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Thursday 4th February 2010

I mentioned yesterday that on our pickup run we procured a new wire wheel, but only trouble it was the wrong size. So instead of going directly to the workshop diverted first to Hare and Forbes and exchanged the wrongly sized wire wheel for one of the correct, larger, size. Plus a small cash adjustment of course. It was only when I arrived at the workshop did I find that the last item from Max Merritt for the '41 had just arrived, the rod bushings, apparently overlooked earlier. Now I'll have to do another trip back out that way to drop them off with Graham Wilkins for the engine rebuild.

With Wade out on business I Marine Cleaned and Metal Readied, mostly parts from under the '41, in preparation for POR-15 painting. When Wade arrived back he returned to Big Red's engine on which he'd installed the tappets earlier. Installed the front pulley and harmonic balancer then set about re-installing the valves, valve springs and spring retainers. Not an easy job, and after I'd strung up yet another set of wind chimes in preparation for POR-15, I watched, help where/if I could then left Wade to it. Learned later tonight at the PACA monthly meeting that he got them all in.

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Saturday 6th February 2010

Because I didn't have time on Thursday to POR-15 the parts I Marine Cleaned and Metal Readied this was a rare Saturday morning workshop event. And Wade was there too. Gina this is where he goes when you're not at home on a Saturday! Yesterday he'd set the tappets on Big Red, mounted the fuel/vacuum pump on the block and also the clutch and pressure plates. So all was just about ready to re-install the engine back into Big Red. I was busy organising POR-15, paint brush, gloves and other protective measures while Wade was re-installing the oil cooler housing to Big Red's block as one of the last things to be before it was to be re-united with the car itself. Also moved the '41's trans and OD, sump, waterpump and odds and sods from their temporary resting place in front of Big Red to accommodate the soon to be engine re-installation.

As I started painting the '41 parts Wade, with Graham's help, was moving the engine crane to the back of the workshop to pick up Big Red's engine in preparation for it's circuitous journey back to Big Red's engine bay. The way things were set up in the workshop had Big Red occupying the corner, my '41 Coupe on it's right next to it with the '34 body nestled behind the coupe, a partially dis-assembled Toyota Soarer is in front of Big Red leaving only a couple of feet between the Soarer and the '41's left front frame rail as access for the engine to be returned to Big Red. Then on the right of the '41 is the '34 chassis and in front of that is the front clip off the '41. Behind the '34 chassis is Big Red's engine on the engine bench, and in front of the '41 is a parked Alfa-Romeo. Then next to the '34 chassis is a parked Mazda 323 with supercharged rotary power and behind it is a parked Suzuki 3 cylinder. To facilitate moving the engine, the Mazda and Suzuki were both moved out into the main entranceway of the workshop, then the Alfa was pushed in front of them. This cleared a pathway so that the by now engine-craned engine of Big Red could begin it's journey home. With Wade pulling and Graham pushing, and steadying the engine, it proceeded past the '34 chassis and '41 front clip, was backed, filled and turned to align it with the narrows, aka the space between the Soarer and the '41's left front frame rail, then pushed to that choke point. Once there the engine was raised on the crane so it cleared the '41's frame and then carefully pushed and guided past these obstacles. Then it was turned and aligned for final manouvering into Big Red's engine bay. Final manouvering turned out to be not so final after all. Why? Because the engine wouldn't go back far enough! For one Wade had set the boom of the engine-crane at one stop less than it's maximum extension, for another the engine crane was hard against the front mudguards (US=fenders) join together below the grill and also because the legs of the engine crane were up against the jackstands. Went back to POR-15'ing for a short time while Wade was getting things organised for the next attempt. This firstly involved pulling the engine back out of Big Red's engine bay, lowering it to the floor, setting it up again on wooden blocks to hold it upright, then re-extending the boom to it's maximum reach. Next was relocating the jackstands further aft under the frame rails. Lastly undoing the nuts/bolts holding the front guards(US=fenders) together. Then, attempt two, with Wade pushing, Graham guiding and pulling the fender apart on the right side, Mal guiding and pulling the fender apart on the left side, the engine returned to Big Red's engine bay. However then couldn't align it easily with the spigot shaft. At this point Rick was co-opted to provide more hands and help but still without success. Jack under the trans to provide better alignment opportunities, eyeballing of the alignment of engine to trans and another effort, still no go. By this time John had come over to lend a hand and Wade had despatched me (that's what gophers are for) for the large socket and bar for the front pulley nut. Raised the engine a bit, used the socket and bar and rotated the engine. At this point John advised the side gaps were OK but the bottom gap was about twice the top gap. Lowering of the front of the engine, then a few more part turns on the socket and bar some gentle pushing and in it slid! Easy as!

New gloves on and back to the POR-15ing. Wade then installed the front engine mount to the block and to the chassis and at this point took a well earned break. During all this the radio station tuned in was 2CH an AM oldies station or as I call it "old farts radio" they play stuff from the 20's to the 70's mainly, listen here to a Live Link. From the news bulletins, the humidity was ranging between 95% and 97% and Wade, with water running out and off him, needed some R&R after all his exertions. Refreshed, he then returned and bolted up the bellhousing, jacked up Big Red again, re-positioned the jackstands further forward and disconnected and removed the engine crane with Grahams help. With all that going on, by this time I'd completed my POR-15ing.

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Mal, want to come POR-15 some parts for me?! :D

Mal, your comments about getting the engine positioned made me think of that classic line from 'The Castle', about shifting the Kingswood to get to the Commodore, to move the Torana (etc etc) or whatever. One of my favourite movies.

Today we put the body of my '51 back on the chassis, enduring similar disturbing and demoralizing hiccups. We truly painted ourselves into a corner several times, with engine cranes that wouldn't extend far enough and snagged on front suspension components, and with spare wheel 'humps' that were an inch too low to get the chassis to roll under . . .

It was a comedy of errors until we used a couple of workshop S-Tools (- yes, bar STOOLS!!) and an 8x 6 inch RHS 15 feet long to get the body high enough for chassis to roll under. Subject of a future project blog (-when I am all better and the shrink discharges me).

Maybe BigKev could launch a new forum - 'Stuff-ups'. Might be a good move.

I wholeheartedly offer my condolences as a fellow restorer!

What a milestone! Putting parts back on the car is so much more satisfying than removing and refurbishing.

May it never again have to leave it's motor mounts.

Great looking engine. Hope it runs as good as it looks after all that work.

The solution to the space problem is that Wade has to win a lottery somewhere so he can stop working on all those modern customer cars that seem to be taking up a lot of room.

Quote:Quote:Quote:Gents,

I'm sure Wade appreciates your support. And he's very pleased the engine is finally back in Big Red. What started as a quick overhaul about 10 months ago developed into a somewhat larger project. But with a 70+ years Packard that's part of the Fun, right?

Regarding The Castle this is a great and funny Aussie movie well worth a look if you can find a copy at your local video store.

And regarding the space problem, the other cars mentioned, apart from the Packards, all come under Rick or John's patronage. Like most workshops if there's a vacant space it usually isn't vacant for long.

Mal I haven't posted here for a while, I just have watched/read how you guys there manage all the engines and I just am speechless. This engine looks like a pice of art. I hope to get my engine as that far. Btw how much costs the silver like paint you used on the engine Block? I hope I can be ordered somewhere if its not a locally distributed thing?

Quote:Steve,

I thought I replied earlier on this but when I came back the reply wasn't there! Must now be circling endlessly in cyberspace. Anyway, since then I've been to PACA's AGM and had lunch with, among others, Wade. He tells me the paint is just spray can(US=rattle can) aluminium(US=aluminum) engine enamel and purchased from the local automotive parts store.

Of course after the meeting, the real meeting took place in the carpark where parts and stories were exchanged, see pic.

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Thank you Mal although are you sure that spray paint will last on the engine long enough? Im asking this just in case.
Anther thing I have never asked you: how often to you clean the Air-cleaners of the Packards? Australia is known also for sandstorms and since the Great Victorian desert is not that far away the air might be filled whit a lot of dust!