Packard Forum Index » Project Blogs

Tuesday 4th December, 2018

Last Sunday was our Packard Club's annual Christmas Lunch. This year at the Atura at Blacktown. Almost exactly a 200 km round trip which, with the forecast weather conditions, I thought would be a good test for the Packard. Reason being a temp of 34C was forecast and I wanted to see how the Packard would handle that. Well it handled it well on the way there. Sat at about 3/4 going up to Hot on arrival. But, did NOT boil. Checked the radiator before leaving Atura and no loss of coolant evident. Return trip was going well till, 42 kms from home, the Packard spluttered to a stop. Pulled off the motorway, tried to restart, turned over easily but did not fire. Checked for fuel, plenty. But noticed the electric fuel pump wasn't ticking away - the previous owner having converted to 12V, adding an electric pump and bypassing the mechanical pump. Presume there is problem with the mechanical pump so even if I could reconnect it, it probably wouldn't work. Rang the NRMA(Our local road service provider) with a tilt tray tow truck(rollback) arriving about 2&1/2 hours later, I'd broken down "out in the country". Had the tow truck drop the Packard in front of my local repairer, WJR Automotive, less then a kilometer from home. Next morning, armed with the mechanical pump Wade rebuilt for me months back but not installed, John advised he'll replace the bypassed mechanical pump.

Attach file:

---

  (264.78 KB)


  (325.92 KB)


  (269.73 KB)


  (160.56 KB)

Anxiously awaiting news that the mechanical pump solved the problem! I hope so.

Wednesday 5th December, 2018

Turns out the electric pump wasn't the problem. It was a relay in the circuit which had failed. John replaced the Relay and now all is good. The mechanical pump install will be done in the New Year because John has a lot of work lined up which needs to be finished before Christmas - I can live with that. But, while the Packard was in John's custody, had him remove the old M/C cap and replace it with the cap off the M/C from the 2222 chassis. Reason being I couldn't get the old cap off, so haven't been able to check the fluid level which, as it turns out, was full. And the reasons I couldn't loosen the M/C cap 1) It's bloody hard to get to over the mudguard(fender), probably easier if you have a hoist, and 2) It was the type with very thin sheet metal tabs on top which I couldn't get any grip on to be able to turn it (Like in the pic below I 'stole' off eBay). The 2222 M/C cap has a big square lug on its top which I'll be able to loosen with a spanner(wrench). While doing the M/C cap repacement John found the fluid probably should be replaced and the M/C itself needs to be resleeved. Will check the 2222's M/C to see if it's a bolt-in replacement and then have it S/S resleeved if it is. Will also have John perform some other work while the car's in his hands. Actually should work out well as our Packard National Rally to Warrnambool, about 1,000kms each way is coming up in March next year. Oh....another thing, John found the alternator is charging at about 18V, no wonder I was topping up the battery on a more than regular basis. If I can find a replacement alternator I'll do it myself, otherwise it'll be off to the local Auto Electrician.

Attach file:

---

  (289.61 KB)


  (209.81 KB)


  (17.98 KB)

Wednesday 6th December, 2018

Dropped the Packard off to Dave at D & M Auto Electric this morning for rectification of the overcharging alternator. And picked up the Packard mid afternoon with the alternator repaired, apparently the internals were "cooked" as well as the inbuilt regulator "fried". Believe those are technical terms auto electricians use. All good now.

Attach file:

---

  (258.57 KB)

Good Afternoon Mal...It looks/sounds like you are still sorting the old girl out...funny the way they only show us one or two problems at a time...I think they want to show us how important they are by constantly giving us something to think about. We've had Miss Prudence six years now, and she still gives us a reminder once in a while of just how important she considers herself! Ernie in Arizona

Tuesday 11th December, 2018

Took the master cylinder off the Limo chassis and dropped it into John @ WJR Autmotive for resleeving.

Attach file:

---

  (705.35 KB)

Mal, Does your Packard have a 6 volt alternator or upgraded to a 12 volt?
John

John,

The previous owner "upgraded" the car to 12 volts, so it's a 12V Alternator. Will post a pic later of the alternator installed.

Monday 11th March, 2019

For the last few months not much has been happening on the Packard front. Just a couple of club runs, one in January to the Lady Luck Festival at Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, about 90 miles each way. The other in February to Vaucluse House, about 75 miles each way. Car ran well, only thing being it still runs hot. So I did my best Marty Feldman impersonation during the trip in keeping one eye on the road with the other on the temperature gauge.

Then on 11th February I dropped the Packard off to John & Will at WJR Automotive for some work before the next trip. Took a lot longer than expected, only getting the car back last Friday, the 8th. WJR installed the mechanical fuel pump that Wade had rebuilt for me. Retained the 12V electric pump for priming or overcoming vapour lock should it be necessary. They also installed the master cylinder off the '48 Limo chassis after it was stainless steel sleeved and rebuilt as well as adjusting the brakes. Also gave the chassis a comprehensive grease, draining and re-filling the trans with new oil and topping up the diff oil. Finally changing the engine oil and filter.

Could have done some of the work myself but the body isn't as co-operative as it used to be. Can get under the car, but once there it becomes difficult. Didn't realise how good it was to have the hoist available at Wade's Workshop, didn't miss it until I needed it!

But why the work before the next trip? Because that trip is to the Aussie Packard Clubs National Rally, about 630 miles South at Warrnambool in Victoria. My return trip will be "slightly" longer, about 760 miles, as I intend to visit a guy on the return trip to do a story on his '22 Twin Six Packard for publication in a future issue of our club magazine.

Always some nice cars being worked on at WJR, including a lovely Jag XK150. Another that caught my eye was a late '60's Daimler 250 Sedan which was for sale at what I thought was a modest AUD$20K, currently about US$14K. the Daimler 250 Sedan shares its body with the Mark 11 Jaguars of that era but the engine is a 2.5L(150ci), Aluminum Hemi V8. This car has the Borg Warner 35 Auto, but no P/S or A/C.

Will update the Warrnambool trip and Rally, hopefully on a day-by-day basis, in posts here or more likely in the Shows and Events Forum.

Attach file:

---

  (255.51 KB)


  (185.75 KB)


  (208.21 KB)


  (469.97 KB)


  (426.44 KB)


  (274.55 KB)


  (266.54 KB)


  (247.76 KB)


  (207.22 KB)


  (420.06 KB)


  (447.49 KB)


  (468.46 KB)


  (184.36 KB)

Always liked that Jaguar body style as used on the Daimler. There was a British TV show "Inspector Morse" where the bright red early 60s Mark II that Morse drove was prominently featured. Several episodes saw it at the crime scene but in several others he had to hitch a ride with his cohort Sergeant Lewis because his Jaguar was laid up at the mechanics again. Wonder if the seemingly ongoing issue was due to the famous Lucas electrics.