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Brian,

Thanks for the confirmation and specifics.

Tuesday 11th September, 2018

Finally catching up with the events of the last few days.

Friday - Dug out the 4 wheels and tyres originally off the '41 Coupe and checked their pressures. 3 were right down, they'd only been sitting for about 10 years, while the other, used as a spare in the Coupe, was good at 32psi. Off to the service station and pumped up the 3. Checked them again that night and also the next morning and night, all still at 32psi.

Saturday - In preparation for tomorrow loaded up the daily driver with the 4 wheels and tyres. Also tools, including a bush saw and clippers to remove some scrub from in front of the shed the '48 Limo chassis's been stored in, ropes, chains, kitchen sink, etc, etc.

Sunday - Up early and at about 5:45am drove about 85kms to Goulburn where I picked up RobertS's Holden Colarado 4wd Ute. Then 100kms in the Ute to PeterPackards at Canberra. Then a few kms to where the car trailer was garaged and Peter stores "some" of his Packards and a few other things. There, besides hitching it to the Ute and determining all lights were functioning, received instruction on:
- Use and operation of the electric winch
- Use and operation of the trailer ramps
- Use and operation of the wheel hold down system
Peter also advised that it is a UFI policy trailer. I didn't know what a UFI policy trailer was but Peter gladly explained it means - You F_ _k it, You Fix it! True enlightenment, very descriptive, point taken and the lead foot very much lightened for the trip ahead.
Then off to pick up the keys for the shed, about 21kms across Canberra. Keys in hand and trailer in tow another 216kms mostly along the Kings Hwy(Yes, that's its name) to Bodalla where I met up with son-in-law Nick and 5 y.o. grandson Oliver who had agreed to give me a hand in loading and unloading the chassis. Then another 20kms into the hinterland, with half being along dirt roads, and where I missed a turn off necessitating another 5kms before finding a spot wide enough to turn the Ute and trailer around. Did I not tell you my previous trailer towing days were about 50 years ago?

Finally arriving at the property you're confronted by a steep dirt drive for which 4wd was engaged to make the ascent. Opened up the side door to the shed then found one of the two roller doors, the one in front of the Holden bodied '37 La Salle was unlocked while the one in front of the Packard chassis required some "gentle persuasion" before it too could be opened.

While Nick set to work clearing the scrub from in front of the Packards door I set about jacking up the right front of the chassis in order to mount a wheel on that corner. And what do you know? Despite my nervousness, although I had been advised by numerous well qualified and experienced Packard people here that they would, they DID fit. I was greatly relieved. If they hadn't fitted, the chassis would have remained where it was for the foreseeable future. Jacking didn't go entirely to plan because the first jack ran out of travel about 1" before it was required. Fortunately the back up jack, a mechanical one that came with my first car, a Model A Ford in 1965, worked perfectly but required more muscle. Then along with Nick's help changed the other three flat tyres and wheels. While Nick and I were doing this Oliver was investigating a couple of termite mounds on the property, first with a stick, then with a hammer I put down. One of the mounds was uninhabited while the other contained a colony which was somewhat upset but I think mainly confused. There was no "Attack of the Killer Termites" because of a 5 year olds boredom and curiosity getting the better of him.

Once the chassis, now living up to the name of a "rolling chassis" was mobile it was pushed out into the sunlight for the first time in about 25 years. Because the chassis had been front end first into the garage, considerable effort was required to slowly turn it around in a confined space. Then the trailer was likewise manually turned around, helped by a length 4" x 2" hardwood which Peter had provided and also given instruction in. The Ute was then rehitched with the trailer, the winch mounted and winch cable drawn out. The chassis, with Nick steering and Oliver atop the engine, was then slowly winched aboard the trailer. It's great when you have the right equipment.

With the front tyres strapped and the rear end chained down the Ute descended the drive, still in 4wd, and made it's way back to Bodalla followed by Nick and Oliver, this time without managing to "get lost". At Bodalla re-checked the load then it was off home to Bowral a mere 228kms distant. Arrived home about 8:30pm, with Nick arriving shortly thereafter, after having dropped off Oliver who fallen asleep on the way.

Fortunately for me Nick, being a volunteeer with his local Bush Fire Brigade(Rural Fire Service) his expertise came in handy being able to back the ute and trailer down my driveway to enable the chassis to be carefully unloaded, This time, a slope and gravity contributed to the unloading equation. Once off the trailer it was then easy to push the chassis front first into the garage. Where it still sits! Still contemplating whether I should dismantle it for spares or try on-selling the complete unit or as parts?

Monday - Needed to return the trailer to Peter and the Ute to Robert. But first, not likely to have another opportunity like this again, enlisted the Ute and trailer in disposing of some surplus timber. This timber was from a pergola which had been dismantled, in order that the garage could be constructed, about 3&1/2 years ago. Good timber with one piece being 6 metres long, two pieces being 4 metres long and lots of 2 and 3 metre lengths. Loaded the shorter pieces into the bed of the Ute while the longer lengths were tied down on the trailer. Only a small detour was required, to get to the Resources Recovery Centre at Moss Vale to unload the timber. Probably won't be rebuilt as a pergola but at least I've made a small contribution to recycling. Then off to Canberra and Peter, who surprised me by arriving in his "Hot Rod" Packard. This is a 1938 TJ Richards bodied Eight with a 327 overbored by 0.060", comp ratio of 8.75:1 and overdrive. With this combination Peter has had the Hot Rod up to 190kmh(almost 120mph). Under controlled conditions of course. Peter backed the trailer in, I wonder why, then reality in the form of the UFI policy kicked in. The BEARING BUDDIES on the right side trailer wheels were missing. Don't remember any incident where they might have come to grief but still I was up for their replacement. The only real blemish on an otherwise good road trip.

Finally returned the Ute to Robert, picked up the daily driver and returned home.

Sorry that photos are scarce, took the camera along, but apart from one of the Ute and trailer at a pit stop along the way and some others of the Hot Rod didn't take any others on either day. But Nick did, with his phone although they are happy snaps, and will post them once they are received.

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Hello Mal, If you blow up the pic of the trailer, you can actually see the shine of the Buddies. PT

What are buddies? Ute isn't a term used here either but I know what it is and even saw a new Holden Ute recently which at first I mistook as a customized Jaguar. Apparently a very limited number of the Holden Ute were sold in the U.S. but that was the only one I ever saw.

Quote:
Peter,

Yes, see them clearly, but have no idea what happened to knock them off the brake drums.

As they say in the classics "the cheque(check) is in the mail".

Quote:
Don,

This link will explain- BEARING BUDDIES.

Just looked at the link, doesn't explain, just pictures and sizes. So what they are, are positive lubrication devices for trailer axle bearings. The "buddy" takes the place of a grease cap, being inserted into the end of the axle hub. It contains a grease nipple in the middle and a squirt of grease fills the void between the back edge of the "buddy" and the bearing. There's also a spring which imparts pressure against the "buddy" to keep the grease up to the wheel bearing.
Clear as mud?

Bearing Buddies are most commonly used on boat trailers where the trailer is immersed into fresh or salt water. A few squirts of grease after each day's immersion generally keeps the bearings in good shape. I put them onto the car trailer as car trailers very rarely have their axle bearings repacked, and the bearings tend to run warmish with a Packard on the trailer, particularly on the disc braked front axle. PT

Thank you very much for the explanation. Actually I understood it from the photos but I appreciate the description. Never saw one before but they seem handy, especially for a trailer.

Wednesday 19th September, 2018

Not much has happened with/to the chassis since it arrived a week and a half ago. Life seemed to get in the way! Some things have transpired though. One was having the local tyre(tire) service remove and dispose of the flat tyres on the three wheels that were mounted on the chassis. Found there were 2 x 6" wide limo wheels while the other wheel is 5" wide. The 2 limo wheels both have good inner rims while the 5" wheel has surface rust but looks like it'll clean up OK. Did a "walk around" of the chassis and noticed a number of things. For one, the chassis is "boxed" from the front of X member to the hump over the diff. It's also comparatively shallow in depth, at least from my memories of underneath the '41 and it's chassis which had a deep cross-section. No tailshaft, but I already knew that, and there's no rear sway bar. But there's no clutch plate or pressure plate, wasn't expecting that! One thing that caught my attention was the method of mounting the front engine mount to the chassis. Must be too accustomed to pre-war cars where the front crossmember supports the yoke that mounts to the engine. Instead there are a couple of "flying buttresses" mounted on the front crossmember that project forward of it and support the yoke. I also found there wasn't a clutch cable. The gear linkages from the column to the trans, including the front external lever on the trans, are also MIA.

But the matter which really caught my attention was the spark plugs. Originally I thought all was OK with leads on all the plugs. However, in removing some of the leads it was obvious all was not OK! 4 plugs just snapped of when attempting to remove the leads and closer inspection revealed that the plugs must have been sitting in water at some stage because there was a lot of rust and crud build-up around the plug indent locations on the head. Cleaned all the plug indents up then used penetrant and removed 2 of the remaining 4 "easily" but the other 2 snapped off like the previous 4. I'm now worried about the internal condition of the engine. Previously I was expecting at least stuck valves from sitting for 25 years, now there's more than a possibility of water ingress into the cylinders. Looks like, instead of removing the valve chamber covers to check valve operation, I'll remove the head. Also ascertained the engine doesn't turn over, which is not surprising considering what's been discovered to date. One positive though, the oil is a beautiful golden colour.

Tomorrow GaryZ from Victoria is calling in to pick up the parts I rounded up for him from the guy who parted out the '48 chassis a few months back. He's also welcome to snag any parts off the Limo chassis which catch his eye.

EDIT - Just noticed the casting dates on the block and head match! I have a "matching numbers" Packard, well a Packard engine at least!

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Peter (Peter Packard), the white BMW looks like a R60 with R75 engine.