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Yesterday Barry Smith was also at the workshop and had an interesting story to tell. It concerned his '38 Twelve Club Sedan and the tendency for it to push water/coolant out of the radiator cap. With the National Rally a month away, and with a 1,400 km trip each way, Barry didn't want cooling problems to dampen that experience. Especially when recently, on a short trip into Tamworth and back, it happened after only about 3 kms at about 80 kmh. Barry checked around for an expert and found one at FTRS. A point in FTRS's favour is that the owner is also a Packard owner! FTRS also came recommended by another PACA member DonC, who had worked with Greg at FTRS. Barry, with the Twelves radiator tucked under an arm, then drove the 600 kms to Northgate where examination and tests were performed. Barry had been thinking that maybe the top tank had been getting pressurised and forcing coolant/water past what was a new 4lb cap because the overflow couldn't handle the volume concerned. However a check of the radiator found it was free of blockages so another reason for the problem was sought. Attention turned to the the new cap, $95 courtesy of Max, and replacing it with another cap improved the situation but didn't fix it. Looking to be getting closer to the cause, the next item replaced was the filler neck. With a new filler neck and a new cap the problem was overcome, no more coolant/water escaping from the cap and filler neck. But this wasn't a hit and miss affair because, during the course of the inspection and testing, a simple device was made to test filler necks and radiator caps independent of the radiator top tank. Greg of FTRS made a simple hemispherical domed plate with a pressure fitting soldered to the dome of the hemisphere. This plate in turn was soldered to the filler necks. From there it was established 1) the original filler neck and $95 Max cap just didn't seal, 2) the original filler neck with a replacement cap worked better but still didn't seal, 3) the replacement filler neck and $95 Max cap also worked better but didn't seal, while 4) the replacement filler neck and replacement cap sealed properly. The original filler neck has a flat sealing surface for the cap and Barry tells me the replacement neck has a raised rounded surface for sealing. Barry also tells me the replacement cap has a much wider seal than the Max cap. Looks like the problem is fixed but we'll only know that when Barry puts the radiator back in the Twelve and takes it for a drive. That is due to be tomorrow, Sunday, and Barry says he'll email me to let me know. So when I know, you'll know!

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I forwarded a link of my post about Barry's radiator cap and filler neck to Greg @ FTRS and he was kind enough to respond with this additional information:

"The most important addition, (apart from the obvious filler neck and cap problems) to this radiator is a tube baffle below the filler neck to divert coolant coming directly up from the top hose fitting and lifting the cap. This was a very popular component way back then and now a increasingly important modification I carry out on radiators, veteran, vintage and classic. Baffles were built into the top tanks by manufacturers from new and over the years a lot have been disposed of by lazy repairers thinking they were not needed. Can you imagine Henry Ford fitting a baffle if it was not needed!"

Barry updated Greg at FTRS in an email today, which said:

"Finally, this afternoon, I was able to take the 12 for a run. Amazing just how much time it took, so many little cleaning up jobs etc etc, eating up the time. But the results are GOOD. I drove some 40 km, at 100+ km/hr, and NO sign of the old problem!! Car ran at 175 degrees (ambient 30 C), this is as good as it gets. I will do some more runs before heading out, but I am very positive. Thanks for all your good work."

To which Greg responded:

"I am glad the changes worked out in the end...I am glad we never pulled the radiator apart...On the pondering side of things..........................I think I have worked out why the top header plate has that very pronounced dimple facing up pointing toward the filler neck. I think it originally had a baffle of some type under the filler neck and this dimple was the locating device to be sure the closed side of the baffle faced towards the top hose fitting to divert the water. The side facing away from the top hose fitting would have been open, sounds like a lot of effort to go to but that was the kind of thing they would have done so it could not be assembled back to front on the assembly line. Perhaps?..It would interesting to see inside another radiator for the sake of it."

Monday 25th February 2012

Just a pitstop at the workshop where I found Wade working on Big Red. He was re-installing the trim around the top of the front seat back. Reason being he's come to a standstill with Roy. Roy's engine is running again after the valves were re-seated and reset and ALL cylinders are showing a healthy 130 psi. However it's running very roughly because Wade discovered the points are shot and 2 cracks in the distributor cap! But the major reason work has come to a halt is the diff, or rather, the lack of it! Still waiting on Award Diffs for the pumpkin, while they are waiting on bearings for it. As Wade said, if he'd sourced the bearings either locally(ABC) or overseas(Max) they'd be here by now. Because the diff isn't in, the rear brakes and axles can't be installed. And without the rear brakes connected bleeding of the system can't be completed.

That was early afternoon. But earlier in the morning I'd contacted Col about my Coupe and made arrangements to pick it up in the early afternoon. Those plans were soon changed when Col rang a little later and arranged to pick me up because he was now going out in the afternoon, not often a repairer will do that, but it helps that he's local! Coupe looks good. It's far from being a show car but was looking increasingly tatty. The various chips, scrapes, flakes, dings, etc needed fixing. With that part now completed I have to get the various trim pieces back in place. Following that, in preparation for next months National Rally, a full servicing will be undertaken. Then the next course of treatment for the Coupe will be re-upholstering the front seat, but that won't be until after the Rally.

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Retitled, for one day only, as David's Workshop!

Tuesday 26th February 2013

Went to the workshop this morning more in hope more than the expectation that I'd be productively employed. Just as thought, there wasn't anything to turn my limited skills to. So after going to the local Repco store at West Ryde with Wade to pick up 2 x 20 litre drums of Penrite engine oil, I returned home. But not before I mentioned I was taking the opportunity of visiting DavidM on the pretext of Packard Club business. Real reason being, I wanted to see the car he's working on and to go for a ride in his 1912 Maxwell. Because of that, on returning from David's, I could drop into Repco at North Parramatta to pick up some copper washers ready for Roy's diff centre re-installment which hopefully will be by the end of the week. I was also tasked with visiting the Supercheap Auto store next to that Repco store to ascertain whether they had a bracket for a 3" Westach tachometer.

On my return home, following a phonecall from Wade, my tasks increased to include sanding discs and linishing belts from Hare and Forbes for the bench grinder/linisher at the workshop. Hare and Forbes are in the same complex as Repco and Supercheap at North Parramatta so that worked in well. On my way to David's called into another auto parts supplier, Autobarn at Dural, Autobarn having been recommended by Repco as a supplier of instrument brackets. But it was not to be, their brackets only being for 2" and 2&5/8" instruments. And, what do you know, there's a Repco store there as well! But just like the one at West Ryde struck out again on the bracket, but did find the copper washers for Roy's diff so crossed those off the list.

Onto David's and after completing PACA business, being handing over an envelope of membership renewal documents, promptly went for a ride in the Maxwell! David had it ready to go parked in front of his large, very large, shed. A swing on the crank to prime it. Another swing to start it and "Maxie" was ready. Because there's only one door, on the left side and it's RHD, David boarded first then the passenger followed. This time, unlike about a year ago, Maxie breezed up Davids driveway. Down to, and past the local shopping centre before turning round and heading back. When idling the engine runs smoothly but under load, being a big slow chugging 2 cylinder, it's not so smooth. Allied to that the clutches take up pretty quickly and the diff, being straight cut, makes some noise. The suspension works well but it'll never be T/L smooth. One thing you can't help noticing is the wind effect. Just as well Maxie came with the optional brass windscreen otherwise this could have been extreme. Mind you all this was below about 40kph and Maxie's top speed is about 50kph, and that's at the redline of about 1,500rpm, any more and the babbitt bearings suffer. Going back to the wind effect, one thing I noticed is that in the lower right corner of the wooden "firewall" there's a fresh air vent. Presumably to cool the driver, or more likely his hot right foot as it's in that vicinity, but I don't think it's needed because of all the wind whistling around in an open car! Not downplaying Maxie's abilities, but after a ride in a car over 100 years old, the advances made in automotive engineering over time are readily apparent. Saying that I'd do it again in a heartbeat. And David even tried to interest me in buying an even older 1907 Maxwell which is on the market but I respectfully declined the opportunity!

From the Maxwell, after returning it to it's place in the shed, attention turned to a 1937 BSA which David is currently restoring for the owner. Apparently, David is now in the restoration business! With 3 Packards, a Buick and what was supposedly a fully restored 1912 Maxwell when he bought it, under his belt and there could be more but I'm not aware of them, David is very experienced in this field. And, hopefully, having come to the point of where his cars require only maintenance David was looking to keep himself involved in the "business" but at others expense. Mentioning this to a friend he was introduced to a guy with about 45 English cars, some of which require "attention". From that introduction he was tasked to restore the BSA. But first, one of the owners other cars a 1937 Singer a New Zealand car, came in for a respray. Well, that was the idea, but on closer inspection badly done rust and other repairs had to be attended to before paint could be applied. David provided me with a couple of pic's of the Singer because it had already departed the premises.

But back to the BSA. While I knew of BSA Motorcycles, BSA or the Birmingham Small Arms factory, also built light cars. Initially they were 3 wheeler cyclecars like Morgans but they evolved into a more mainstream type light car. Available in 1937 were a Tourer, a Roadster and a Coupe with the car in David's shed being a Tourer. And the story to this car is that the previous owner was a BSA collector who had 2 complete cars and from his collection of parts was able to create this Tourer. Frame, engine, driveline and suspension have been restored. The body has been cobbled together from disparate parts, cowl, set of doors, front and rear mudguards(fenders) and running boards while the rear of the body has been properly built to recreate the tourer body. From that point David is doing all the remaining body work required, including rust and redoing the badly done collision repairs, and painting it.

After looking over the BSA, and taking numerous photos, David took me around to the back of the shed. I've mentioned Redi-strip before, the facility used to hot tank engines and strip bodies and the like, but out the back I found David-strip! David-strip is a 1,000 litre tank containing a molasses mix into which parts are inserted and left to pickle. Presently in David-strip is the BSA's left front mudguard(fender). Previous parts having undergone the David-strip process included the wire wheels for David's '22 126 Sport Tourer. Apparently these took about a year of the treatment with immersions interspersed with stirrings and hosing downs to remove loose rust, etc with them coming out in the end, back to bare metal. The BSA mudguard(fender), won't require that sort of treatment, only has light surface rust but it will take a little time.

Also in the shed are a set of doors for David's mate Don's 740 7 passenger limo. Don has been restoring the 740 for quite a few years now and recently David spent time with Don, who lives near Brisbane about 900 kms north, helping him with some bodywork. And when David returned from Brisbane brought the doors with him for repair work and priming. Also has the louvres and other parts from Don's grill. Adjourned then inside for a cuppa and where I was again "pressured" into buying a Maxwell, but resisted anew, although the thought is appealing.

From David's, after a pitstop at home, it was off to Hare & Forbes at North Parramatta where the discs and linishing belts were procured. Then a stop at Supercheap and again struck out. But at Repco, although they didn't have instrument brackets, they had a VDO catalogue(catalog) or for some Aussie humour(humor) a cattledog! In the cattledog found a couple of possibilities but being 80mm are for a slightly larger diameter than 3", will confer with Wade tomorrow as to whether we proceed down this path.

PS - David, if I've misreported anything please don't be backward in coming forward!

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Wednesday 27th February 2013

With this Blog again being headed up as Wade's Workshop that's just where I headed this morning. And again, my lack of skills weren't required! Wade's still waiting for the diff centre to arrive and, until it does, work on Roy is at a standstill. Instead Wade was working on Big Red. He's re-furbishing the glove boxes and then re-fitting them. For the last couple of years he's been driving around without either glove box following the behind the dash rewire he carried out at that time. The glove boxes were removed to improve access and never re-fitted. Plus, over the years, they'd suffered somewhat and now look a bit bedraggled requiring some TLC before being re-fitted. It's to be noted the right side glove box had been modified, sometime in Big Red's past when the heater was fitted, with the back end shortened to clear the demister(defogger) motor. So that's Wades project for the day, resurrecting the bodies of the glove boxes and re-fitting them to Big Red.

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Wednesday 27th February 2013 - Later

This afternoon, started what I was going to do yesterday, before getting sidetracked by a Maxwell and a little English car. Namely, start putting the bits and pieces back on the Coupe. Thought I'd do the easiest first, or so I thought, the drivers side door upholstery, door handles and window garnish moulding. Something that probably should take about 1/2 an hour took me about 2 hours to accomplish. Don't like those "cross-over" clips used to hold the panel to the door, they are a nightmare. A combination of failing eyesight and my general ineptitude didn't help but got there in the end. Thought the door handles would be easy, and they were. Until I realised, after looking over at the passengers side handles, that I had them on the wrong shafts! Door handle on window winder and vice versa. That solved, only remained for the garnish moulding to go back on. How hard can that be with only 5 screws holding it on? For me pretty bl**dy hard apparently. Before I started, I did examine it to determine how it might go on and noticed it had a couple of spring type clips along the lower inside edge. But however much I struggled, couldn't get it to go into place, after numerous on and offs. Then sat back, took a deep breath, and started afresh. And this time it almost fell into place, I was both relieved and pleased!

Next will be the front bumper bar as I need that on to remount the blinkers and number plate. Reason being Noel phoned me, following a visit to Carl at Fineline, and my Coupe is required for inspection so the bodyshop understands various fitment issues from an example in the metal. That'll be on Monday. Apparently Carl also gave Noel a long list of parts and fasteners required and as usual a lot are playing hard to find. Noel is hopeful a visit to Les tomorrow will turn up some of the elusive parts.

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Mal, your One-Twenty is looking mighty sharp. It's all about looking good. Disappointed "Our Girl" (Jacki Weaver) did not get the Oscar for best supporting actress.

(o{}o)

Friday 1st March 2013

First day of Autumn(Fall) here with plenty of rain to dampen things down. Plan today was to take the Coupes front bumper down to the Workshop in the morning to work on it before returning home for the Coupe itself. Reason being the bumper to body splash pans are "tight". By tight I mean they were rubbing on the body or bumper. To alleviate this Col, in his work, relieved the areas which had been touching. He also advised to either elongate the holes in the bumper brackets or the holes in the chassis where the bumper mounts by about 5mm(3/16") to provide and ensure clearance. So that was my task, elongating the holes in the bumper brackets rearwards. To do this Wade advised use the air tool with a carbide rasp to do the job. Sounded good in theory, not so good in practice. An inexperienced operator on the end of an air tool spinning at a squillion revolutions per minute is almost an assured recipe for disaster. And so it came to pass, first hole attempted resulted in bending the shank of the rasp. A little hammer work and the rasp shank was soon "straightish" and ready for another go. Similar result and similar fix but decided to go back to basics and use a round file. Took a lot more time and effort, but no more snafus, resulting in one hole elongated. Next hole on that bracket, regained some composure, and tried the air tool again. An even worse result, besides again bending the shank, also chipped the tip and some "teeth" on the rasp. Back to basics again and filed out the remainder of the hole. One side complete. Started on the holes on the other bracket using the air tool again but instead of trying to do the complete elongation using that just used it to achieve the depth required, 5mm, then filed out the remainder. Bumper bracket bolt holes elongated turned to my next task, mounting the bumper to body splash shields to the bumper brackets. This again, was Col's suggestion, to avoid damaging as far as possible the new paint when mounting them to the Coupe. I thought that was an excellent idea, not just for that reason, because last time back in 2008 I did it on my back on a creeper and I didn't want to do that again if I could help it! Of course since then there's now a hoist in Packard corner but getting time on it can be a challenge. Also fixed my Packards International badge. I'd snagged a leg of my shorts on the badge one day and pulled the hexagonal emblem off the mounting bracket. It's held on by a blob of adhesive which apparently wasn't adhesive enough. Using contact adhesive, glued the two pieces back together, have to be more careful when wearing my baggy shorts now around the Coupe now!

But speaking of the hoist in Packard corner, Roy is still occupying pride of place on it but not for much longer. Yesterday Wade had a call from Award Diffs, Roy's diff centre was ready! Wade refitted the diff centre to Roy yesterday and installed the rear axles to which he'd previously installed new bearings as well and packed them with grease. When he picked up the diff centre yesterday, Wade also took Roy's old axle bearings over to Award, where Terry took one look at them and said "they've had water in them at some time". So while I was rasping and filing then fitting panels Wade was finishing off the rear end work. Fitting shims, gaskets retainers and re-installing brakes including lines and hand brake cables.

Left Wade to it at this point and returned home then later drove the Coupe down to the workshop for it to be reunited with it's front bumper. With help from Wade and Paul the bumper went on with me, on a creeper, inserting and starting the bumper bracket bolts and nuts. Thanking Paul and Wade I then started doing up the bumper bracket bolts and nuts only to undo them and reinsert them one at a time the other way round. Also a bit of shuffling to align the bumper and provide as much clearance as possible for the bumper to body splash shield. There is still a problem there with the left side outside corner of the splash shield almost, but not quite, touching the bottom corner of the mudguard(fender). Will put some tape on both surfaces as a protective measure. Reinstalled the front blinkers and tested them, they worked fine, but the right rear blinker didn't, probably a blown bulb, and reinstalled the front number plate. But there's till plenty more to do with the trim spears to go back on both right side mudguards(fenders), the beading between the left front 'guard and the bonnet(hood) side panel and the left side bonnet latch.

While I was doing the bumper, splash panels and blinkers on the Coupe, Wade was finishing off the rear brakes on Roy, but still needs to bleed the brakes. Also the engine miss, resulting from the fritzed points and cracked Distributor cap, needs fixing. Fortunately Wade's mate, PeterL, has been able to supply a set of points to replace the burnt out ones. While there's a new distributor cap winging it's way to Australia from Max. Won't be long before Roy is running again, probably Monday.

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Monday 4th March 2013

No workshop time today, instead it was Noel time! Received an email yesterday from Noel to confirm arrangements for today, it read in part "..meet me at Bankstown at 10 a.m. From there we will go to Rouse Hill and then to Les, to show him the guards. After that, back to Bankstown, then to Fineline in your Coupe to show Karl..". Met Noel at Bankstown from whence we departed for Rouse Hill to pick up the 'guards(fenders) and a new set of tyres for his Coupe. The guards are a pair sourced from the US to replace the pair on his Coupe while the tyres are a set of 4 WWW 7.00 x 16" Radials to replace the set of 4 WWW 7.00 x 16" Cross plys he was going to use. Anybody in Oz need a set of 4 never used, in fact never been on a rim, WWW 7.00 x 16" Cross plys? Please contact Noel if you do. For more info see the ads in the last couple of Packardian magazines and this one on the PACA Website(scroll down).

The day started out well, for one thing it was a fine and sunny day, something we've been lacking in Sydney for a while now. But the Ute Noel borrowed was full of rubbish, most of which had to be unloaded before we left to make room for it's precious Packard cargo. Then, on arriving at Rouse Hill, while the 'guards were there, the tyres were not! Apparently the wrong size had been sent so Noel has another wait until the correct sized ones arrive. One "thing" that was there was a very original 1905 Cadillac(I think?) which had also been imported from the US. Looks like a genuine survivor which only needs minor fixing and tidying up! Then with the 'Guards on board the Ute, it was off to see Les, who had made about 30 body mount rubbers for Noel's Coupe. While at Les's saw the '36 120B Convertible Coupe he has been working on for a PACA member and which is now close to completion.

Leaving Les, returned to Bankstown and my Coupe. From Bankstown it was off to Fineline at Moorebank where both Noel's Coupe and '39 120 Touring Sedan are presently residing. In addition to the work on the Coupe, Fineline are touching up a few scrapes on Fleurette to pretty her up for the Packard National Rally in less than a fortnights time. It's almost ready, with a rear 'guard waiting to go back on. But the main reason for taking my Coupe over was so that Carl could look it over as a reference for the work being done on Noels Coupe. Carl was pleased with what he saw, answering some questions he had about a number of fitment and equipment issues. Besides the body mount rubbers, Noel also took over some nuts and bolts and door rubbers for fitment purposes. Noel also has to take over some more parts and panels from Bankstown, which he'll do later this week. Included in these are the "mudflaps" which go inside the rear 'guards. He'd identified one but not the other, because it was the same basic shape as the ones on Fleurette. Here, I have to admit I didn't recognise the other one either, my excuse being that when I'd looked at mine it was from an upside down position about 5 years ago! Don't think that excuse carried much weight with Noel, who on looking at my Coupe immediately recognised the errant panel sitting on his shelf. Noel 1, Mal 0.

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