Packard Forum Index » Project Blogs

Point being, for those few of us that think Mal is a bit addicted to communication, that it may not be his fault, the historical display proving ancestral genes may be at work...Mal's having evolved into the internet age may not be his fault!

Wednesday 30th December 2009

More cleaning today, this time smaller parts, nuts/bolts, etc, but did start scraping down the trans and overdrive. Did find a broken valve spring and one of the upper star valve spring seats, well that's what I'm calling it. Hadn't noticed these in disassembly being that they were caked in gunk. And Harvey came over to pick up his new repro '40 Willys grill. Also lent Harvey the fuel pump heat shield off the '41 because he wants to fabricate a couple for the two '39's under his stewardship. Don't know how it'll match up because the '41 doesn't have a vacuum pump while the '39's do but at least he's got something to work with.

Quote:Gerd,

If there had been a snake in the pool I can assure you I would have been just like your lizard friend!

Attach file:

---

  (21.71 KB)


  (23.90 KB)


  (32.66 KB)


  (40.91 KB)


  (34.84 KB)


  (34.86 KB)


  (40.59 KB)


  (53.08 KB)

What you're calling a star washer was used to prevent rotation of the valve spring and keeper assembly.

31st December 2009

New Years Eve and what am I doing? Why, still scraping and cleaning Packard parts! Continued on the seemingly never ending journey of parts cleaning, doing more nuts/bolts and the trans and OD. Before I started though I had a look at the '38 trans I picked up from John, he of the '39 110 engine transplant, some months back. Thought it might have a good trans mount to replace the mount on the '41 which has separated. It was not to be though, because the left side mount on the '38 trans was also separated while the right side mount is badly perished and separating too.

Quote:Dave,

Learning all the time! My Packard education continues.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL

Attach file:

---

  (46.75 KB)


  (48.09 KB)


  (36.02 KB)


  (37.67 KB)


  (45.88 KB)


  (41.15 KB)


  (35.43 KB)

Monday 4th January 2010

A new year, more Packard happenings, the workshop, sounds like a perfect recipe for a good time. But first, gave blood plasma, then it was off to the workshop where Wade had returned from his relaxing sojourn at Smiths Lake. The other thing that had arrived this morning was a parcel from Max, see pic's. Pretty good seeing that Wade had ordered the stuff for the engine re-build just before Christmas. Of course there's still a lot more to come like sleeves, pistons, rings, bearings, etc, etc but it's started.

First up helped Wade with Big Red's block and head, he was preparing for installing new welsh plugs in the head and block, 6 in each, and doesn't want any problems(read leaks). Then it was into more cleaning, but first dis-assembled the rods from the pistons, hadn't done this before and found even someone of my limited mechanical ability could do it! Of course re-assembling the new parts will be another ball game completely, but that I'll face some time in the future. Also cleaned up the main bearing caps and the cam followers as well as other little bits and pieces. And Wade came to the rescue with a valve spring anti-rotator off the shelf. As well he told me he'd already checked out the trans mounts on the trans from John so knew they were shot. But not to worry, I've been in email contact with Noel, who's currently enjoying some Texas hospitality courtesy of the Flacks(Mistress and Master), and he's pretty sure there are some trans mounts in the PACA "club stock" he's currently storing for the club. And had a nice surprise when I returned home from the workshop, there was an email from Annette with pic's of PeterL and his '38, which he's currently working on. Although I'm taking a bit of a liberty here, by posting a couple of them below, but I'm sure Peter won't object.

Attach file:

---

  (40.76 KB)


  (23.18 KB)


  (35.80 KB)


  (52.23 KB)


  (45.46 KB)


  (46.79 KB)


  (37.56 KB)

Tuesday 5th January 2010

First up today was removing the brake and clutch pedal assembly from the '41. With everything out of the way it's a good chance to clean it, inspect it, repair it if required, paint it and re-assemble it while accessible. While I was doing that, not very well for a fat man under a Packard, Wade was cleaning up Big Red's head and cylinder block following from his exertions on them yesterday.

Pedal assembly out, this after Wade had to come to my rescue and of course he ended up under the '41 instead of me, it was into cleaning up the pieces. First was a major clean of the crud buildup, this was done outside because of the fallout generated. Next was a manual clean in the parts cleaner to remove oil, grease and any remaining dirt. Finally, to nearly finish things off, was a session with the wire wheel. There will be further cleaning, into nooks and crannies for these and other parts, using the blasting cabinet for any parts needing a-la-carte service and of course Marine Cleaning and Metal Readying prior to POR-15'ing.

While I was doing that, Wade was assembling the roller rockers for Big Red. This was a slow, rocker by rocker, process as each rocker was finished with grub screws being ground to size and inserted then slid onto the shaft. Each step was accompanied by plenty of oil in the process, with Wade ensuring that oil was getting to each individual rocker. I did have a hand in this at the end, by holding the rocker housings upright while Wade secured the screws holding the rocker shaft in place. My final act for the day was to re-clean Big Red's crankcase. Used a small wire brush in amongst the forest of studs to try and remove the seemingly ingrained buildup followed by liberal amounts of degreaser left to soak and then washed off.

Attach file:

---

  (28.30 KB)


  (29.09 KB)


  (33.00 KB)


  (29.56 KB)


  (32.04 KB)


  (29.59 KB)


  (38.12 KB)


  (33.50 KB)

Thursday 7th January 2010

With Wade at home this morning, refrigerator problems so waiting for the "service technician" to call between 9:00am and noon, I started by removing the bracket and rod bracing the front mudguards(US=fenders,UK=wings) to the chassis. Tried to remove the rod only but couldn't get a grip on it to undo the nut, everything just turned in the vice grips so the brackets came off too. Once off clamped the rod in the bench vice and was able to remove the nut. Cleaned these up in the wire wheel then proceeded to my next task.

About this time Wade arrived complete with PeterL's intake/exhaust manifolds which had been surfaced by Aldus Engineering just up the road. While Wade went about cleaning up the camshaft for Big Red I was into cleaning again. This time on a larger scale, climbing into the engine compartment to scrape the firewall and parts of the x-member which I couldn't reach about 18 months ago with the engine and trans in place. As it is, it's cramped and awkward anyway but progress is being made. And I've decided to remove the throttle linkage from the firewall to properly clean that as well.

During the course of this Wayne, a PACA member, arrived. Wayne works at Rhodes,the next suburb, and walked over during his lunch hour to catch up and was able to show Wayne where we were with the various projects at hand. And here's something interesting, Wayne has a '56 Four Hundred Hardtop which he bought in Oz but it was minus motor, trans and lots of other parts. Since buying it he's been hunting up parts, thanks to Eric for the Twin Ultra's, and he's just found some wheels on eBay. He did mention that he's now after a pair of rear brake drums. And it seems Wayne has a history of doing this sort of thing, because he's currently coming to the end of a resto on a '61 DeSoto 4 door hardtop which he bought as a body years ago, so starting with less than a complete car is nothing unusual for Wayne!

After Wayne left it was more scraping on my part and for today I think I've removed everything I can from a topside position. So next week it'll be under the Coupe to once again experience sweat in the ears and eyes, not to mention the dirt, grit and assorted crud trying to penetrate eyes. ears, nose, mouth and anywhere else inconvenient. All this for the love of a Packard, but it'll be worth it. Wade continued with his cam cleaning which was broken up by the parts washer being moved back into place now that a new seal had arrived and been installed. We also moved Big Red's crankcase onto the back bench, there's more light there, ready for the re-assembly to commence.

And yesterday? I didn't go down to the workshop because Wade had planned to drive down to Helenburgh to pick up some parts for the '34. But that was cancelled and he's now going Tuesday of next week to pick up various painted parts for the '34, all that then will remain for the painter to do will be the guards(US=fenders,UK=wings) and bonnet(US=hood).

EDIT - Pic of Packard added. Taken by my brother about 2 months ago.

Attach file:

---

  (30.53 KB)


  (27.49 KB)


  (36.84 KB)


  (45.74 KB)


  (37.06 KB)


  (52.09 KB)


  (49.16 KB)


  (48.56 KB)


  (38.06 KB)


  (48.86 KB)

Oz, haven't been on your blog in a long while.

I take it from what I've seen here on page 18 that you're rebuilding the motor and trans on the '41?

Quote:Dan,

Rebuilding the motor, it was real tired. Sleeved, new std pistons, pins, bushes, rings, big-ends and mains 0.010" under, new cam bearings, new head studs, new timing chain set, rebuild oil pump, new valves and springs and hardened valve seats, etc, etc. Surface flywheel, new clutch and pressure plate, throwout bearing and spigot bush. Trans looks OK and was working well so will just be cleaned up. Overdrive however will be looked at because it wasn't working properly. Also steering box will be adjusted and a general clean and tidy up with many previously hard to get to areas now accessible.

Monday 11th January 2010

Driving to the workshop this morning and what do I see in a local wheel and tyre business? No, not a Packard, but a '40 LHD Dodge Coupe. Now these would be just as rare as Packards in Oz, so to record the moment for posterity I stopped and took a few pic's. Then onward to the workshop where PeterL was with Wade. Peter had called in to pick up his re-surfaced '38 120 intake/exhaust manifolds. During the course of our discussions it came up that Peter, who's installed an R9 overdrive in his '38, would be interested in the setup that Phil(Phils38cpe) has in his '38 Coupe when I mentioned that it engages at the press of a button. So Phil, you've posted about this but, where do I find it to pass onto Peter? And Wade came up with a question of Peter, seeing he's now the MG guru in our circles. Gina has a friend who's interested in selling his '67 LHD MGB with steel wheels and it's only done a genuine 37,000 miles. Only trouble it's in Brisbane, Australia. Any takers?

After Peter left it was into the '41 but first we moved Big Red's crankcase, now with camshaft re-installed onto the engine assembly bench. Then the crankshaft was moved onto the shop bench and after cleaning it was dropped into the crankcase. Sorry, I meant to say, lowered ever so gently into it's welcoming crankcase. That done turned to the '41's block. Helped by the fact that on Friday Wade, with John's assistance, had ground a socket extension to fit the end plugs of the oil galleries and removed them. I'd previously tried but couldn't find a tool to fit the recessed plugs used.
Wade and John, looks like I owe someone a socket extension. Wade then walked up to see Stan, and it looks like he's going to be the guy to replace Ivan for our little machining tasks. Saying that, apparently he has a mill at home besides lathes, and might even be able to do surfacing jobs but has to see if his mill is big enough for Packard manifolds and suchforth. While Wade was away I started on removing the welsh plugs from the '41's block but they resisted all my efforts and I had to call on Wade for assistance. As Archimedes once said Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world so guided by Wade, with Archimedes looking over his shoulder, a longer lever was employed to successfully free two of the three plugs. The third plug was a real #$%^&* resisting all the way but finally it's grip was broken. This one turned out to be about twice the thickness of the other two, a real heavy duty item. Wayne also called in during his lunch break and we were able to tell him we saw his 352 in Russ's Four Hundred on Saturday.

My next task was to "assume the position" under the '41 where I spent the best part of three hours scraping the inside of the x-member, the bottom of the cowl and the front floor. Not finished yet but most of the heavy work is now done, another session should see these areas ready for Marine Clean, Metal Ready and then POR-15. I don't know if it was skill or luck while I was flat on my back, but I didn't end up with mouthfulls, eyefulls or nosefulls of fallout. Tend to think it was more luck than good management. Wade did gave me a hand to remove the throttle linkage bolted to the lower part of the firewall. Meanwhile, Wade standing upright although checking on me from time to time to make sure I didn't nod off, installed the main bearing caps and torqued them down to spec.

Attach file:

---

  (45.91 KB)


  (41.04 KB)


  (37.05 KB)


  (148.63 KB)


  (35.53 KB)


  (36.12 KB)


  (49.17 KB)


  (43.34 KB)


  (37.06 KB)


  (31.23 KB)


  (30.60 KB)