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What did you use to clean the asbestos cover with?

I soaked the three of them many times in Dawn dishwashing soap (grease cutter) and rinsed them completely. And then applied several coats of KIWI shoe whitener for tennis shoes. I know they call them something different now, but they were tennis shoes when I was a kid. I didn't touch the blackened ends.
And notice, much like the Enterprise, I have my shields up!
(I apologize - just couldn't resist.)

Randy -

I'm gonna assume you're using a MIG welder on the cooler. Provided the metal isn't beyond salvation, I've found that burn-through can be eliminated by backing up the weld area with a piece of copper. There are spoons available specifically for that purpose, but I've mashed a piece of copper pipe in a pinch. Just be sure the copper is clean and bright and conforms to the shape of the piece being welded. I don't understand the science behind it all, but it works.

Thanks for the suggestion Brian, but I can't figure out how I would back it up as I'm welding a piece on the bottom "V" where apparently water was allowed to sir for a long time. Can't access the back side of the inside.

The copper acts list a heat-sink to draw some of the heat away from the metal being welded. Also as you are providing a "backup" the arc doesnt just blow the liquified metal out the other side. Copper is used as the weld wont stick to it.

I cleaned off the epoxy that was an attempt to seal the tranny cooler as it hadn't hardened in two days. Barry the mechanic got out the whizzy wheel and thoroughly cleaned the entire area at the bottom of the tranny cooler. I took it home and mixed up a batch of JB Weld and applied it in a nice even layer. It set rather quickly and I brought it upstairs to cure overnight. ACOlds dropped by this afternoon to view my progress and laugh at getting Best Other getting caught in the rain. I tested the cooler and it didn't leak so after some minor trials I remounted it, attached both lines and both hoses and then bolted it to the block. With anti-freeze poured in it showed no leaks. I've used JB-Weld to repair old die-cast trains and many car parts. It is a good cheap product. ACOlds had some thoughts on moving the engine back to gain some fan clearance, but the rear motor mount (transmission) is not negotiable - it gets bolted with no slide adjustment possible. It looks like I'm going to have to move the rad mounting brackets. I do have 3/4 inch to play with and it seems like my best bet.
I have all the wiring done for the headlight relays except for the red 12 gauge fused feed from the starter solenoid. You can see the two relays hanging on the rad cradle in a previous picture.
In addition to ACOlds my cousin Will, his son Chuck and his son Cole all visited the garage today. Will is from NC and one of my favorite cousins. It was nice to see all three generations at one time. Cole is building a hotrod six-wheeled ATV. That will be something to see. Very level-headed for a 16 year old.

Randy, if worse comes to worse, you can HAVE the trans cooler off my '56 Patrician parts car. Just gimme a ride in your Carib one of these days!

Don't know if this can help you with your fan clearance. The newest Packard I have worked on was a 52. Somewhere sometime many years ago I was rebuilding an engine and put on a fresh rebuilt pump. Mounted the radiator and had very little clearance. Don't remember what year the car was or model. But at the time an old timer said that the replacement pump was from a previous or later, or senior, or junior model. Same pump except that the shaft was slightly longer, and that the front flange was sitting on the shaft about 1/2 inch more towards the front of the car. Solution is to take off the back plate, support the shaft (not the impeller or housing), must be the shaft and in a press push the front flange back as far as needed for the proper clearance. The front flange, the one with the four screw holes that the blade mounts on, is just pressed onto the shaft. AGAIN, don't know if this will work on your car. And, you must support the shaft. And don't have a thicker radiator, advice direct from Modine many years ago, thicker is not necessarily better.

Eric, you are welcome if you are ever in the Western Pa (where all the good NFL Qbacks are from) area. If the Carib is running I'll let you drive it.
Tolandis, it was a good thought, but the V8 pumps are all the same and there is no way to press the end on further. The fan belt would not run true then as the fan pulley mounts directly to the adapter on the end of the water pump shaft.

I decided to move the mounting flanges forward about 1/2- 3/4 inch to give the rad a little more clearance. The employee who spotwelded these was either having fun or was ticked off at someone or something. I have drilled out one side with a few minor tool adaptations from ACOlds. I think 5 or 7 spotwelds should be sufficient, don't U?

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