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Randy, I strongly recommend a good bourbon, sipped slowly, with the eyes closed.

John, It's a primer just so the block won't rust before I cover it in Beautiful Bronze.
I have to buy some stainless bolts and washer for the valve pan covers.
John S. said now I'd see how ugly he really is. Why do you think I'm dreading facing the mirror all alone??
Not to worry John - I've seen Dave Czirr up close and not been frightened.

Randy--you introduced me to Dave at Hershey this past fall!

Are you familiar with Eastwood's exhaust manifold paint?

it goes on easily and keeps 'em looking purdy

I considered various options, but decided to try Calyx. I'll let you know results after I fire up the engine. By the way .030 over makes it a 379.46 now. I wonder where I can paint that?? I think I'll note it on my new blurb sheet.

I am getting a new windshield also. Does any one have hints/tips on installing a Caribbean windshield?? I know the gasket has to be cut. Where? How?? What product do you recommend to glue it back together???

One other thing, Randy. When the doc says "don't bend over" and "no lifting for X days", pay attention. My sister had a friend who did not pay attention, and regretted it.

That is a might clean looking engine!

Bernardi

Spent last few days washing transmission parts and disassembling valve bodies. There are some brand new parts in this trans and some beat-up old ones Someone was in it but didn't do the job right. I got a chuckle watching my buddy Ron put the springs and valves back in the valve bodies because most of it was from memory. He had the manual there for ready reference but fit it all together mostly from memory. The last one he did was my 400 in '92. It looks like I may take a ride East to look at another 400 with a friend and fellow forum participant. Wish us luck

Randy: Reading your post about rebuilding your ultramatic brought back some memories.

Back in the early 90's the ultramatic went bad on the 56 Clipper that Brad Berry used as his daily driver, which he called the HONKER. I helped Brad pull the ultra from the Honker and watched him rebuild the trans, using no manual. the most interesting part that I remember was watching Brad put the clutch packs together.

The most funny thing that I remember while helping him, was when I asked him if was going to turn the parts in for warranty to Packard. You should have seen the look on his face at first, then he gave a draw on his pipe and just laughed.

When we got the trans pulled from the Honker before taking it apart it was laying on the cement floor next to his work bench. Brad asked me how we were going to get trans up onto the work bench, being as he had heart problems and couldn't do much heavy lifting. The converter was still on the trany as I remember and I told Brad to step back, I picked up the ultramatic and set it on the work bench for him. If that would have been an ultramatic with the cast iron case I don't think I would have been able to do that. Doing that kind of lifting is I guess why I have a bad back today.

Randy: Thanks for bringing back a pleasant memory.

John F. Shireman

John, I hesitate to mention this now, but if you had slid the torque convertor off, the lift would have been easy. From the junkyard I manhandled a 52 Ultramatic (cast iron) into the trunk of the Mayfair and drove home having only Lo range. I swapped out trannys using a scissor jack. The torque convertor has all that extra weight up front and that's what makes it tough to lift. I'm glad it brought back a good memory for you. The 52 swap holds no poignant remembrances for me.

Finally got all the parts washed and junk scrubbed off and out and... Tonight we'll assemble it and I should be able to take it home. I say WE, but I'm just a gofer - Ron will be doing the assembling. He wants to replace one more bushing.
His new toy arrived over the weekend and I took some pictures. It's not a Packard so bear with me. He now has three of these. There is a lot of gold metallic in that paint job.

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Wow that is sweet. So where does his tree grow so I can get a seed from it and Plant it in my yard...