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Tuesday 29th May 2012

First up today was painting the 356's intake/exhaust manifolds. A bit of clean up to start with, it had been blasted previously so only needed a touch up and blow and wipe overs. Just used grey exhaust manifold paint on both manifolds, seeing they are bolted together and don't want to break the seal. Quite an awkward piece, big AND heavy! Put it up on the bench with a piece of cardboard on the bench and a thick square block of wood supporting the manifolds. The beauty of this setup was that the manifolds pivoted on their centre and I could spin the manifolds around when painting. Started by holding the manifolds up with one hand to paint the underside. Did this end for end then dropped the manifolds back onto the wooden block. Did the topside, turning as required. Then it was inspection time, a bright light soon showed me that I'd missed plenty of spots! Fortunately was also able to see the underside because I could swing the manifolds out over the edge of the bench, and crouching down inspect and "touch up". Finished and pushed the painted manifolds to the back of the bench. At this stage they look streaky from the paint but once dry turn a uniform dull but pleasant grey like manifolds should.

Next I was off to Lee Bros for more bolts and washers. Noel, that box of nuts and bolts you supplied has hardly been touched! Where are all the 356 and '41 Coupe nuts and bolts? At Lee Bros turned out the guy standing next to me knew DavidM who had spoken at their club meeting about 3 weeks previously about the Maxwell's trans Australia crossing. This guy has a Lotus Elan he's been restoring over the last 6 years with a completion date of "soon". The Lotus has had 13 previous owners of which he's been able to track down all but one.

What next? Why more cleaning of parts of course. This time the generator and starter motor. Noel tells us they have been checked and found to be good so all we're doing is smartening them up. Of course my preferred cleaning option would be to stick them in the blasting cabinet, but Wade cautions me, nay forbids me, to take this approach. Apparently if I did this, irreparable damage could be suffered. Sorry, I was only trying to find an easy way to do it. Instead, removed the bands from each, and the solenoid mechanism and a cover from the starter motor. At least some of these parts could benefit from modern technology in their cleaning. The bulk however was by hand using a wire brush and elbow grease and fortunately they cleaned up relatively easily. So tomorrow other commitments allowing, or possibly Thursday, I'll POR 15 them. Speaking of starter motors, it's is a little different to other Packard starter motors I've seen. Having a geared rather than a directly engaging drive to the ring gear.

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Mal,

Thanks for the photo of the lower bell housing cover with felt strip. Seeing this reminded me that my '47 Custom Clipper is missing this part. Maybe someone reading this "message in a bottle" will have an extra they would be willing to sell me. I am posting the request here because yours is the best read blog on the site.

(o[]o)

Wednesday 30th May 2012

Wade's not in until Friday so, after #2 granddaughter in the morning, down to the workshop to paint the 356 generator and starter in the afternoon. Well, that was the plan, didn't get quite that far. On arriving found that yesterday, after I left, Wade had removed another cover from the starter motor so there was that, screws, washers and nuts to clean for painting. Then, in rubbing down the parts removed previously, found some needed further cleaning on the wire wheel or in the blasting cabinet. But by the time I had them wired and strung up for painting the day had slipped away. Will return tomorrow, and then WILL paint the parts. And Noel tells me the starter and generator were checked or rebuilt by KenG, a former PACA member.

Quote:John,

Hopefully someone will read of your plight and come to the rescue.

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Mal, even here in New Jersey we get to see a Morris badged as a Riley, RHD of course. And I even managed to get myself into the front seat and behind the wheel.

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Thursday 31st May 2012

After adding even more bolts and washers to those to be painted, spent a couple of hours painting 356 parts with POR 15. Then it was off to see Noel at Bankstown. Noel had received a pulley in the mail from Peter Packard and I was picking it up together with a head gasket for the 356 and some other bits and pieces. Only trouble was I picked up all the 356 bits, but not the pulley! Oh well, Noel will just have to bring it with him on Sunday's PACA run to the Tobruk Merino Sheep Station at Maroota.

Dave, your Morris Minor picture reminds me of a Morris Minor one of my sisters owned. Here cars are required to have an annual inspection. The first time she took it along, it wouldn't pass inspection. The floors had been filled with concrete because they were rusted through! After the concrete was removed, old floors cut out and new ones welded in it passed. And it went a h#// of a lot quicker afterwards!

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Friday 1st June 2012

After dismantling the latest windchime incarnation it was time to put the pieces back together. Part of this entailed selectively removing POR 15, just applied, so electrical connections requiring good grounds get them. Also running dies and taps through old nut and bolts for ease of assembly. Generator was easy, just the circular dust cover and a few mounting bolts and nuts. The starter was more complicated with covers to go back on and re-assembly of the engaging mechanism. Had to do that twice because the sliding "piston" wont slide in once the mechanism is bolted to the starter housing, found that out the hard way. But now all back together, all that remains is a bench test to ensure it is functioning.

Moved on to the block assembly, specifically at installing the sump(pan). But with the short block assembly sitting on the engine assembly bench, on blocks of wood, first needed to lay it on its side. Lifted it slightly with the engine crane, swung it slightly off centre then laid it down. Next was cleaning out all the sump bolt holes with a tap, lot easier to screw the bolts into clean threads and also cleaned the gasket surface. Wade meanwhile shortened 5 of the new sump bolts because some didn't run right through the flange. Bolted on the oil pickup which Wade had cleaned up earlier in the week. Then the sump gasket and here I had a shock, it was a one piece gasket! Furthermore I learned it was a MBN gasket. MBN? Yes, MBN = Made By Noel, and I must say a great job too. But before applying it the sump needed cleaning, again! Wade had already cleaned it but it had been sitting near where I had been cleaning the generator and starter and there was a coat of grit all over it! Once cleaned up Wade then applied beads of sealant to the sump, laid the MBN gasket on, then applied further beads of sealant to the top side of the MBN gasket. Next the sump was laid up to the bottom of the block and the bolts snugged up. The engine is still laying on it's side but has a real engine look now the sump is on.

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Fosters... it's Australian for beer.

Sump... it's Australian for oil pan.

Looking good!

And to make it even more confusing NO ONE in Australia drinks that rubbish!

Monday 4th June 2012

Didn't get to the workshop today, a number of family things conspired to prevent that happening.

Tomorrow Wade is taking the rest of the engine parts needed for Big Red's rebuild to Darren in Tamworth, about 420 kms north west. Then on Wednesday, in the Ute, Wade will be in convoy with Barry Smith in his '38 Twelve Club Sedan to the PACA Border Rally at Berri, about 1,300 kms south west. After the rally, which runs over the weekend of 8, 9 & 10 June, Wade is continuing on to Adelaide, a mere 240 kms south. Returning via Melbourne, 725 kms south east. Then finally home to Sydney, about 880 kms north. So Packard happenings will be pretty quite for the next two weeks until Wade returns.

But yesterday, at the PACA run to the Tobruk Sheep Station, Noel passed on the generator pulley forwarded to him by PeterPackard which is now at the workshop. Wade did tell me he was only pottered around today ensuring he had all the parts needed for Big Red's engine. So Noel, your 356 clutch will be attended to on Wade's return.

Some pic's below of the 4 Packards on yesterday's run. And a couple of old pic's of a First Series Packard DavidM provided following yesterdays run

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Quote:

Touche! It's much the same here. Last night, I saw a German tourist drinking a Budweiser. I wanted to go, gently take it from her, and introduce her to the wonder that is American micro-brewing. It's all marketing- no one that actually likes beer drinks our swill beer (or Fosters for that matter!). Clever advertising slogan though- at least here in the states.