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Monday 26th July 2010

Wade was working on Big Red's fuel tank pick up and sending unit when I arrived at the workshop. Had further cleaned it up, made a couple of gaskets and was now at the point of re-assembling it. Was able to provide the extra pair of hands required for putting the two pieces of the housing together and in the re-riveting required. Wade also soldered one of the rivets at each end to ensure a good earth/ground was established and maintained. Checks on the multimeter, during and after the re-assembly, indicates the unit should work well. After that came the re-installation of the tank itself back into Big Red. Lot easier than 120 tanks because it doesn't have the comparatively long and twisted filler neck the 120's do. Then came the reconnection of the fuel line, which was a different matter because of space restrictions not helped by the positioning of the auxiliary electric fuel pump. All back in now but the proof will be when the tank's refilled and is actually in operation.

Then a road trip out to Seven Hills to pick up the "lapped-in" and set up pumpkin for the '39. Back at the workshop came it's re-installation and re-assembly of the other parts. While the pumpkin had literally slipped out of the diff housing with nary a protest, reversing the procedure wasn't as easy. Pumpkin placed on a floor jack, slid under the '39's diff housing, then with Wade under the '39 manouvering the pumpkin/jack combination the fun started. Up a little, across a little, forward a little, down a little, across a little, back a little, forward a little, sideways a little. A little here, a little there but alignment and mating with the housing continued to elude us. At this point Graham wandered over and he was press-ganged into sliding under the '39 to assist Wade. Then with Graham's help, literally bench-pressing the pumpkin, it finally slid into position.
Graham!

After bolting the pumpkin in, came the re-connecting of the tailshaft to the pinion flange, cleaning and repacking the axle bearings, re-installing the axles, remounting the brake backing plates, re-installing the axle seals and retaining plates, remounting the brake drums, re-connecting the brake lines and bleeding the brakes. Probably missed something out my description of the re-assembly but hopefully in real life that didn't happen! All that should remain is re-installing the wheels/tyres then re-tightening the axle nuts once back on solid ground. The '39 will then be good to go!

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Mal, your documentary of the happenings at Wade's Workshop are eagerly anticipated. This is a rich resource of information that you are providing. Just a couple of comments about what I have observed in the photos on the last work on "Big Red".

I believe that there needs be copper gaskets between the differential housing and third member in addition to the MBM gasket. Maybe this was something that was done after 1939 to quench the leaking problem between the housing and the third member.

Also, and more important, I believe that there is no gasket between the axle housing and the brake backing plate. Shims to adjust axle shaft end play go here. A gasket needs to be between the outer oil seal retainer and the backing plate and a second gasket between the outer seal retainer and its outer housing or guard.

Just thought I would share this based upon my experiences. Please keep the documentary coming. Thanks. I see by my GeoChron that it is about 1315 on Tuesday in Sydney and 2315 on Monday here in Austin. Good night.

(o{I}o)

Wednesday 28th July 2010

Oil! Oil! That's the word that came to me driving to the workshop this morning. What was I thinking when I wrote - "All that should remain is re-installing the wheels/tyres then re-tightening the axle nuts once back on solid ground. The '39 will then be good to go!"? Before the '39 can go anywhere first the diff needs to be filled with a very vital lubricant! Fortunately Wade, as usual, was way ahead of me because on reaching the workshop there was a 5 litre container of oil on the bench. But unfortunately there was only about 1 litre in it! However Dave from Penrite is making a delivery tomorrow so oil will be well. Bad jokes aside I sprang, or rather slid into action on the creeper, under the '39 and put the litre we had into the diff. About a month ago I bought a cheap baster, just for these types of situations, after having to fill the diff in my '41 using a funnel, tube and small container. Filled the diff then but in the process spilled a lot of oil. Using the baster it's certainly a cleaner method but very slow, having to draw the oil in then push it out and repeat that numerous times. Just thinking, using a sports drink bottle with a flexible plastic tube might be even better! Hmmmmm......

While I was under the '39 Wade had taken out # 2 sparkplug, cleaned and re-installed it. He'd noticed there was a lot of gunk around the plug, appeared it may not have been properly seated. However Wade is suspicious because the plugs are NOS of unknown age and with time the seal between the porcelain insulator and the metal body sometimes fails. So after I finished under the '39 Wade started it up. And start it did, spun over very quickly on the now fully charged up battery coupled with the cleaned up starter motor. With the engine now running and the car up on jackstands the diff was "tested" by shifting the trans into top and letting the rear brake drums spin. Enabled the litre of oil in there to be circulated and could also listen for noises, of which there were none! # 2 sparkplug also appeared to be fine but will get a better test tomorrow when under load on the road.

Just as Wade switched Noel's '39 off, who should arrive but the man himself. Noel brought over the front shocks from his '41 160 Coupe which Wade had Tony "Shocks" rebuild last year. But they'd both sprung leaks so Wade will be return them to Tony for warranty repairs because they hadn't seen any service. Unless you count the 30' they'd travelled mounted on the chassis when being pushed around the yard. And Noel says he has some NEW Autolite sparkplugs which he'll drop in the next time he's over to replace the current plugs. Wade was happy to hear that. And then Noel said did you fix the welch plug? Blank looks on both Wade's and my faces then realisation that Noel was talking about the missing welch plug at the rear of the '39's OD that PeterL had noticed a few weeks ago when installing the DAF snubber. After Noel left Wade measured up the plug, in the tight confines under the '39 it looked about 17mm, then had a look in his stock. Plenty of bigger plugs but no small ones. However John managed to source a couple of boxes of plugs of various sizes, the smallest of which was 11/16 and of which there was only one! Fortunately it will fit. Using a bit more nous this time Wade measured the 11/16" plug directly against the plug in the spare OD, saved a lot of twisting and contorting. Fitment of the plug, which is now foremost in our minds, will wait however until the '39 can be put up on a hoist to give more reasonable access.

Yesterday Wade had picked up a couple of side mirrors to mount on Emily. Mount on Emily? What are we talking about? Emily is a '37 115c Sport Coupe owned by PACA member WendyS. Emily is coming into the workshop soon for a service, tune-up and general checkover all in readiness for the National Rally to Kangaroo Island in late September. The trip to K.I. from Sydney is about 1,400 kms, or about 825 miles. And all up, well over 3,200 kms or 2,000 miles will be covered, so mechanically the participating Packards need to be in good mechanical shape. Wendy's Emily will be followed in by husband Dicks '39 Convertible Coupe also for a service, tune-up and checkover in readiness for the rally. Now that's a Packard family for you! Mind you the '39 might come in before the '37 because those details haven't been settled yet, but suffice to say they'll both receive some pre-rally Packard TLC.

While Noel was at the workshop I returned a CD, he'd lent me a little while ago, of pictures from his Christmas with DAF. David, I'm tempted, very tempted, to publish a very candid shot of one DAF but, seeing I value my life very highly, have just managed to restrain myself from doing so. This is killing me......! What I will publish though are some Packard relevant pic's from a trip to New Orleans and Noel with couple of Packards.

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Thursday 29th July 2010

Yesterday, just after Noel arrived and the '39's engine was switched off, I said to Wade and Noel "What's that noise"? It was a glug, glug, glug sound and I was assured it was just the radiator overflow operating with the radiator coolant finding it's level after the 10 minute engine running time. This morning, Wade found a puddle of water under and in front of the '39. Seems the glug, glug, glug was actually a leak from the water pump. Preliminary investigation appeared the leak was emanating from the lower left water pump retaining bolt. However after draining the coolant, removing the fan and pulley then wrestling with the retaining bolts it was apparent the water pump seal was in fact the culprit. Just a word about the fan removal on a 120, not an easy job, the radiator fins act like an old style cheese grater with no regard for the frailties of human flesh! It's hard enough getting them out and when the time comes putting them back in is even worse! Did I mention wrestling with the water pump retaining bolts? I did? What happened there, was a 9/16" spanner(wrench) or socket was too small while a 5/8" was too big. What did fit was a 5/16" Whitworth spanner(wrench) or socket. But because of clearance issues with the front motor mount and the 2 lower bolts, that's where the wrestling came in. But with Wade's never give up, and if someone put it on I can get it off, attitude they eventually succumbed. Needless to say, these bolts will be replaced! Pump off, didn't look too flash inside and the bearing felt like it had lumps in it. Cleaned up, the pulley flange pressed off, impeller pressed off and shaft and bearing pushed out there was another surprise waiting. the impeller had been modified to accept a modern seal. While Wade had a "spare" impeller it was more decorative than useful having deficiencies of it's own.

Wade made some calls chasing parts and informed Noel of this latest "development". Noel, in turn, was soon in contact with a well known US Packard parts hound who just happened to have a NOS water pump on the shelf. This is now winging it's way across the worlds largest ocean to enable Noel's '39 120 to return to the road, it'll just be a little later than previously envisaged. While all this was going on David from Antique Tyre Supplies at Ingleburn, also distributors of Penrite Oils, arrived. David was delivering various Penrite oils to Wade, including the diff oil required for Noel's '39. David also informed me I hadn't paid for the bonnet(hood) welting, for the '41, I'd bought from him probably 18 months ago! And he's now promised to send me the bill! Isn't there a statute of limitations on these things? Now I think of it, I'd rung David about the welting and he'd posted it to me. Appears the accounting for it must have slipped between the cracks for a while. Meanwhile, Noel is apparently forming all sorts of conspiracy theories concerning this latest episode with the '39. Thinks I might be sabotaging it in order that I'll have something more to write about. I can assure you Noel, I didn't and don't do anything, these things just happen when I'm in the vicinity!

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Monday 2nd August 2010

At the end of last week Wade had finished filling Noel's '39's diff, put it back on the ground, tightened wheels lugs and axle nuts and put the hub caps back on. Now all that remains is installing the NOS rebuilt water pump when it arrives, and then it will be good to go. Wade had also made a bumper mounting bracket for a rumble seat step plate in readiness for "Emily's" arrival in the near future. Emily has the step pad on the mudguard(fender) but is missing the bumper mounted step plate. Dick and Wendy provided a brass step plate and a "drawing" of the required bracket. The WFI bracket looks good. And speaking of Emily, a parcel arrived today containing most of the tune-up parts for Emily and the '39 110 Convertible Coupe. However it was short one part which will necessitate Wade phoning or emailing the vendor tonight.

And today started with some workshop maintenance. My time today was spent cleaning parts but before doing so the light inside the blasting cabinet needed fixing, because sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't but mostly it didn't! While Wade was attending to that I replaced the sacrificial plastic sheet stuck onto the interior surface of the cabinet door lid. Although the surface of the door lid itself is clear plastic, the sacrificial plastic sheet saves the lid from getting blasted and turning opaque over time. Longest part was cleaning the old adhesive off to ensure the fresh sheet has a good bonding surface to adhere to. That done, now having light and a see-through lid commenced cleaning. Cleaning encompassed the speaker case for Pepe's radio, the step plate and steep plate bracket for Emily and an old hydraulic jack that Wade is going to use in Big Red which presently is jackless. Didn't just use the blasting cabinet, what could be removed initially on the wire wheel was done so and it all takes time. Then tomorrow morning Wade will paint these assorted pieces. And a diversion in all this was the arrival of Wayne, who dropped in during his lunch break for a Packard catch up.

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Tuesday 3rd August 2010

Just a quick drop in to the workshop today where Wade was just finishing off POR-15'ing some of the parts cleaned yesterday. Today Wade is also involved in helping George, a local motor mechanic, set up his relocated workshop. Wade is sorting out the present electrical wiring, who knows what is what or if it's safe? And advising on new wiring and connecting it up after new conduits are in position.

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Thursday 5th August 2010

Arrived at the workshop to find Wade was around helping George. To pass the time until Wade's return, I did a little workshop housekeeping cleaning the areas around the cabinet blaster, wire and linishing wheels and Wades metal bench. Then while cooling my heels, funny because I was actually outside soaking up the winter sun, John said hop in and gave me a lift around to Georges new workshop while he went on to pick up some parts from Brookers Brakes. A little while later Wade received a call from John to say there was a guy back at his workshop waiting for him. Back to Wade's workshop where we met Neville a friend of Barry Smith from Tamworth. Neville delivered 1) A Super8/Twelve pressure plate Wade had sent late last week that Barry now didn't require as he was able to source a NOS pressure plate from a PACA guy in Melbourne, 2) Big Red's distributor that Wade had sent up a little while ago to be checked and set-up as required, and 3) A battery powered large mantle bakelite radio for which Wade has fabricated a battery pack using modern batteries which he needs to "tune" to the voltages required, 90V & 1.5V. Then back to George and another phone call, this from Wendy who was bringing "Emily" over for her tune-up, mechanical inspection and check and some other listed matters.

Returning to the workshop, all that Wade could do at Georges being done, the girls arrival was awaited. While waiting, the painted bumper mount step plate was given a haircut. A haircut? Yes, it is brass and was painted black all over. To accentuate the checked pattern upper surface of the step plate it was put on the linisher and the paint removed leaving black paint in the channels of the grid and a shiny brass surface on the square checks. The brass should age to give a nice patina given a little time. About this time Wade received another call from Wendy, she was sort of lost. How do you get sort of lost? Well she was in the vicinity but couldn't find the workshop because it's at the end of a long driveway behind a factory making bathroom vanity tops. A little later, following some over the phone directions, and there was Emily coming down the drive with Wendy at the wheel. After Wendy and her Mum left, who followed over to take Wendy home once Emily was delivered, work commenced on Emily.

Before doing anything though, Emily was taken for a test drive. Drives pretty well, she was restored about 15 years ago and gets along nicely. However stopping is another matter! In the course of the drive a truck came out from the left and Wade hit the brakes pretty hard although there was never any danger of a collision just an unexpected situation. In doing so Emily demonstrated very unladylike manners pulling heavily to the right. The braking test was therefore conducted out of sequence and the test run continued, with the rest of the test drive checking out OK. Back at the workshop a hand on each of the road wheels revealed Front right - Hot, Rear right - Warm, Rear left - Warmish and Front left - Stone cold! Some brake work is therefore required hopefully, at the minimum, just an adjustment but will be dependent on a drum off inspection.

Then first up? The step plate of course. The step plate mounts by means of the left outer bumper bolt to the inside of the bumper bracket but there was a problem. The bumper bolt was already being used to mount the left side blinker. The blinker was on a right angled bracket with a hollow post elevating the blinker itself. What to do? Why do a swapsie, mounting both sides' blinkers on the inner bumper iron bolts instead of the outside bumper iron bolts. Additionally the right side outer bumper bolt was swapped for the left side one because the right side one was a little longer and because of the thick bracket for the step plate every fraction of an inch counted. Another snag encountered was that the tops of the bumper over-riders prevented the blinkers from being mounted, but not by much. Solving this meant Mal and a file elongating the bumper mounting holes in the right angled brackets, and it worked.

That done, next? Mounting a pair of side mirrors Wade had picked up for the job a couple of weeks ago, the last ones in stock. First the right(drivers) side, a rough approximation of where it would probably go which turned out to be pretty accurate, then mounted but not tightened up. Next Wade into the driver's seat while I up, downed, in and outed the accessory. Worked out well with good vision to see car's in the outside lane for merging and overtaking or for parking. Then the left, passengers side, mounted easily and tightened up.

What else? This wasn't on the list but I noticed when the driver side door was closed the licence plate rattled. Wade had a look and told me this was a typical '37 problem. Reason being the stanchion rising from the left taillight is pot metal and with the licence plate hanging out there in the breeze it often gets snagged by people, on clothing or other objects and ends up cracking or breaking. In Emily's instance the stanchion was down to just a stump and removing it from Emily revealed what was left had been repaired by using a ground down nut! The ground down nut didn't fit too snugly so a little more grinding was in order to give it better shape and a better chance of fitting. A small rectangular piece of rubber was also cut to fit between the stanchion and the taillight housing mount. And what do you know? No rattle now! Wade tells me Old Blue has also suffered from this and it's stanchion is also shorter than it should be although not as short as Emily's.

Then around to the front of Emily, and there was a pool of water slowly spreading from a water pump leak. Just what Wade doesn't need, another water pump rebuild! But being a water pump with a rope seal a little judicious tightening of the gland nut was undertaken with apparently the leak stopping. This will be tested out by Wade taking Emily home for a night or two, just hope that's OK with Gina, to ensure everything is working properly.

Sorry for the late posting as I usually post events on the same day they occur. This time a combination of factors including a Packard club meeting on Thursday night and then driving 1,400 kms in the last 2 days conspired to thwart that.

Emily's road test

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Tuesday 10th August 2010

Late start at the workshop this morning, followed a 4 day trip north to Queensland starting last Friday and covering well over 2,200kms. I'm tired! Wade has been busy getting Emily inside, jacking her up, disassembling the front brakes, getting the wheel cylinders to, and already back from, Brooker Brakes. I started the cleaning of the disassembled parts in preparation for reassembly when first Noel arrived. Noel had with him the newly arrived NOS water pump for his '39. Noel also had a set of Autolite spark plugs for Emily from the same source. But there was a problem there because Emily has 14mm plugs and not 10mm. Fortunately Wade has sourced a set of NGK plugs for Emily locally so that really wasn't a problem. During discussions with Noel, Noel's friend Tony arrived to pick up some more running board trim strip clips to be able to finish off Noel's running boards. While Tony was there he was hit with two more jobs, 1) fixing the right side front door lock on Noel's '39, Wade took the handle off so Tony could take it away to play with, and 2) fixing the skin on Emily's left side door, it's being held together by tape at present. This fix will have to wait until after the National Rally because Emily needs to be complete until that is over. Once they departed I finished cleaning which encompassed the brake hardware, shoes, springs, wheel bearings and brake drums in readiness for re-assembly. Then drained the engine oil from Emily, gapped the new NGK plugs and installed them. Had to leave, at this stage, because of grandparental babysitting again being required this afternoon.

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Wednesday 11th August 2010

Brief note on today. Cleaned up Noel's NOS water pump, that is dusted off the light surface rust on the wire wheel. Also conducted a leak test on the pump by plugging the inlet neck with a plastic bottle stopper with plastic electrical tape around it to give a "not quite" watertight fit. There was a slight drip leak from the plugged inlet but no leaks elsewhere. Then painted it and a few other parts with Packard engine green. Lastly cleaned up Emily's front wheel cylinders, pistons, springs and bleed valves. Tomorrow the front brakes should go back on Emily

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Thursday 12th August 2010

Started by cleaning up the water pump parts painted yesterday for Noel's '39. Wade then assembled the front wheel cylinders for Emily and then the front brakes were re-assembled, shoes, adjusters, shoe location pins, springs, etc. Then it was my turn to get dirty or rather greasy. Re-packed the front wheel bearings, only trouble is I seem to attract more grease than the bearings do. Wade meanwhile was installing new flexible hoses. Brake drums back on and brakes adjusted and bled. I then went under the front end and greased all the fittings. Lovely to see the kaleidoscope of colours that resulted, squeezed out were brown, red and blue greases! While I was greasing Wade went round to pick up a new oil filter from Repco, only trouble was they didn't have one in stock but it'll be in tomorrow. Finally on went the wheels and Emily returned to the shop floor. Then about 7&1/2 litres of fresh oil was added but, because there wasn't a filter installed, start-up was postponed till tomorrow.

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