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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.

Friday 8th June 2012

No workshop activity to report although I dropped in today and gave a bone to Misty, the shop dog. Was going to take a picture of her with it but she took off too quickly, so didn't worry about getting a shot of her backside! See Wade has tidied things up with the 356 sitting on wooden blocks on the floor and other parts on the back bench ready to be attached when required.

My main Packard activity this week was writing 3 articles for our Club magazine and finishing off 2 others. Articles covered last weekends and last months PACA runs, PeterPackard's Twelve, the Tamworth car show Wade went to and a short article following from last weekends run. Usually takes some time to gather information, string the words together, review, rewrite, have proofread(Wife Kath's task), fact check, resize and attach pictures, have others review(if necessary) and then send off to the magazine's editor. Even then, when I see it it in print a month or two later I always think it could have been done better.

A few pic's below from the events referred to above.

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Tuesday 12th June 2012

Quick stop at the workshop this morning regarding this thread looking for a '39 taillight. Was going to separate the licence plate holder from the taillight housing but the nuts are very well rusted onto the screws. Rather than risk damaging anything left it as is and packaged the light up. Was able to slip the top retaining clamp on the licence plate bracket down the bracket, just as well, because it then fitted the box I'd brought from home to ship it in! Then it was off to the Post Office to check the charges I'd quoted earlier. Turned out to be a little less because it weighs in at 1.6kg whereas I'd allowed 2kg on the Post Office on-line calculator. So the taillight should soon be winging it's way to South Africa.

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Friday 15th June 2012

Dropped into the workshop this morning, gave Misty her weekly bone, and noticed there's a box from Max on Wade's desk. Looks like the 356 will progress when Wade returns next week. Also had cause to ring JP yesterday, he was on the Border Run, about another matter. JP advised that, although Wade made it in his Holden Ute, Barry Smith's Twelve didn't get that far. Apparently starter motor and other problems cut the Twelve's trip short.

Monday 18th June 2012

Arrived at the workshop this morning expecting Wade to be there, but no, not back yet. A phone call later found Wade at Holbrook, about 500kms south of Sydney, and not back at the workshop till Wednesday. One thing I did notice while at the workshop was something on the engine bench with a sheet over it, wonder what it can be?

And a Packard snippet. - Went for a Sunday morning run yesterday in the Coupe. Stopping to buy some fresh bread rolls, I was approached by a lady who wanted to determine that it indeed was a Packard because her husband would be interested. Got to talking and she told me they have a '38 Buick Century which has been off the road since their son was born 47 years ago! She also advised that back then they used to go on picnic's with a friend who had a '38 Packard. Even then, early/mid 60's, that wouldn't have been a common sight.

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Wednesday 20th June 2012

Back to the workshop today but not for long. First gave Misty a bone and this time managed to get a picture of her with it. Then welcomed Wade back and helped him finish unloading the Ute. Amongst other things he'd returned with were a pulley for Junior's generator and a pair of side grill's also for Junior, all courtesy of Fred, pepepackard. Biggest thing was another block, for Big Red, courtesy of a PACA member from South Australia who had it sitting as a spare under his bench for the last 10 years. And I received a big surprise when Wade showed me a series of 5 pictures of a '39 horn contact setup together with a spring and some tape, all from RobT, another South Australian PACA member.
Rob!

After unloading that block the next task was putting the block from Harvey into the pasts washer. Darren, Barry's engine builder, has found Big Red's re-sleeved block to be cactus so both blocks now on hand are heading to Tamworth next week for inspection and assessment as to their suitability for Big Red's engine rebuild. Barry will be down next week and will take both blocks back with him when he returns to Tamworth. Speaking of Barry, also learned why he didn't get to the Border Run in the Twelve. Apparently there were a couple of problems on the way, the first being fixed at Dubbo, about 330 kms into the trip. Barry had been having trouble with the battery not charging and at Dubbo found an old time, old style Auto Electrical shop where the son now ran the business. But when the Twelve came in Dad came down to the shop 1) to see the car, and 2) found the source of the trouble, a loose connection on a wire from the regulator grounding it to the frame/body. However there were also problems starting the Twelve which came to a head at Wyalong another 250 kms into the trip. Wade and Barry stayed there overnight but in the morning Barry decided it was best he returned home to sort out the problem. In one way Wade was glad Barry returned home as he tells me that pushing a Twelve to start it is no easy matter because they are bl**dy heavy! As it was Barry took the Twelve to the Auto Electrical shop at Dubbo who were able to effect the repair in a day but by that time it was too late for the 970 km trip to join the Border Run. What the problem was that although the starter motor had been rebuilt, when it had been done it was done with ordinary brass bushings which had collapsed.

With Harvey's block in the parts washer then turned to the box of parts from Max which was sitting on Wade's desk. And this box has a story itself. For a start Australian Customs determined that import duty of $4,000 needed to be paid before it could be released to Wade. $4000 duty for box containing head studs and some bushings for Big Red and a thermostat retainer, thermostat kit, throw out bearing, fuel pump kit and some "bling" in the form of chromed/domed acorn nuts and washers for the 356? Doesn't add up does it? Well it does if Australian Customs sees the declared value for the head nuts is $420. No not the set, but each! Obviously it has now been sorted out but it reminded me of the time I bought something from eBay in the US for $12.00 which on the declaration form was written as $1200 with the decimal point non existent. That too was sorted out but it doesn't help the blood pressure.

After Wade pressed the throw out bearing onto it's collar I turned to cleaning up Pepe's generator pulley. This I did on the wire wheel and in the blasting cabinet, now needs a coat of paint and it can then be pushed and bolted onto the generator. While I was doing that Wade had turned to installing the the new thermostat in the 356's thermostat housing. Only trouble was it didn't fit. Then he discovered someone(Mal?) had painted over the old thermostat retaining ring which was still in the housing! Wade destroyed the old retaining ring in removing it, it was rusted in place, but now there's a new thermostat and thermostat retainer in situ ready to be united with the head when the time comes. I'd also brought in an oil filter cartridge because before leaving on his trip Wade told me the cartridge Noel supplied didn't fit the canister properly. Fortunately mine does, and it's the same as the ones in use in my Coupe, Fleurette and Junior amongst others. Tomorrow I'll go over to Mr Filter at Girraween and get a couple more so they are 'on the shelf'.

Quote: What was this cryptic comment about? It was about panel beater Steve and Graeme polishing Big Red to within an inch of it's life. Apparently they had some free time on Sunday so put it to good use by giving Big Red a beauty treatment. When I came in on Monday, besides the covered up front bumper on the bench Big Red had sheets draped all over her and a sheet draped over the bonnet(hood) which was on a trestle. They'd decided Wade was having so much bad luck with Big Red they'd do something positive to cheer him up. The result, Big Red is positively sparkling! Steve buffed up all the paintwork while Graeme had given all the brightwork a terrific cleaning. But.....because the grill and radiator unit was hidden away behind a welding screen the grill had missed getting it's facial. Not to worry though, Steve says he'll do that too!

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