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Wednesday 4th July 2012

Although it's Independence day wasn't able to observe it, instead had the grand-daughters in the morning then it was off to the workshop in the afternoon. There I found Wade had affixed repro tags to the 356's starter and generator and was working on doing the same for the distributor. Leaving Wade to that, which included dissembling the distributor in order to remove the old tag, I cleaned more parts. During the midst of my cleaning however, I became a riveter! Seems Wade didn't have enough hands to hold the distributor body, position a punch on a rivet and swing a hammer all at the same time. So that's where I came in, swinging the hammer. Luckily it only took one blow for each rivet because, with a nickname of "Lightning", my hammer swinging never hits the same place twice!

With parts cleaned, tags attached, Wade and I then turned to the intake/exhaust manifold mounting surface on the 356's block. Noel had done such a good job of painting the engine he painted over this surface so, using the new gaskets as a template, the surface was marked and scraping began. But, at this point, we were interrupted by the arrival of Snapey. Matt arrived with Wade's spare engine in a box trailer. When Matt had purchased and picked up the spare '34 rolling chassis from Wade, as the basis of his Racing Biposto, part of the deal was that the engine wasn't part of it and it would be returned in due course. Also part of the deal was that when returned it would be mounted on a wheeled frame so it could be stored upright and be mobile. Thus with Big Red's block now cactus, and uncertainty about the two other blocks sent to Tamworth for inspection, Wade contacted Matt recently resulting in the spare engines arrival today. And a fine stand it's on too, looks like Matt knows what's what when it comes to engineering. Hope so, because today he was talking about the swiss cheese treatment he has lined up for the Biposto's chassis in due course. It is to be noted that when Matt's Dad saw the chassis he commented about it being trucklike!

Following Matt's departure finished the scraping but couldn't mount the manifolds because nuts for the manifold studs were in short supply, so short we didn't have. Instead, tomorrow morning, I will travel via Lee Bros and pick those up as well as a few other fasteners for the 356 and for Big Red. Also had word from Noel yesterday that The Flackmaster is sourcing the missing parts from the pictures earlier this week. And speaking of Noel, he's booked me and my Coupe to transport him and friend Tony to Vintage Motor Garage on the Central Coast, about 65 kms north, on Wednesday next week. Couple of reasons for doing so, the main one being that Noel has a piece of trim he needs to be made for his '41 160 Coupe. Oh, and Tony wants a ride in the Coupe and I'm more than happy to oblige such a request. The others? Taking up a new Optima battery for PhilfromTassie's '26 333 6 Cyl Sedan Limousine which is undergoing restoration there as well as check on it's progress. See pic's of Phil's Packard undergoing restoration by clicking on "projects" on the VMG Home Page. Plus to generally have a look around and see what they are doing at the moment, always worthwhile.

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The 1934 Eight engine must have been in the hands of the "unknowing" at some point in time, the air scupper on the top of the generator is mounted backwards. The forced air inlet for generator cooling is the scupper in the brush cover at the lower rear, the upper one is the outlet and the opening must face rearwards.

There isn't much correct in this picture except the positioning of the cooling scuppers. (original source of this photo unknown.)

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Hi David, Thanks for your help with Noels car. It is not so much the flexible mounting that we need. It is the bracket or whatever that holds the mufler to the mounting. As I didn't take this car apart I have no idea what it looks like. Wade

Oh....348124, support bracket assy. I don't think I have (yet) by number, therefore this posting shall serve as a request for a photo of this bracket, and suggested availability/sources please. 40-42 160/180 except 148"wb cars. Anybody got an extra?

Thursday 5th July 2012

Picked up the nuts and bolts from Lee Bros then, on return to the workshop, discovered I was 9 nuts short. Sounds a little painful but I assure you it isn't, just embarrassing. But, not to worry, later still Wade discovered a need for still more bolts so another trip late in the morning procured all the required fasteners. In between Lee Bros trips, managed to string up another set of wind chimes with pedals, brackets, nuts, bolts, washers, rods, etc and painted those. And Noel, you'll be pleased to know, the blue vacuum advance unit did not escape the paintbrush this time. But, the rear stabiliser bar and attached shock absorber did. Asked Wade if there was anything else to paint, with an answer of no, only for Wade to trip over the bar and shock while I was at Lee Bros second time around!

While I was stringing up and painting Wade was looking to hook up the hand brake cables and mount the equaliser to the chassis. But first he had to manufacture or conjure up some parts for the equaliser because of a parts deficit. Managed to find something to suit but then came the cruncher, the hand brake cables aren't long enough! Or is it that they are too short? Whatever it is, I believe Wade will contact Noel about this. The other thing Wade was working on was disassembling and cleaning the mechanism for the column change that mounts with the pedals. Different to the 120's more complex and better engineered but it looks like it's had a hard life so that too will be on the agenda Noel.

Quote:Dave,

Pic below shows the scupper mounted on The Fossil, correctly! And I've certainly learnt something from your comment. Didn't know there was an inlet in the brush cover at the rear, just thought the scupper was like a breather rather than providing an outlet for the exit of cooling air.

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It's a pity someone shot the little Morris . . . a bit cruel. If it was a Hillman Imp I'd be all in favour of a mercy killing (lol)

Aye aye, matey!

Friday 6th July 2012

After donating blood plasma just a quick pitstop at the workshop. There I found Wade, after he'd dis-assembled my latest wind chimes, installing the clutch and brake pedals into Noel's chassis.

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Monday,

Popped into the workshop to return to John a tool I'd borrowed over the weekend. With Wade away for a couple of days I was surprised to notice that the intake/exhaust manifolds weren't on the bench! Instead they were on the 356, must have been installed Friday, and I never noticed!

EDIT - Added a couple of pic's of the exhaust pipe bracket at the rear of the muffler on my '41 120 Coupe. Reason being to help with the exhaust system for Noel's '41 160 Coupe, he either doesn't have a bracket, or it became lost after dis-assembly(same thing?). Trying to locate a bracket or possibly use an aftermarket type if all else fails. Anyone with a '41 160 care to comment? Note - although I have a lot, a h#ll of a lot of pictures of various things on my '41, for some reason the exhaust pipe bracket ones are few and far between. Maybe they just don't have the same panache as some other parts have?

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Thursday 12th July 2012

For me today day was all about cleaning and painting. Wade had some parts ready and yesterday(more about that later) Noel had dropped in the carb and fuel pump heat shields so those too received this treatment. Lots of wire wheeling, some cabinet blasting then wiring up and painting. And what was Wade doing through all this? Why working on the 356 and chassis, primarily installing the head. Also meant some brief respites from parts cleaning helping to lift the head on and off a couple of times. Reason being a number of the studs were a little too long, and to ensure the chromed domed head nuts being used didn't bottom on the studs, required careful shortening. Also removed the master cylinder because the brake pedal linkages need to be installed in concert with the master cylinder. Installed the carburettor and pipe from fuel pump to carb. And semi installed the fuel tank, modified by Noel's mate Tony from a good '39 120. But why semi installed? Because the '39 tank appears shallower than the '41 tank it replaced and consequently there is an "issue"! But before instaling the tank Wade noticed it rattled. So after what must have been an hour of shaking, tilting, peering, magnet plucking, the debris was cleared. And the debris, what was it? First piece out was a slightly bent but complete pop rivet and the last out was a hypodermic needle tip! In between was general debris and grit. Noel, fitting a very good fuel filter is strongly advised. Wade has also started removal of the shrunken hand brake cables in readiness for the correct length replacements when they arrive.

Now back to the future, sorry, yesterday. Yesterday, after confirmation from a surgeon my abdominal hernia is getting worse and also having hernias identified in both left and right groins, jumped in my '41 One-Twenty Club Coupe with Noel and Tony and headed north to the Vintage Motor Garage in accordance with paragraph #3 of this post. Lovely blue sky day for a Packard trip, most of it Freeway at about 60mph. At VMG delivered the battery, an Optima 6V in a faux case, inspected the progress on Phil's '26 333 6 Cyl Sedan Limousine and some of the others there, had a good chat with Jonathon the owner as well as Noel unfolding his requirements. Noel's requirements relating to some of the stainless trim for the interior of the window mouldings. Noel had tried to source replacement plastic which fits in the middle of each piece of trim but for some reason it is NLA! Instead he had been advised to try using rattan in lieu. However both Johnathon and Justin, the wood man at VMG, were sceptical that the rattan Noel had sourced was viable for the use required. Instead they are going to investigate alternatives, probably in craft shops, so Noel has left the trim pieces with them. Phil's '26 is progressing and Jonathon hopes to fire up the engine in about 3 weeks time. It's also close to being painted but Jonathon wants to do the bulk of that with the body on the chassis, so is dependent on that being finished first. The rolling chassis had also struck a few snags with the rear brakes found to be kaput when they were originally thought to be fine. In doing the brakes, with parts sourced from PACA member JimE in SA, a rear axle was also found to be kaput and Jim again was able to provide a replacement. So, thanks Jim! I was also able to view the 2 Cadillac bodies being fabricated when Noel and I were there May 2011 with Phil. Both the roadster and tourer(phaeton?) bodies are finished and now they are making a coupe body. Whereas, a little while ago, I though Oz was being overrun by Packard Twelves it now seems Cadillac V16 numbers are increasing rapidly too!

Returning homeward, after a quick stop for lunch thankyou Noel, decided to go to the workshop instead. Reason being we could put the Coupe up on a jack and have a good look at the exhaust pipe bracket behind the muffler. Instead of a floor jack, they were all in use, ended up on Rick's 2 post hoist which fortuitously was vacant. That allowed everyone to have a look, so much so it looked like a committee meeting under there! Getting the Coupe up in the air was a comedy of errors, minor ones thankfully. One extendable arm wouldn't extend, the front arms were bottoming on a running board and a front mudguard(fender) because although the hoist was stopped at that point we couldn't lower it and in putting a spacer between the arm and the chassis one splayed between the chassis and the engine pipe. All were easily fixed but there was I running to Rick a couple of times only to return with him to find the problem had already been solved. Should have taken Rick up on his original offer of the 4 post hoist, it's very Mal friendly, being drive on/drive off, no fiddling required. Finally, once up and the meeting brought to order, found the bracket is very simple. Just a steel strap with a 90 degree bend at top and welded to the u shaped collar of an exhaust pipe u-bolt clamp. BUT......Wade now says that Noel brought one over with other parts but, because he didn't recognise it, sent it back with some surplus parts when the chassis arrived! The other side to that is that Noel now has to find it. Again! And, while we were out enjoying Packard touring, Wade had been working. Had set the 356's timing and installed the distributor and was in the midst of ensuring all the head stud threads are in good order when we arrived. Noel also has to find the Group 3.103 LINK, Booster spring Part # 335269 which is required to completed the brake pedal setup.

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