used for filling holes when welding is not used.

I seen these but the quality is probably questionable at best.

cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/QUARTER-PANEL-PA ... ssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Hmm, the rear fenders are for a 4 door, so I guess the dogleg area in front of the wheel arch would have to be modified/fabricated, but might be worth a shot.
Thanks for the tips!
Just went to an American car show outside of Munich today. Really fun to see what shows up there. I will be very surprised if I meet another Packard someplace.

Decades ago, there were some patch panels for this area of the car (three separate pieces, IIRC) offered in hobby circles, but I was never able to obtain a set. I suspect that these parts were actaully leftover stock from years gone by - made for the autobody aftermarket, back when a sufficient number Packards were still in daily use.

I did find similar panels for other cars at swap meet table and saw some commercially-made replacement rocker panels installed on a few Packards, but they were very crude - didn't look good at all to me. Since the fender skirt seems to fit 1951-56, you'd think someone would have made new, correct ones by now, but I've never seen 'em.

As others have said, you may need to look for a panel fabricator to acheive the proper appearance. I'm gonna try to "roll my own" someday, but that will require an investment in some additional hand tools and maybe even a shrinker strecher like the Eastwood Co. sells (the latter for the dogleg and similar areas). Yet, it's amazing what some guys can do with a sandbag, a piece of maple, and a few hammers.

For low volume work, you can get the shrinker/stretcher set from Harbor Freight, as well as pneumatic plenishing hammer and English Wheel for considerably less. A friend of mine just bought the English Wheel and shrinker/stretcher set, and they both seem to be pretty good quality.
John
He also told me I could borrow both whenever I need them........<big big grin>

<SNIP>by OldGold on 2008/5/31 5:54:19

I seen these but the quality is probably questionable at best.

cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/QUARTE ... ZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem <SNIP>

Does anyone have any experience with his rocker panels?
Thanks,
John