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Friday 12th July 2013

After donating blood plasma this morning, yes - it's worth bottling, went over to Noel's warehouse to help him with a couple of Fleurette matters. Now, Noel's warehouse is a bit of a misnomer, although there's plenty of truth behind it. Noel's former life was as Australia's Table Tennis(Ping Pong) coach and he also established and ran Aussie Table Tennis. Although Noel is no longer the business owner he still maintains close links with it. So much so that today, while he was attending to matters in front, I was out back attending to Fleurette's needs. I also encouraged a couple of kids, an about 8yo girl and 10yo boy to sit behind the wheel of Fleurette. Dad took pic's and the kids also hopped in the back seat to sit where Nicole Kidman had sat for the film Australia a few years ago. I know I'm very generous allowing other peoples kids to sit in Fleurette Noel, but you just never know, they could be Packard owners of the future following such a gesture! Part of Fleurette's needs was the right front wheel to which TonyW had riveted new hubcap clips, but they weren't holding the hubcap on. The left front, done at the same time, was fine but not the right. After I took the wheel off Noel demonstrated the technique that Tony had advised to remedy the situation. Seemed to work to an extent but not well enough for the hubcap to stay on. Hmmmm, there's a car show on Sunday at Linnwood House so when Noel arrives there in Fleurette he'll put the hubcap on 'for show purposes only' and remove it for the trip home. Another thing I "thought" we were going to do was change over the front bumper for one sent up by Peter Packard during the week. Although I had been sworn to secrecy, about the incident in question, and some of that will remain to protect the innocent, Fleurette suffered some front bumper damage during last Sundays run to Gosford/Terrigal and return. All I'm saying it was NOT my fault, NOT Noel's fault and certainly NOT Fleurette's fault. The other party will remain nameless, as I said to protect the innocent, except to say that Noel is now spruiking that out of the approximately one million Packards built his is the only one to have this happen to it. So, Fleurette is now one in a million! You can't always look on the bright side of life but in this case Noel did! Sorry Noel, but the Devil made me do it! Turned out the bumper Peter sent up won't be used after all and it's now likely Noel will have Fleurette's bumper straightened and and probably re-chromed. Speaking of which, I'll get the centre piece of my '41 120 front bumper re-chromed at the same time because it's rusty! The chrome job it had about 5 years and also the re-chrome, under warranty 2 years later, just didn't work! The chromer that Peter uses does a great job so I'm thrilled the centre piece will at last look good.

During my time out the back with Fleurette I took a phone call from IanH, mentioned in the pages before as the owner of a '36 120B Club Sedan he's now restoring after buying it 39 years ago. Ian was looking for some advice and for some parts. Apparently Peter Packard has helped him with some parts but he needs to go up a notch, sorry Peter. So I've now referred him to the Flackmaster for help on both counts. And there will be a return to the workshop on Wednesday! Wade is coming down for the day, I think it's the beginning of the end, preparing for the move of parts, equipment and The Fossil to the Central Coast. However Noel is taking advantage of this and taking Fleurette over for some after sales service, notably draining the Penrite running in oil and refilling with Penrite HPR oil and also re-torquing the head nuts. By then Fleurette will have about 300 miles on the road since the engine rebuild. There'll also be a couple of other little jobs to attend to, being installation of a new heater pipe from the water pump to the heater inlet, a masters touch on the errant hubcap clips and possibly installation of a new bendix drive to Fleurette's starter and it's re-installation in lieu of the Peter Packard starter presently in place. This last only if the bendix drive arrives from the US in time.

And why aren't there pictures from today? Not because I was sworn to secrecy, again, I wasn't! But because the camera wouldn't work. Thought the battery was flat but I've now recharged the two batteries I have and neither made any difference, so it's the camera itself! Fear not, by the time Wednesday comes around I'll have had it fixed or splashed out for a new camera.

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Wednesday 17th July 2013

Drove the Coupe to the workshop to get her up and done on the hoist before Noel arrived with Fleurette. Reason being, I wanted to change the engine oil and check the trans and OD levels after almost 3,000 miles since the last oil change. Most of the 3,000 miles being the trip to and from Phillip Island in March and the Eden trip last month. It almost worked out, but Noel arrived an hour earlier than expected catching the Coupe In flagrante delicto up on the hoist part way through topping up the trans and OD. Once the Coupe was finished, replacing or replenishing oil stocks, out she went and in Fleurette came to take her place.

Noel and I then left Wade to tend to Fleurette's needs while we went on an unrelated road trip. Part of the road trip was to change a seal I'd picked up yesterday on Wade's behalf for a '37 Super 8 water pump rebuild. Wade, through mate PeterL, had found a machinist on the Central Coast who was able to make a new SS shaft for the pump as well as machine the pump body for the ceramic seal required. The '37 Super 8 is a Club Sedan with sidemounts and imported from the US. Was also tasked by Wade with picking up a bolt for his new engine crane. The bolt that came with it is a fraction too large in diameter to fit the holes it's intended for. It is 16mm, actually 15.9mm and the next smallest bolt size is 5/8" or 15.7mm. Hopefully the 0.2mm size reduction is all that's required, the next smallest being 9/16" or 14.3mm which would be too small. Another stop was Hare & Forbes where I picked up this parts washer as my gift to Wade for his new workshop. I've spent many hours cleaning Packard parts in the one in the current workshop and Wade's new workshop didn't have one, until now! Now, every time Wade stands there cleaning parts he can think of me. Seriously, it's a small gesture of thanks for all that Wade's done for me personally with my Packard. Thank you Wade! And speaking of garage equipment, Wade has a hoist! Or should I say he's getting one, but in a round-a-bout way. PeterL's son bought him a hoist only to find out too late it's too tall to fit in Peter's garage. Enter Wade, who's now buying the 2 poster without the top cross bar, off Peter's son and installing it in his new workshop. Also dropped off Noel during part of the trip, he's returning on Friday to pick up Fleurette.

Back at the workshop had to admit to Wade that I'd bingled his Ute. Would have posted a pic but, I'm using my old camera while waiting for the new one to be repaired under warranty and, the old camera sometimes sticks and doesn't work. Fortunately it's a minor parking lot bingle only which I inflicted at Lee Bros where I backed into a pole. It left a small indentation in the plastic bumper, mark on the tailgate hinge, moved the emblem on the tailgate and marked the tailgate itself. Wade, you know where I live!

Turned then to Fleurette, which Wade had drained the running in oil from, it having done it's job, and refilled with heavier weight oil. Wade had then installed the new Bendix starter drive to Fleurette's starter, the intention being to return it in place of Peter Packard's loaned starter. But it was not to be, although the Bendix is working, there's now another problem with the starter itself. Wade went on to trying to track down an exhaust leak but wasn't convinced it was the engine pipe to exhaust manifold joint as Noel suspected. Thought it was the choke hot air pipe fitting on the exhaust manifold where blowby could be felt with the engine running. Took off the fitting to discover there was blowby there and it was escaping around the fitting, the silicone sealer having failed. Looked around for a gasket or something to make a gasket from finding a 120 manifold gasket as a likely donor of the material required. Until.......on examining Fleurette's cracked original manifold, for marking out purposes for making the gasket, found it had a piece the replacement manifold didn't! This piece could be described as a cup which fits inside the exhaust manifold and seals it when the cover fitting is installed. With this no exhaust gasses reach the pipe that runs from the fitting to the choke mechanism, only warmed air. Meant of course the carb now had to come off to install the previously missing cup. Both Wade and I learned something new today about 120's of this vintage. All back on but there's still a leak and it IS coming from the engine pipe to exhaust manifold joint, but that'll now be a job for another day.

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Thursday 25th July 2013

Ross borrowed the workshops trailer today to transport an HR Holden Sedan to his new home in the hinterland of the Queensland Gold Coast. He also picked up the engine for his '35 Super 8. The engine is being dropped off on the trip north to an engine re-builder for re-babbitting the bearings and a lot of other work. After Ross's departure, Wade continued with the rebuilding of the '37 Super 8 water pump he'd been working on. Oh, and when Wade removed the '35's Super 8 water pump in readiness for transportation it had a segment missing from the circumference of it's impeller! Looks like Wade will be doing another Super 8 water pump rebuild in the future.

Water pump out of the way it was off to see JohnM and his '39 TJ Richards bodied Six Sedan. This was to give it a checkover prior to it's annual registration inspection which it should have no trouble with. Then on the return trip to the workshop detoured to pick up some financial paperwork from our club's auditor. That done, it was back to the workshop, where I picked my car and took the paperwork to our Treasurer Chris, Starliner. Chris advised he's going to sell one of his Packards either the '53 Mayfair Hardtop(preferred) or the '54 Clipper Super Club Sedan. And if any of you Aussies are interested, you read it first here! But please contact Chris directly, his contact details are in the front of the magazine and in the Register of Members.

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Monday 29th July 2013

On the 1st of the month received an email from Phil fromTassie saying in part:
"The Packard is nearly ready for a return trip back to Tassie. Not complete unfortunately - I am going to get the upholstery done down here....we hope to go to VMG take the car for a test run in readiness for the shipping back...Would you like to come up to VMG as well?.."

To which I replied:
"Great to hear that the Packard is getting close to heading home...Of course I'm more than happy to again see you and the Packard"

The details were then organised of picking up Phil and Marjorie, who were going to be in Sydney for a wedding on the weekend, then settled back to wait. Also arranged for Noel to accompany us on the appointed day. First picked up Phil and Marjorie then headed to the workshop where Noel was leaving Fleurette ready for further treatment during Wade's next visit.

It was then off to Vintage Motor Garage about 70kms North. There we found Phil and Marjorie's Packard a little less ready than expected. It was thought the mudguards(fenders), hood(bonnet), doors(doors), running boards(running boards), etc would all be mounted on the Packard, but they weren't. Important thing though was that after a lot of conversation between Phil and Jonathon, the proprietor, that the Packard started up easily and ran well. A little adjustment to lower the idle speed, a seat found for Phil in the form of an upturned milkcrate and off with Jonathon hanging on riding shotgun. On their return Jonathon rustled up another crate, and a piece of foam, and Marjorie went for her Packard ride. Then followed Noel in the front "seat" with me crouching in the back and hanging on to the divider frame with Phil doing a leisurely circuit of the paddock at the back of VMG for our Packard ride. That was all as far as driving and riding in the Packard, Jonathon only putting in about 3 litres of fuel a bit less less than a US gallon, and didn't want to suffer the ignominy of running out of fuel. More talk ensued with the outcome being there are a few matters Jonathon needs to attend to. Then mudguards, doors, etc will be mounted and hopefully, in about a months time, the Packard will be ready to return to Tasmania for Phil to finish it.

On the return journey stopped at Brooklyn, on the Hawkesbury River, for a Fish & Chips lunch at the Marina, lovely. Then it was off to Sydney airport from where Phil and Marjorie were catching their flight back to Tassie. Finally deposited Noel at Bankstown, then home for me.

Link to VMG pic's.

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Thursday 8th August 2013

There was movement at the workshop, for the word had passed around
That the man from the Central Coast was there today,
And was working on Fleurette - she was worth a pretty pound,
So the apprentice was wanted for the day......

I'll leave it at that, having already offended a great many poetry aficionados with my reworking of Banjo Patterson's great Australian Classic, The Man From Snowy River.

Wade called last night to say he'd be at the workshop today and tomorrow working on the list of repairs and adjustments that Fleurette requires. By the time I arrived he had already dropped the engine pipe from the exhaust manifold and extracted the blown gasket. Also ensured the bolts worked freely in the manifold by running a tap through the manifold and a die over the bolts. Then applied a good dose of silicon exhaust sealant to the manifold gasket donut and bolted every thing back up. Next the water was drained from the cooling system so the new pipe from the water pump housing to the heater box could be installed. Accomplished and then the cooling system was refilled with water and the engine run and brought up to operating temperature to test for leaks. There were none! With the system tested it was again going to be drained but only to be refilled with coolant. If leaks had been evident didn't want to risk loosing coolant for such an exercise.

At this juncture who should arrive but Fleurette's owner bearing a gift. Well......it wasn't exactly a gift but an eBay purchase of a Packard part I'd brokered on Ross's behalf. Wade had said the oil pressure gauge line on Amelia was "stuffed" to use his expression. And, lo and behold, who should be having a "Twenny Dolla Tuesday Xmas in July Packard Sale 1937 1934 1938 1936 oil line fitg" but one DAF. After confirming with Wade, it would work, and then with Ross arranged with said DAF to purchase the line and fitting. But how did Noel come to deliver it? Apparently the line had been forwarded via Peter Packard and Noel had picked it up when he visited Peter on the weekend. Isn't it great to have Packard friends? Noel also ascertained that Fleurette will be ready tomorrow but has arranged with Wade for her to remain in the workshop over the weekend and will be picked up on Monday.

Then, following Noel's departure moved on to bleeding Fleurette's brakes, they being a bit spongy and pulling to the left a bit. But when I drove Fleurette, about a month back, although spongy the brakes didn't seem to be pulling. Bleeding wasn't hard work for me, I had to sit in the cabin and operate the brake pedal, after Fleurette was hoisted on high. But for Wade it was, he was down below releasing fluid and air from each of the wheel cylinders in turn. And also had a workout in that he had to run up and down a ladder to keep the master cylinder topped up with fluid. Worked out well in the end with a good solid pedal achieved. But had to leave at that point to attend to the afternoons Grandfatherly duties.

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Friday 9th August 2013

Well Noel, Fleurette's brakes are working well with a good firm pedal and not pulling either way so ready to be picked up on Monday. After donating blood plasma in the morning dropped in to find Wade tidying things up, including pulling the rods off Fleurette's old pistons. The pistons are going to scrap, while the rods will go with a load of other parts to Peter Packard for inclusion with other Club stock. But the real reason I was there was to go to lunch with the guys at the Royal Hotel, Ryde. Very enjoyable.

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Speaking for myself, it is enjoyable to see Wade's workshop return from dormancy.

Thursday 15th August 2013

With Wade not in the workshop this week I tried turning my hand today to fixing the drivers side outside door handle. It had "fallen off" in my hand when at Eden 2 months ago! Since then it has lain on the rear floor except at a display day last month when it was fitted back for cosmetic purposes only, ie it was pushed back into place. In my front yard, not at the workshop it's too tight to work around the car in the garage, removed the window garnish moulding, then the interior door and window winding handles(losing a pin in the process), then the arm rest and finally the door panel. But I needn't have! Why? Because the outside door handle is held on by a screw that locks in through the side of the door frame behind the catch.

Then needed to make a trip to the workshop for 1) a new roll pin for the handle and 2) a screw to replace the one missing from the door handle. Accomplished that and on returning home re-installed the door panel, handles and garnish moulding so back to square one there. Next was the door handle, screw appeared to work well but a few opening and closing operations and it was loose again, obviously the thread in the handle is stripped. So, the handle is now back on the rear floor from whence it'll come out again at the Shannon's Sydney Classic on Sunday.

And yesterday picked up a pair of tyres from Annet, tidbinbilla2, wife of John, Appin, the owners of Junior. Junior is now in Arkansas with John while Annet is moving there once all the formalities are sorted out. Part of the sorting process has been selling the house and cleaning out the shed where Annet found the 2 tyres, a pair of Yokahama 650R16 radials. These once graced Junior before he was smartened up with a set of WWW's. Now endeavouring to find the tyres, they are in good condition with plenty of tread, a home because they don't fit a '41 120(15's).

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'The Man From Snowy River' - one of my favourite poems Mal. Best enjoyed in the bar of the Tuena Hotel in 1972, when Bob the Publican recited it every Saturday night, to a silent spellbound crowd. Beautiful. The hair stood up on your neck and you never tired of hearing it.

Tuesday 20th August 2013

Wade's down from the Central Coast for the rest of the week with a couple of things in mind. 1) To start sorting the parts on the "magic shelves" for transportation to their soon to be new home. And, 2) A bit of Packard work as well.

Concerning the sorting, not all the parts are relocating to the Central Coast some are going elsewhere. Elsewhere, in this case, means going South to Peter Packard where they'll go into PACA Club Stock. Others parts still will be sold, don't know how that's going to be accomplished, but I imagine will include a fair number of '34 parts.

As for the work, on the weekend PACA attended the Shannon's Sydney Classic, where I learned Wade was to be at the workshop and also he offered to help with the drivers side outside door handle on the Coupe, because he'd read about my troubles here. Imagine that! Also offered to install the new front handbrake cable I received from Max a month or two back. But the major item of work is not on my Coupe, but on Ed's '37 120 Touring Sedan which was a participant on Sunday, The '37 needs a new pinion seal and is booked in for that tomorrow.

Today though, Wade was kind enough to get the handle onto the door of the Coupe. Thought it would be relatively straight forward, a bigger screw into the re-tapped handle body. But it wasn't that easy. Re-tapping with a bigger bolt proved ineffective, because the pot metal body was badly worn, there wasn't enough metal left for a decent thread for the size bolt(screw) required. So a different approach was adopted, using a heli-coil. Meant drilling the pot metal out more then tapping for the heli-coil and, even though one side of the pot-metal body had little metal, there was enough thread cut for the heli-coil to do it's work. But, trying to drill and tap into the pot-metal had resulted in a new thread a "little" off from the original. Solved by grinding down the head of the bolt so now it's a cheese head screw with a hacksaw cut for screwdriver use, tapering the start of the thread on the new screw and filing out the hole in the door to accommodate the screw somewhat. All together now with strict instructions from Wade that at the slightest sign of the handle loosening to re-tighten it straight away! Thanks Wade, I'm paranoid enough already that parts might fall off the Coupe without that now being a conscious reminder!

Door handle affixed it was onto the handbrake cable. Coupe backed into the workshop and up on the hoist then the end of the cable was released from the equaliser. Next undid the clamp that retains the cable housing to the trans crossmember. Then removed the "device" that took up most of the stretch in the cable. Back to the clamp which was now hanging on the end of the cable housing and after a lot of persuasion managed to free it. Coupe back on the floor, removed the drivers side kick panel and peeled the new carpet back to check if there were any clamps inside the car. There weren't. Then the fun began, with Wade trying to remove the split-pin from the clevis that holds the handbrake cable to the handbrake handle. With very restricted access, plus a split-pin that was recalcitrant in the utmost to removal, finally had to admit temporary defeat. However once Ed's '37 has been attended to tomorrow the running on the handbrake cable replacement will be taken up again. But why admit defeat today? Because I was taking my wife Kath to the movies in the afternoon!

Link to Sundays pics

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