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That's a VERY DIFFERENT accelerator pedal set up than I've photographed in other 1934 Eights with RHD. What I've seen is the accelerator placed between the clutch and brake pedals, and just a bit below them. This photo I believe from the Moss 1100 in Australia. I have photos from perhaps another 4 or 5 RHD 34s that are the same. This location makes sense of the accelerator foot rest.

2nd photo is from a 34 Super Eight.

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I wonder if the first photo is an attempt by a frustrated owner to have a conventional layout. The accelerator in the middle seems like it would be an accident waiting to happen should one be used to a modern type layout and need the brake in a hurry--even with a big wide brake pedal.

One thing seems certain when driving in a different country. In addition to trying to remember to keep on the proper side of the road, it seems one also needs to be quite ambidextrous dealing with reversed controls as well.

Howard, here's another photo showing the same layout (see just below the steering wheel rim). This car is a 1932 Eight phaeton delivered new to India.

An accident waiting to happen? I guess it's all what you get acclimated to. This layout is not at all limited to just Packards and was used by many RHD cars, I'm sure Mal can comment further.

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I think it's the acclimated part that is the secret. If you drove it daily then not an issue. I was thinking more of the drive a new car daily and take the Packard (or any other different car) out once a month scenario. In my case, just finding and using the gearshift with the wrong hand would be a problem so the accelerator is down on the list.

As an afterthought, on column shift cars with the lever toward the middle, are the gearshift patterns the same standard H with reverse up and back, third forward and down that left hand drives use? Floor shifts the same?

You're right on other cars being different though. The accelerator is minor details when you consider how many might have a problem jumping into a Model T.

The 'H' shift pattern is the same. Concerning placement of the accelerator pedal in the 1102 pic I posted, I thought it looked "wrong" after seeing where The Fossil's is located. This is confirmed from Dave's, O_D's, archives although the '32 Indian Packard has the pedal coming from the inside of the steering column location against the outside location of all the '34 pic's. Regarding driving with the accelerator pedal between the clutch and brake pedals it's just a matter of getting used to the placement. My first car was a Model A Ford which had this arrangement and I used to swap between that and my parents car with a 3 on the tree and accelerator pedal on the right of the brake pedal without any dramas. A Model T is a different kettle of fish altogether, had a go once and didn't like it at all, and the Maxwell I rode in last Saturday had a similar setup. The matter of driving in different countries with different control layouts is another thing altogether and has been discussed before. My experience of driving my LHD '41 Coupe in a RHD environment is also a different matter and the more you do it the more familiar and comfortable it becomes.

Wednesday 1st February 2012

Arrived at the workshop to find the hoist occupied by a Toyota Tarago. Turned out it belongs to the actual owner of the hoist. How dare he, didn't he know Fleurette was booked in for some treatment by Dr Wade today? Obviously not, but it worked out well with work on the Tarago virtually over by the time Noel arrived late morning. In the meantime I found there was another item off Juniors engine to be cleaned up, the intake and exhaust manifolds. Started by scraping the loose silver paint off using a knife then onto the wire wheel(bloody great heavy and awkward lump of cast iron) then finished off with more scraping and wire brush bits in an electric drill. Done as much as I can although Murray suggested putting it in the blasting cabinet too. Might fit, then again it might not, but there are some places I couldn't reach today so you just never know.

Meanwhile, Wade was fitting the accelerator linkage to The Fossil. Yesterday he'd started doing that but struck a problem when the carburettor fittings, butterfly, choke, float, etc, wouldn't move! It's been some time since The Fossil had been last fired up and in that time the modern fuel had dried and seized everything! So yesterday was one of those two steps backwards occasions with a lot of time spent to remove the carb, disassemble, thoroughly clean everything and reassemble. Today was getting the linkages linked and getting the carb, including the choke, to work properly. Don't know how it all went because, with Noel's arrival and subsequent departure, I forget to ask the question! Anyway Noel dropped off Fleurette and I dropped off Noel at the station and continued home because the granddaughters came this afternoon, first day of school for Livinia the eldest, so a very important day! Will be back at the workshop on Friday, hope to be more organised, finding out what happened with The Fossil and remember to take engine number pic's for Howard. Oh, and Noel did say the body repair on his '41 160 Club Coupe should be finished in a couple of weeks so hope to get some pic's of it when it returns.

And this for the Aussies, I'm off shortly to the Australia V India T20 match at the Olympic Stadium, weather is overcast but the forecast is for no rain till tomorrow, hope so. Look for me in the crowd.

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Mal, referring to the picture of Wade's EE-22 carburetor, I believe you'll find that the pivoting arm that actuates the accelerator pump is mounted incorrectly (upside down).

The purpose of the two-piece arm with the spring is as follows and will be obvious if you look closely. Should the accelerator pump "bottom out" before the accelerator pedal is fully depressed and the accelerator pedal continues to be depressed further, the extra force will place the full force of your foot onto the pump linkage and possibly bend or break it or the pump head. The two-piece pivot arm is thus designed to allow the pump to travel no further than it's limit even if the accelerator is pressed further; in such a case the two-piece arm will pivot and absorb the extra travel with the small spring.

Now you've got me wondering if it's mine that's upside down. But a little checking of the motion and stroke will tell the story.

Re non standard control layouts
The first picture was taken on Saturday January 28 2012 at the Post Vintage Car Club of Tasmania's South East Rally. It shows a very fine Charlesworth bodied 1935 Alvis. Note how the gas pedal is between the clutch and brake pedals; I understand this was not uncommon in the vintage period and occasionally seen even up to WW2.

Never well known outside of RHD markets, Alvis was a Coventry, UK based manufacturer of automobiles, aero engines and military vehicles. In the 1930s its automobiles were technically sophisticated, with independent front suspension and all-synchromesh 4 speed transmissions, and some had long stroke OHV sixes that were large by British standards. The automobiles displayed distinctly sporting character and the big sixes sat a little below Bentley in the hierarchy of prestige. Automobile production ceased in 1966 although the company continued to produce defense materiel.

The pre war automobiles are highly sought after, very valuable and very well supported with spares by Red Triangle Automotive Services, which inherited the factory's stock of parts and commissions manufacture of new ones as required.

The second picture shows my own Patrician - the only Packard among 135 rally entrants. It attracted much favorable comment on the day.

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I enjoyed your comments about the Alvis. Among members of the Classic Car Club which recognizes the Speed 20, Speed 25 and 4.3 liter as bona fide Classics, they are highly respected but infrequently seen; there are about 15 or so listed in the current directory.

Quote:Paul,

Good to hear from you and thanks for the photos. Great to see your Pat flying the Packard flag in the Apple Isle. If you're ever in, or passing through, Sydney give us a call(we are in the PACA Member Register) and come in and see us at the workshop and we'll talk Packards.

Quote:Dave,

Interesting comment, Wade did mention yesterday he was having trouble getting the pivot to work properly so I'm sure tomorrow he'll take on board your insight if he hasn't already figured it out. As I said, didn't get to ask the question yesterday before I left with Noel.