Packard Forum Index » Project Blogs

Thanks, JW. What I love about this distress leather is that it looks, in many places, like it's been in the car for 70 years already. Lexol is what I'll invest in to keep it looking great. I use it on my couches, which Sophie occupies sometimes when the warden isn't around.

I'll have something made, like an extension of the top boot to cover the back seat, when the Duchess goes back to Beaverton Auto Upholstery for finishing the leather, trunk floor, carpet install and making a top boot.

Suki only rides in her kitty box or net travel bag when we go somewhere. Problem now is that I'm working on the car with doors open. Also, I haven't installed the windows, yet, two well-documented issues there, so she gets in undetected. The top box might be a good place for her to ride in a kitty kennel when the top's up. Maybe have to look for something long that accommodates a small alligator.

Sophie would ride on the back seat on the boot extension most likely, or on the floor.

RUNNINGBOARDS: Today my son John and I applied the rubber to the metal running boards. We did it front to back aligning the street side's lowest edge with the edge of the rubber mat. We brushed on DAP Weldwood Contact Cement Neopreme Rubber Formula from Home Depot to both surfaces. Waited about 10 minutes and holding the mat up off the surface, fitted the bottom edge, then rolled the rest in place up through the curve closest to the car.

Counting my fiddling for pictures of the originals, spread of vegetables and dip, cheese, salami and margaritas compliments of and to my daughter-in-law Pam,..about 3 and half hours to get this part done.

TRANSMISSION: I disconnected, cleaned and reconnected and tightened up the linkage by the manual. It goes solidly into gear now. But one major problem, stopping on an incline up or down, if the car rolls while I am in neutral, the gears can lock. I was reading about a connecting block in or on the transmission that has to be tight. If it's stripped, the bolt should be replace with a 3/8" bolt. I can't tell exactly where this is, but will investigate further. It hold the transmission together, or the forks, something. I hoping that's the problem.

OVERDRIVE: I removed the solenoid and cleaned the contacts and replaced it. I have not tested it yet, but the repair manual says this is usually the problem if everything else (clicking, light on dash) works.

Attach file:

---

  (64.76 KB)


  (58.83 KB)


  (63.59 KB)

RUNNING BOARDS: Masked and painted the undersides with DAR 9000 black epoxy paint with flattener/hardener added.

I trimmed off the excess rubber at the rear and added the edging piece and trimmed that. Then made about 20 4-40 screws from nails, cutting the nails with the dremel and threading them. I didn't file the heads first because I needed to grip the head of the nail to thread it and the filed head would be too thin. Then ground the heads and a bit of the edges until the new screw would slide in where the clips go. I used 3 screws and 2-3 clips per strip to fasten them to the running board. I used a 5/32 bit to drill holes in the rubber troughs about ever 4-5 "pillows."

Fastening the side moulding was fairly simple. Follow the instructions that came with the new strips... clamp it in place. I poked an awl through the existing mounting holes in the metal running board, pushed through the new rubber and scratched the inside of the side moulding. Then mounted each wing clip to line up with those scratches, pushed the mounting screws through the rubber and metal holes, added flat washers, lock washers and nuts.

Each of the strips took time to clean. I'd done some earlier. I think it came out well, so closing in on completion with one more step done.

Attach file:

---

  (41.26 KB)


  (46.03 KB)


  (52.37 KB)


  (37.45 KB)


  (66.06 KB)


  (46.28 KB)


  (44.77 KB)

RUNNINGBOARDS: Complete at last with the mounting of the left side. Top moulding strips were cleaned with a wire wheel on the underside and the tracks were cleaned out with a small screw driver. Then the top side polished the stainless with a buffing wheel. Any little dents where minimized with a small screwdriver with a rounded blade. The side moulding uses 10 or 11 wing clips that really resist going into the tracks. They went in finally and the strip looks great. Under-runningboard antenna re-mounted. It all looks very together.

TRANSMISSION:

Attach file:

---

  (47.59 KB)


  (54.45 KB)


  (45.82 KB)

TRANSMISSION: On another thread I got help for my transmission which was sticking and jamming in gear. 1940 Manual shift.
packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb ... at&order=ASC&type=&mode=0&start=30&
The linkage was sloppy so I tightened it up. And the interlock block spring and balls were messed up. I bought 4 new 5/16 balls at Napa and a spring at Ace and replaced the mess, reassembled and sealed everything up and crossed my fingers, since I never did that before. Apparently everything is back in there as it should be. Shifting very reliable and much easier, more solid feel in each gear. Took a 20 miles drive in the country this afternoon after a brief test around the neighborhood.

OVERDRIVE: Last week I pulled the solenoid and cleaned the contacts as suggested in the manual. Ya-hooo. Works like a dream. Coming around some country curve just pressed the pedal and zip into 3rd, little light comes on, let off the gas, and shift into 3rd over smooth as glass. I was singing zippity dooda all the way home.

FIRST NIGHT TIME VENTURE: Drove to the gas station. Headlights, blinkers, interior lights, everything working.

WINDOWS: I installed the rear windows today, but without cranks, so they have to stay up til that's resolved. Doors close, clears the top, seals against weatherstrip. When I can roll them down, I'll make a couple of adjustments, but in the meantime, now that the rain started here, I can still drive it. Wouldn't be putting the top down anyway.

Pretty happy camper after struggling with windows, and not knowing whether transmission and overdrive worked. Much better now, Could 9.

Attach file:

---

  (53.94 KB)


  (63.21 KB)

MILEAGE UPDATE: I've made a number of short trips in the last few months just to regain confidence and to get accustomed to driving the Duchess again. I've driven her to work several times and also to the airport.

Feb 9 I drove her to Eugene, 120 miles each way, flat freeway driving, for a business meeting and back with two colleagues. With overdrive I'm getting 16 miles per gallon with tires at 28/26 psi and doing 65 consistently.

Feb 12 I drove over the coast range, 80 miles each way, to the Oregon coast, mostly in the rain. She does get noticed. No problem staying up with traffic over the hill.

So now there is 1,000 miles on the odometer.

HOOD ORNAMENT: I've been considering some alternatives for the hood ornament.

FUTURE TRAVEL: I plan to drive to Seattle and possibly to Victoria BC (via Ferry) this spring. Then, Pebble Beach in mid-August. Williamsburg VA in September.

Since I drove the Duchess every day for 26 years, I view her as transportation, elegant, yes, but a way to get somewhere in style. And I believe, if you can't take it out on the road, if you cringe every time you start it up, what's the point? All this driving is great to finding bugs, leaks, weak connections, etc. And its's such a pleasure to be out on the road again, though being in today's gridlock is absolutely no fun with a car that loves the open road.

Attach file:

---

  (68.35 KB)


  (71.13 KB)

okay

1. you drove this car as a daily driver for 26 years! wow

2. i would kill that cat and the bird. ;0)

Hank

You've done a great job on this car, I love the colors and the workmanship is great. Thanks for sharing the rebuild with us. Now get that cat off your creation!

But the seagull can stay? (Here's how he was "trained" to model as a cormorant.)

Ya gotta have fun.

Joe

Attach file:

---

  (50.01 KB)

Joe,

You mentioned in your post of the evening drive that all the lights, including the interior lights worked perfectly. I also have a 1940 convertible sedan and did not have any interior lights when I purchased the car. We decided to put in two lights under the dash, one to illuminate the driver side floor and one to illuminate the passenger side floor. Is that the proper interior lighting setup for the car or is there a different configuration? Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

George