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Friday 29th May 2009

After donating blood dropped into the workshop where Wade was in the process of pushing in the new left king pin bushings. He'd partly dis-assembled the "windchimes" for the upright and the stub axle so I continued dis-assembling all the painted parts from yesterday. And the shame, the shame - Yesterday I thought I'd done a good job with the painting and was patting myself on the back for a job well done. But today reality took hold with some obvious misses which I'll catch up with the next POR-15'ing. And besides I missed doing the insides of the "baked" hub caps altogether, just because they were in a box and not visible. But there's still plenty of parts to paint so it'll all be caught up with.

Then helped Wade with the actual reaming process of the king pin, but no burnishing. Next was finding some shims to fit. This took a little doing of measure and fit before two were found to suit. Then everything was greased and the pin inserted and cotter pin driven and pressed in, but still required the end caps to be fitted.

As I was leaving Harvey arrived, Harvey had retired last year but has just gone back to work and the guy he's working for has 2 Packards, a coupe and a "roadster" both about 38/39. And here's where it becomes interesting. A couple of weeks ago one weekend while out in the '38 a wrecker pulls up alongside and the driver tells me he knows a guy who has 2 Packard Coupes just sitting in his garage. I followed up the lead the following Monday and found out where the Packard owners business was and tried to contact him but wasn't able to do so. I'd intended trying to arrange to see the cars and talk to the owner and of course take some pic's. Well turns out these are the same cars and now that Harvey, prior to starting his new job, is actually working on the cars doing the brakes on one at the moment I hope to establish contact through him. If I do so, expect to see some pic's here soon.

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Monday 1st June 2009

First "official" day of winter down-under, but irrespective of the season it was another day at the workshop. Arrived to find that after I left on Friday that Wade had pushed the inner pin and the outer bushes into the left lower support arm. So today started by reaming out the new bushes, then finding a pair of shims to fit and assembling the lower arm with the upright and stub axle, pushing in the cotter pin and the pin end covers.

During the course of all this Noel had arrived with a shipment of Steele Rubber parts he'd procured for Wade courtesy of hid friend Gary in California. Included were a new windscreen rubber, various suspension rubbers for the front and rear ends and front engine mount amongst others. Wade also had a call from the guy painting his '34 body and he needs to provide him with some info on that. I too had a phone call from an auction house as I'm considering selling my '38. Will find out tomorrow when the guy comes by whether I will or not, because the money has to be reasonable.

Then it was onto re-assembling the front end. Started on the right side and it was quite a prolonged struggle to get it all together. Wasn't helped by the fact that the engine isn't back in Big Red yet so didn't have it's weight helping in compressing the springs. Did use spring compressors though without any dramas, in combination with two jacks and Wade's unrivalled determination to get the job done. And it was getting on into the afternoon by the time the right side was finished. Because neither Wade nor I will be at the workshop tomorrow, and I won't be there till Midday Wednesday, it was decided to start on the left side re-assembly. It too was a struggle but in different ways to that of the right side. At one stage under Wade's direction I was manipulating two floor jack together, up or down as required, in attempting to align the lower support arm inner pin mount, with some success. Bottom line, now both sides of the front suspension are back together and back in Big Red.

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Wednesday 3rd June 2009

Late yesterday afternoon Ian from Shannon's Auctionshttp://www.shannons.com.au/pages/auctions/index.jsp?id=EF7HI8FDH29QBM7F came by, took some pic's, got some details and was to confer with his colleagues. Ian called today and advised Shannon's "estimate". Of course there has to be somebody out there who wants to buy a '38 Packard, older restoration, etc but I'm going to take the plunge in the hope there is.

After a morning with the granddaughters both full of life and a joy to be with, it was off to the workshop. Wade had been busy getting his '37 120 "Old Blue" ready for the run to Yarrawonga,http://www.travelvictoria.com.au/yarrawonga/ about 650kms south west from Sydney. This run is being hosted by the Victoria region of PACA and here's an excerpt about it "Linger Longer in Yarrawonga (No Border Patrol this year due to it being a National Rally year) It is traditional in this area to celebrate the Queen's Birthday long weekend with civilised wine drinking - more specifically the Rutherglen Winery Walkabout." And besides Wade and Gina a number of New South Wales PACA members will be in attendance - Noel(tabletennisport here), Mat(Packard34 here) as well as Peter(Peter Packard here) and Ann from Canberra. Among other things Wade had been busy replacing the electric fuel pump and when I arrived he was cleaning up some plugs to take as spares.

Today's work on "Big Red" was still all about the front end. First up cleaned out and blew out all the metal brake lines. Then tightened up ALL the suspension nuts and bolts on the left front side and inserted a split pin in the upper outer pin. Next affixed, after removal of excess POR-15, the brake backing plate, knuckle lever and oil guard to the stub axle topped off by split pins. The wheel cylinder was then bolted to the backing plate, again after more POR-15 removal and the flexible brake line attached. Included in all this was the left side tie rod complete with new tie rod ends. Moved onto the right side and undertook the same exercise including the need for POR-15 removal. And after similar experiences with the '41 I had tried to be less "slap happy" with the POR-15 but obviously I'm still too heavy handed.

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Friday 5th June 2009

Yesterday morning on the way to the workshop received a call from Shannons Auctions to say if I could get the '38 to them that day they'd be able to take pic's for inclusion in an advertisement going into Unique Cars Magazinehttp://uniquecars.carpoint.ninemsn.com.au/ publicising next month's auction. So turned round, went home, cleaned all the "stuff" out of the '38 and took it to Shannon's. Driving over, started to have second thoughts as it was running beautifully but the course of action has been set so I pushed on and signed up for the auction. Also took pic's of some of the other cars that will be auctioned, except I forget to get one of the '38! However there is now a pic of it on the Shannon's Auction website.http://www.shannons.com.au/pages/auctions/lot.jsp?id=YD7409P4FBV1Q1AA

So this morning I set out to do what I was going to do yesterday. Clean and ready parts from Big Red for POR-15 painting. Started by cleaning up the front sway bar, brackets and retaining bolts and nuts. Then Marine Cleaned and Metal Readied the sway bar, etc, left rear brake backing plate and dust shield, the diff housing and the left rear brake drum. Strung some of the parts up ready for painting and will finish set up on Tuesday when back at the workshop and then it's POR-15 time. And this time I'll remember to do the insides of the hub caps!

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Tuesday 9th June 2009

Quick couple of hours down at the workshop. First finished setting up the parts to be POR'15'd then POR-15'd them. And I almost made it through the experience without getting POR-15 on me for once. Fortunately it was only two slight touches, and this after I'd left my "painting" top at home, so I was quite pleased in the circumstances. Now for an afternoon's R&R with the granddaughters. Funny thing is they just don't care that "Poppy" has a Packard!

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Wednesday 10th June 2009

Couple of hours only at the workshop. First took down and tidied up yesterday's POR-15'ing. Then Wade arrived back from a successful Yarrawonga run, and I forgot to ask if they'd taken any pic's. Only drama was getting a tow start a couple of times in "Old Blue" by PeterPackard in the cold winter mornings, brrrrr! Todays activity was cleaning up the front slip joint on the tailshaft and some other parts. Still needs more cleaning of internal and external splines and this will be finished tomorrow then Marine Clean, Metal Ready and POR-15! Left Wade tackling disassembly of the rear spring bushes.

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Thursday 11th June 2009

Arrived at the workshop expecting to get into Marine Cleaning and Metal Readying yesterdays cleaned parts. Instead was met by the smell of burning rubber and John under Big Red oxy torch in hand heating up the left rear spring front bolt and rubbers. When I left yesterday Wade was working on the right rear spring front and saying depending on how co-operative things were the "hot spanner" option could well come into play. Apparently it was and the left was also recalcitrant today. Next, the left rear spring hanger received the same treatment although after the heat treatment the bolt came out fairly easily. Because the parts taken out needed cleaning and eventually painting I concentrated on that and got the bolts, nuts and shackles cleaned up. But the screw bolt that passes through the screwed bush on the left side is badly worn and will need replacement as it's quite noticeable. The right side one is worn a little but looks quite useable. On the way home I dropped Wade off with the offending bolt to see Ivan to determine if a new one can be made because Wade believes replacements aren't available from Kanters or Max. Any ideas where these might be sourced?

But before dropping Wade off, Noel dropped in to pick up the tow rope Peter had lent Wade in case it was needed on the trip home from Yarrawonga in Old Blue, although it wasn't! Noel also dropped in a part he wants Wade to fit to his '39 when he brings it over soon. And I remembered to ask Wade if he'd taken any pic's of the run and was disappointed to learn the answer was no. Apparently 14 cars went and the one of interest to me was the other '41 coupe in Oz, which I'd like to see in the metal. Among other things, it has the running board delete option and has been converted to RHD using a Holden(The local GM brand) steering box because there aren't any RHD '41 steering boxes in Oz. There's a few pic's of the other '41 Coupe from some I was sent last year. Wade also took the starter motor out of Old Blue as he thinks this could be the problem and disassembled it found worn brushes. Wade has another starter on the shelf but he'll have to check that for compatability as it's an Autolite that came out of Old Blue.

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Friday 12th June 2009

Like most days this week only a few hours at the workshop and this time I was off to donate blood plasma in the afternoon. Yesterday when Wade saw Ivan he was pleasantly surprised to learn that Ivan could make a new screwed rear shackle pin, so promptly ordered two! And this morning on the way to the workshop he stopped at Tibby Rose Auto Electrical where they tested Old Blue's starter armature on "the growler" and it passed with flying colours. He's left it with them to source some new brushes and will also get Ivan to skim it so the brushes have a nice surface to start their life on. There was also an engine gasket set from Kanters received yesterday. Trouble was it was missing the sump gasket(although there was an apology card included saying it was on coming when in stock again - but a sump gasket is very basic and should be readily available, right?). And the wrong gasket for the tappet cover as well as a few more unsupplied parts(although all had the apology card)

While I was Marine Cleaning and Metal Readying the parts cleaned yesterday as well as the other parts ready for those processes, Wade dug out the spare 120 starter from the shelf but decided not to pursue that route as the attached pic will show. Then he turned his hand to scraping the greasy muck from the rear springs which had quite a build up on them.

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Monday 15th June 2009

Before going to the workshop picked up the entry cards for PACA for the big Shannon's Eastern Creek display Day in August. Saw my '38, looks good after some detailing, and they tried to talk me into putting white-walls on the tyres to better display it. Resisted their offer, I don't want to spend any money on it if I can help it. On the way there saw a nice Model T Roadster proceeding along the Epping Highway, not a sight you see every day!

At the workshop I painted the prepared parts(tailshaft, right rear brake drum and backing plate and other parts) with POR-15. While I was doing that Wade had disassembled one of Big Red's rear springs and individually cleaned them in the parts cleaner then on the wire wheel. Finishing the POR-15 painting turned to helping Wade and finished cleaning up the lower spring plate and shock mount. I was about to paint the mount when Wade started taking apart the other spring so I cleaned up the plate for that one and POR-15'd them both. Then as Wade finished the initial leaf cleaning in the parts cleaner I did the wire wheel cleaning for all leaves except the main leaf. Wade also re-installed the front sway bar including new chassis mounting rubbers, so he accomplished something more positive today than just cleaning parts - pity I can't say the same!

And on a lighter note, "Charlie" Rick's Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, flew from his perch into the far corner of the workshop where we were working. While Wade distracted Misty, the shop dog, Rick rounded up Charlie and herded HER, yes Charlie's a she, back to her cage. Apparently Misty ignores Charlie unless she gets on the floor then she becomes very territorial. And usually when Charlie takes flight it's straight out the big roll-a-door right next to her cage, looks like wing trimming is urgently required.

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That Ute is one good looking vehicle. Australia only, right? Car-truck hybrid, kind of like an early (and better looking) el-camino.