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Fred, please ask Wat to save the two driveshaft supports for me even if the rubber has separated. I have a mold for revulcanizing them so need cores.

Tell him that they look like this when I get done with them and no worries if the bolts break as I have proper replacements along with the special Marsden nuts that were originally used.

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Dear Packard Don,


I'll attempt to prevail on the human to do as you request. He was pretty busy today plotting his proposed engine swap while he was building and organizing some shelving for all of this Packard stuff plus other tools-n-things. I was there the whole time. He might slack off if I'm not.


Love,
Fred

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Found a '48-'54 parts manual in decent condition for sale online. It'll be here next week. That will help with further scavenging.

The parts manuals are here in both PDF form and database form. The Factory Parts List link on Main Menu takes you there. This makes it easier to find things and also part numbers that cross to other years.

I know, and thank you very much for the wonderful and informative service that you provide.


Some things I find well online, but other things I find better in print. Same words, different interface.


And Fred hasn't installed wifi in the garage. Yet . . . .

Got new lights over the workbench/table thingie. Boy, is that nice. Wound up the extension cord which had stretched across Fred's Hayhouse for the longest time. Place is starting to take shape.


Took some pictures of the '54 Henney rustbucket for all and sundry who might be interested in picking its carcass. Seems to be in rustier shape and more incomplete than it appeared at first blush. But is has a complete (almost) 359 engine with aluminium head. Hope that the starter is the same as the little engines. My parts book arrives this week coming.


Let the ride decide had dibs, for the record, but PD gets the driveshaft thingies - after I salvage/trash whatever is on the floor over where I'm going to cut out to find them. I ain't goin' under that vehicle for love or money. POS syndrome.

And need to change some oil in the weekday go-to-work vehicles, too. It's always something, but Fred will keep me focused.

Happy Sunday!!! Yesterday was productive out in the hayhouse/shop/garage thingie. Installed another 20A circuit for power tools and such. It works. Wat hates wiring, basically, but somehow it gets done, and it works.


I had salvaged a heavy-duty closet rod and decided to utilize the corner. I took a piece of 2x4 and drilled a 1.5" hole in it. I then sawed it in two through the hole, giving me two pieces, each with a crescent cut-out in each end. I then screwed them to two support brackets and set the rod on it. It's good for annoying thngs to keep track of, like trim rings and extension cords. Just lift one end, slide on whatever you're storing, and then drop it back into the crescent. Gravity keeps it there.


As shown:

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Took the '46 out for a country drive today. First time it's gone very far in months. It started fairly easily and ran decently after it warmed a bit, and it drove about like it always has for me.


Speaking of heating, I think that the high reading on the (aftermarket) temp gauge is erroneous. I took along my trusty laser temp gizmo and shot the engine after it had been running for about half an hour, including 10-11 miles of driving. At the thermostat housing, it read about 175* and the head read 190* or so. The gauge was reading about 220*. I think that it used to read 195* under similar circumstances. Regardless, it still needs a cooler t-stat. The heat works nicely, though.


I got 12 salvage wall cabinets and 20 salvage lights for the garage. I worked on wall cabinets this weekend, until my back started to complain. They'll be great for smaller bit-n-pieces. THe lights will get the building like an operating room. My eyes will be so happy.

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Nice to see the Clipper out and good job on the cabinets. For the lighting, do yourself a favor and convert them to LED.

Ditto on the suggestion for LED lighting. My garage was full of 4 and 8' fluorescent fixtures and I replaced almost all of them with very bright daylight or noontime sunlight comparable (6000k) strip LED fixtures. Total amp draw thru the switch was cut by almost two thirds and light level increased by almost double. Amazon has various package and length combinations of LED strip fixtures. The cost was not bad and aggravation of not needing to replace the fluorescent bulbs every so often well worth money spent.


On the gauge temp, curious if you still have the original temp gauge hooked up and if so, where your aftermarket sensor is located. Is the aftermarket gauge mechanical or electric? If the original gauge is disconnected and sensor is not being used are you using the normal head location for the new sensor? If so, is it the same length as the old bulb so the sensor is immersed in circulating water or is it just sitting in an area that might not get much fresh coolant.