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Now that most of the work on the '41 Club Coupe is complete I need to find another outlet for the mostly Packard related happenings that I'll be coming across in Wade's Workshop from time to time. I'll keep updating the '41 Coupe blog as things specific to it occur but that should be a less regular event. While the '41 was the main focus of my first blog there were a lot of other Packard related matters commented on or pictured and these will be the main stories here together with the many auto related diversions I'm prone to include.

Today, Friday 30th January, marks the start of this new perspective and commences with my '38 Eight Sedan which has been sitting in the workshop since Thursday 22nd January when I took the Coupe home. A list of things to be looked at on the '38 goes like this:
- Check shock absorbers
- Check brake fluid level
- Check trans and diff levels
- Grease all grease points on car
- Rotate tyres
- Adjust brakes
- Fix clock(Stopped working)
- Fix radio(Works but volume is on maximum and can't be adjusted)
- Adjust clutch(Very heavy operation)
- New starter solenoid

Reason I want to do these things on the '38 is that I will probably be selling it in the next few months and want to bring it back up to a reasonable operating level for the new owner. Have done over 3,500 miles since I bought it in May '07 and apart from a re-built water pump, new head gasket, the Peter Packard radiator and block flush treatment, a new set of sparkplugs, a couple of oil changes, a welded up clutch rod and a wheel almost falling off I've done nothing to it since then! I think one Packard is sufficient for my needs at the moment plus my garage is absolutely chock-a-block with 2 Packards in it!

So this morning drove to the workshop in the '41, again it's very nice to be able to say that, and for the first time it didn't go into the workshop but was parked on the roof. Was just getting the trolley jack in place under the front of the '38 when Wade arrived. His right ear looks somewhat swollen after yesterdays mishap and he has some pain too but otherwise is fine. Jacked the front up and put a pair of jack stands under the frame then with a few words of advice from Wade commenced to adjust the front brakes. Started on the left front and of course turned the adjuster the wrong way to start with, but after realising the error of my ways managed to adjust the brake to Wade's satisfaction. Then right front, learnt from the left front so that was done a little quicker. Front wheels back on ground, jack stands out and moved to the rear brakes. Jacked up diff, put jack stands under frame, let down diff and result? Tyres back on the ground! So jack up diff again, jack stands out from under frame rails and repositioned under axle housings. Result? Diff, wheels and tyres stay up where you want them! Much more difficult to adjust the rears because of accessibility mainly because the spring hanger nuts are right where you don't want them. Prevailed and, apart from starting by turning the adjuster the wrong way, adjusted both rear brakes.

What next? Decided to rotate the tyres because the fronts are more worn than the rears. Had Wade hold his foot on the brake while I broke the rear wheel lug bolts free with a long socket handle. Also broke free the front wheel lug bolts while they were on the ground then jacked up the front again and more jack stands in place. Did the left side first, taking the front wheel/tyre off and replacing it with the rear from that side. But before doing the actual swap Wade had a look around to see if there was anything evident that needed fixing. All looked OK except for the fuel filler tube which has a rubber hose section between the tank inlet and the actual filler tube. The rubber was somewhat perished so while access was good took the opportunity to replace it. Getting it out was easy enough but replacing it with the new rubber hose section, provided by Wade, was somewhat more difficult, but we made it.

During the fuel filler hose replacement, Jeff our Rally Director for the Packard National Rally in March arrived with some paperwork for Wade who's the Treasurer of our Packard Club. Proved a nice little diversion in the middle of a hot day and provided me with the opportunity of touching base with Jeff regarding the tour of the Restoration Shop I'm organising as part of the Rally. However you could have knocked me over when he said he had 54 people wanting to go to the Resto shop! Right up till only a few weeks ago we seemed to be struggling to get the minimum 20 people required. Then about a week ago Jeff informed me that 38 had nominated and now it's 54! Called the Resto shop this afternoon and Sarah tells me they can cope with up to 60 by splitting them into 2 groups, so it's working out well.

But back to Wade's Workshop. Wade had been taking it easy today offering advice and guidance where required but not doing too much physically. He did help Rick who was having trouble getting the trans out of a little Suzuki 4 Wheel Drive and he also fixed the clock in the '38. The clock worked when I bought the car but hasn't for about the last 12 months. Wade opened the glove box door and said I only had a wire for the clock light and nothing to power the clock. He took the back off the clock to find it has a battery powered mechanism now driving it and doesn't require an external power source only a new battery. And he even provided a new AA battery and cleaned out the mechanism because the old battery was leaking. And putting the front wheels/tyres back on noticed the upper outer front bushings are ratty and need replacement. Will order these tonight and once the '38's back on the road will have a front end alignment done on so we keep heading in the right direction! Looks like there'll be a few additional things along the way in addition to those on the list

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Mal,
Congrats on the new project blog - "Wades Workshop"

You are indeed a busy, self confessed Packard Zealot.

It is a good thing you are retired so you can keep up with yourself.

May you enjoy many (mishap-free) miles in the "ONE1941."

DanL

Saturday 31st January 2009

Earlier in the week I'd arranged to meet Wade early at the workshop this morning. We were going in Wades Dual Cab Ute to view the 40's Packard engine and O/D trans that Wayne, in the Packard club with a nice '36 120, had told me about back in November, when I met him at the show and shine at Wyong on the Central Coast of New South Wales. Wayne lives at Toowoon Bay while the Packard engine and trans were at Long Jetty a short distance away, all being on the Central Coast. It's about 55 miles north from the Workshop and we were met there by Wayne in his 'yard'. The yard comprises a house up on platforms waiting to be transported, a portable office that was locked, a large extra-extra wide trailer for hauling large oversize portable buildings and a semi-rig with a fork lift on board and longer trailer also for hauling portable buildings. The rest of the yard had lots of "stuff" spread around it including the Packard parts in question. What does Wayne do for a living? Why move large portable buildings of course!

Wayne told us there are actually 2 engines and both had their heads off and are sitting outdoors. Have identified the engine lying on it's side as a 1948 288 thanks to the Packard Engine Serial Number Reference chart here on PackardInfo -packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/article/view.article.php?246 The other engine's serial number couldn't be deciphered because of the rust and crud on it, so we'll find out what it is later. There was also a complete rear end assembly with sway bar and I noted at least one of the tyres was a 7:60 x 15". Other parts were a couple of oil filters with oil lines attached, a tailshaft, a badly broken carburettor, a steering box, a front engine mount, a distributor and some other bits and pieces. After looking them over Wade asked Wayne how much he wanted for it all to be met by the reply "Nothing, it's yours"! That was a surprise! Apparently Wayne had envisioned putting the O/D trans in the '36 but that was some years ago and other things intervened in the meantime and he didn't end up doing it, obviously. He's now looking to move the parts on before they get too much further degraded and end up going to the tip. And by moving them on into Wade's and my hands whatever is excess to our requirements will be available to other Packard club members should they require it.

That was entirely unexpected, especially as I'd stopped at an ATM on the way to the workshop to ensure I had cash in my pocket. But there was a snag, the engines were difficult to access, there were a couple of concrete drainage pipes between them and the Ute. Plus Wayne didn't have any lifting equipment on site. So we loaded up the O/D trans(which might be a R6 - EDIT, It's an R9!), which is without a solenoid or governor, the rear end and the rest of the parts literally lying around in the weeds. It also transpired that the portable office was locked and the guy with the key is in hospital at present. The head for one of the engines is definitely in the office and there could be some other parts in there as well. Wade said if Wayne could get the 2 engines on a pallet it would probably be easiest that way as the palleted engines will fit in the back of the Ute and would also help in unloading at the workshop with the forklift there. So I'll call Wayne next week to find out whats happening and then we'll take things from there. When we got back to the workshop used the forklift to lift out the rear end, a lot easier than getting it on board at Long Jetty, and then used a hand pallet trolley to get it over to Wades work area. Also used the hand pallet trolley for the O/D trans with most of the other bits being carried to their resting place. Monday will see some tidy up, culling and initial dis-assembly and cleaning to help determine exactly what we've got and whether all the parts are worth keeping. And leaving the workshop to go home after the unloading found I'd lost my glasses, so there was a cost to this after all. They could well be in amongst the weeds at Wayne's yard.

Quote:
Dan,

Thanks for the good wishes. Just a little correction, it's "ONE941"

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Mal,
I have nominated you and Wade for "PInfo Archeologists of the Week" award.

Hope you find your glasses.

DanL

Monday 2nd February 2009

Rang Brian before leaving for the workshop and made an appointment for Thursday 9:00am to finish off the wheel alignment. Down at the workshop started by reading the '41 Manual about Econo-Drive operation because yesterday on the drive up to Kath's sisters I thought I'd check it's operation. Suffice to say I didn't have a clue about what I was supposed to do so pulled out the Econo-Drive lockout knob and now find out the Manual says not to do that when stationary! Suffice to say, I found in theory and in practice that it doesn't make the Econo-Drive work. However I now have a proper understanding of how to operate the Econo-Drive and will put this into practice on Thursday on the way to and from the wheel alignment.

Reading the Econo-Drive instructions then spurred my interest in the O/D picked up on Saturday and on checking it, turns out to be an R9! I've corrected the original post where, on trying to read the pic of the O/D, I deciphered the markings as R6. Alright, I know, I'm old and the eyesight's not as good as it used to be, but that bad! You'll also notice I've now started calling the O/D, Econo-Drive, because the Manual I got from Russ in Canada uses that terminology while other books use the Aero-drive terminology! Think I'll just call it the O/D and that covers the lot!

Then culled the pile of parts of the obviously too far broken or rusted to be of any use as well as non Packard parts. Some of those retained will be further culled as they are dis-assembled and internal condition discerned.

Turned to the '38 and started by jacking it up and putting it on jack stands. Getting better at this now with the extra practice recently and got it set up without any hitches. Under the car, examined the clutch linkage because of the very heavy pedal pressure required in it's operation. Then with me in the cabin and Wade under car operated the clutch through a number of cycles. First with the return spring in place and then without the spring. Clutch was still heavy to operate without the spring and Wade is of the opinion it's heavy because of the springs used in the pressure plate. More than I want to do at the moment so left it at that. While under the car also checked the trans oil level, OK - because it ran down my arm when I took the top plug out. And the diff oil level, probably OK although there was no overflow this time, and will re-check after re-placing the pinion oil seal. Also took the opportunity to tighten most of the sump bolts, the bell-housing bottom bolts and the diff centre nuts. Surprising how many required that little bit of taking up.

Next removed the '38's radio because Wade, with his other "hobby" of old radios, is going to look at and repair it hopefully. His track record is good from my viewpoint as whatever he did to the '41's radio has it working well. The '38's radio although not original or correct is at least period correct so suits the car. It did work when I first bought it but soon reverted to only one volume - bloody loud - so it hasn't been used for a while. The bakelite head unit has seen better days, it doesn't have a dial pointer and has two disparite knobs. The bowden cables from the head unit to the radio/speaker box also had tight bends which could contribute to volume and tuning difficulties. And when wade took the box apart found that the ends where the bowden cables connect were virtually free-wheeling. Fortunately he thinks he has some the same at home in his radio parts "junk box" and will have a look at it on the weekend.

While Wade cleaned his '37 Super 8 I removed the spark plugs from the '38 and cleaned them up in the re-furbished blasting cabinet. What a difference, both the cabinet operation and the cleaned plugs! Can now see what you're doing when using the cabinet, the new sealing edges coupled with the vacuum hook up keeps the dust from obscuring the work at hand. Found that 2 of the plugs were closed right up and 2 others partially closed. Wade re-gapped these and checked the others than I re-installed them and fired the '38 up. Still has a small miss and Wade with a quick check by grounding each plug individually found that some had weaker spark than others so it looks like a new set of plug leads is required.

And the reason Wade was cleaning the Super 8? He's going on a run tomorrow up to Kurrajong, about 40 miles west of the workshop, where Sydney's Radio Museum is located.
pleasetakemeto.com/australia/new-south-w ... ting/9112579/kurrajong-radio-museum He's heard and knows about it but has never been there. And it just happened I was at a Council of Motor Clubs meeting as the Packard clubs delegate last Monday evening when the guy behind me said the OASIS group was having a run to the Radio Museum in February. Asked him for more details at the end of the meeting and, except for a prior commitment, I'd be attending the run there too. I'm sure Wade will enjoy the day and look forward to hearing about it later this week.

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Friday 6th February 2009

Today's story is told in two parts, see Mal's '41 120 Coupe later for the rest of the tale.

Took the plugs out of the '38 because Wade had mentioned on Monday afternoon that maybe they were too long and the valves touching them when opening might be the reason a few were closed up. Took 'em out, checked them as OK, and put 'em back. No valves touching plugs.

And talking to Wade he tells me the body for his '34 will be painted soon and next week there'll be a re-shuffle in his part of the workshop. This will mean moving the rolling '34 chassis from the corner so that it's next to where my '38 now is, I think! All will be revealed next week. The guy doing the body has one more job to finish then the '34 will be sprayed, Wade will pick it up and bring it back and start fitting it out. The guy will then do the fenders, hood and other parts requiring painting. Wade's also going to have the exhaust system finished on the '34 before the body arrives. That will entail trailering the rolling chassis to the exhaust shop so S/S exhaust tubing can be bent and fitted for the missing tailpipe and engine pipe. The S/S muffler having been fabricated and fitted many months ago.

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Thursday 12th February 2009

Arrived at the workshop to find that, earlier this week, a new dance craze known as "The Packard Shuffle" had been in vogue with Wade's '34 rolling chassis now next to my '38. This had been accomplished by pushing the '37 right back in it's slot, lowering the '38 off the jack stands and pushing it right back then manoeuvering the '34 with it's front up on a trolley jack past the '37 and '38. This in preparation for taking the chassis on Monday, by car trailer, to a local exhaust shop at Gladesville to have stainless steel engine and tail pipes bent and fitted. I think Wade would have rigged up an old soap box and driven it up but he hasn't got upper and lower radiator hoses fitted yet! Then, after the exhaust and radiator hoses are fitted and water added, the engine will be ready to be fired up.

Next will be getting the body back and fitted to the chassis. The body is just about finished with only two things to complete, the top of the body where the insert is and the grill surround which has been slightly damaged and needs repair. Once these are done the body will be transported from the panel shop to a paint shop just down the same road. It will then be sprayed and arrangements made for returning it to Wade's workshop. Other parts Wade will have sprayed include the 'valance' panels, a cross member, from I think, behind the grill shell and various minor bits and pieces. There is also some thought on how to return the body to the workshop. One being to trailer over the rolling chassis and mount the body on it for transport, another just to transport the body separately after painting. Wade also told me that before the body went to the panel shop all the doors were set up on the body and it will be painted with the doors on rather than take them off and have to re-fit them again.

All this talk about Wade's '34, but what happened today in the workshop? Not much really, just cleaning up some of the rusty parts brought back from the Central Coast recently. Wade had done some earlier in the week in my absence, an oil filter housing and bracket and a Delco-Remy coil and bracket. Don't know if the coil works yet, Wade's going to try it on the '37 120 in the near future to check. I started on the other oil filter and had to discard the body of that when rust through was found, retained the brass fittings though and the top and bracket are OK. Next was a thermostat housing but it too was rusted through so it joined the oil filter housing in the bin. Had better luck with a fan pulley and a clutch rod and both cleaned up OK. During all this Noel arrived to pick up the Battery case shell for the Optima battery he's fitting to his '39. Wade had charged up the Optima and also performed minor surgery to the Battery case shell which came from Gary O... of The Southern California Region of Packards International, being one of their clubs projects.packards-today.com/catalog.php Also rang Wayne tonight about the 2 engines needing to be picked up, but nothing has happened with them although he expects to get them organised tomorrow all going well, so I'll call him again next week.

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Friday 13th February 2009

After managing to avoid walking under ladders, running over black cats and breaking mirrors on this inauspicious day went to the workshop.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friday_the_13th

Started by asking Wade where the '34 grill pieces were and he pointed out to me they were now boxed up and will go to the chrome platers next week. He had also put out the old wooden body rails and a cross piece which he's taking down to a guy in Canberra who's going to use them as patterns for his '34 resto. The other pieces he had out were the front floor panels which he's going to clean up in preparation for the body arriving. He explained there are differences between the LHD and RHD panels because of the mechanism used to convert the pedals from one side to the other. I've included a couple of pic's here and this link to a Picasa album for others.picasaweb.google.com/ozstatman/WadesWorkshopFeb09#

First item on the agenda was to load the '34 chassis onto the workshop car trailer in readiness for it's trip to the exhaust shop on Monday. Wade hooked the trailer up to his Holden Ute and brought it down and backed it into the workshop from it's rooftop parking berth. Trailer disconnected from the Ute and manually aligned to enable the chassis to be pushed straight on. First attempt was a disaster because the front of the trailer lifted right up when the chassis weighed down the back. The trailer was then re-hitched to the Ute and succes, there it was on the trailer. BUT, couldn't get the swing up trailer ramps back into position because the rear frame rail horns hung too far over the back. And at this point Wade remembered the same thing had happened some years earlier. Thanks Wade, would have done nice to know that earlier. So off the trailer, then manouevoured the chassis into position by a bit of too and froing and turning, actually quite a bit of that, because of it's not so small turning circle so that the rear was facing the trailer. First attempt with a bit of a run up just failed. Second attempt, with a longer 15' run up, succeeded in spite of your correspondent slipping and finishing his push on his hands and knees. No doubt an hilarious sight but fortunately no images of this were captured. The loaded trailer was then backed into the depths of the workshop and Wade checked the tyres, ensured the '34 was secured properly and all was in order for Monday.

While Wade was doing that I turned to Packard parts cleaning. First up was the EE-11 carb the top of which was melted. Because it had this damage, opened it up to determine whether it was worth saving, unfortunately it wasn't so it got the bin treatment. And cleaned some other parts including a road draft tube and an oil pump pickup assembly. By this time Wade had finished with the trailer and we turned to the distributor which had been partially dis-assembled yesterday. Saved the cam from the distributor shaft along with the cap clips, all the small screws and the bakelite insulator(may use this as mine has a crack). Next I selected the steering box, which has the steering shaft oxy cut, but lugging it back to the bench it started dribbling water, not a good sign. Set it up to drain and Wade took off the bottom cover then the side cover. Surprisingly the gears look in good condition, but that's as far as we got, and will have a detailed examination next week.

And here's something for you '34 guys. When Wade bought the car it was literally in pieces. As you know he's restored the chassis, engine, trans, rear-end, suspension, steering, etc, etc. Because it was in pieces, when Wade came to the tie rod and he'd never seen one before, and because it had a bend in it thought it had suffered some damage earlier in it's life, so of course straightened it. Only later when assembling the front suspension did it become apparent that the bend was there to clear the sump so he had to then undo what he'd done before. As soon as Wade told me this today, and my eye's lit up about taking a pic and publishing the story, I sure he regretted it but agreed that it made a good story.

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Don't let Wade forget to check and make sure all the Bijur lines are free and the drip plugs functional before he drops the body on, some of it can be annoyingly difficult to get at with the body installed. And don't forget the gaiters on the springs.

Tuesday 17th February 2009

At the workshop in the afternoon and found the '34 chassis back in it's slot complete with exhaust system installed. Wade had taken it to the exhaust guy yesterday together with the remains of the old rusted engine and tail pipes to use as templates. The guy there who did the job has years of experience and when he saw the '34 his eyes lit up. When Wade told him what he wanted and whether he could do it, he showed Wade his '56 Chevy with Big Block, etc, etc, it's got stainless headers on it and said words to the effect of: "if he can do that he'd have no trouble doing the '34". Even cleaned up and re-used the heat shield where the tailpipe kicks up over the diff housing. See pic's for details.

What got done today was the dis-assembly of the trans and R9 O/D picked a couple of weeks ago. Wade has no O/D experience because all his Packards and the ones he's worked on previously didn't come O/D equipped. So rather than just pull it apart Wade studied it on a step by step basis as it came apart. Wade's got a great memory which he demonstrated on the '41 re-assembly where my 'old-timers' disease reared it's ugly head time and again, I think! Because comprehensive instructions were not included with the O/D it's dis-assembly posed some problems in finding the right way to do it. The "finding" usually came down to literally finding the circlip holding whatever it was in place before that part could be removed. And on first glance the R9's internals look OK, not that we've got anything to compare it to. All the parts we brought back showed the effects of sitting out in the weather for the last 5 years. This was in evidence internally in the trans with water penetration and some rust evident, although Wade is optimistic that they could clean up OK, we'll see.

Wade had also looked further into the steering box partly dis-assembled last week and found most of it too far gone to keep, although the worm gear might be OK so it's been retained. And today threw out the very rusty tailshaft but retained the 3 uni caps and felt washers still attached.
Quote:
And Dave,

Mentioned your concern to Wade about the Bijur lines and plugs and there won't be a drama because all the lines and fittings are new. I forgot your comment about the gaiters but I'm sure Wade will have this covered.

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