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Tuesday 12th April 2011

First, Wade fired up Big Red to demonstrate how much better she's running after yesterdays carburettor ministrations. Then it was on to painting the bonnet(hood) parts cleaned yesterday as well as those previously cleaned by Wade. Because there were so many small parts it took me longer to wire them up for painting than the painting did itself! In the end an entire morning was spent in doing this as well as a couple more parts that Wade cleaned and wired up. While I was doing that Wade was preparing the bonnet(hood) top panels. He cleaned the long hinge pins on each panel and ensured they were relatively free in the hinge loops running along the inside of the outside edge of the bonnet(hood). He has new stainless steel bonnet(hood) hinge attaching strips(don't know what else to call 'em) which needed to be riveted to the bonnet(hood) top panels. The panelbeater had drilled six holes in each attaching strip but there remained many more holes to be drilled in the strips. By bolting the strips to the top panels Wade was able to mark and drill the required holes. But there weren't any rivets to suit. So a trip in Big Red ensued to Eastwood, two suburbs away, to see Richard, the only top bow maker in Australia as well as a purveyor of rivets. Picked up 50 rivets as well as a "snap" then back to the workshop for testing. But what's a "snap"? Funny you should ask, it's a punch to dome the end of a rivet once it's been flattened by hammering, see pic. Testing consisted of drilling holes in a piece of 1/8" scrap steel then cutting rivets to shorter lengths and hammering and "snapping". During the course of the testing decided rather than cut rivets to length I would return to Richard and exchange the rivets for shorter ones. Another test on return and they were perfect. In fact the "snap" was dispensed with because the flattened head was small enough for the length concerned.

But how were the rivets going to be riveted in place? The bonnet(hood) top panel curves from the centre to the edge and also has a 90 degree(approx) outside edge, incorporating the Packard spear. The curve and the edge presented a problem in finding a solid and secure surface for the cold riveting process because the shape of the panel when held vertically for riveting meant it tucked under the edge of what you were riveting against. The anvil was no good because it has splayed legs. The edge of the metal workbench was tried but it's rounded and not conducive to being a good surface for hammering with intent. By this time John had wandered over and he suggested using the frame of the car trailer, suitably braced with jack stands. On the way out of the workshop to inspect the car trailer, Rick's 4 post hoist, John's 2 post hoist and the hydraulic press stand were also eyeballed as to their suitability. Then John had another idea, the forks on the forklift! John backed the forklift out, raised the forks to waist height and there we had it. A suitable, solid surface against which the preformed rivet head rested allowing the panel to drop down and under without interference. Wade started the riveting process until John suggested a better method whereupon he took over the blacksmithing. I, of course, wouldn't have been suitable because as soon as you place a hammer in my hands I'm known as lightning, never striking in the same place twice! In fact I was reminded of The Village Blacksmith by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, even looked around but no spreading chestnut tree did I see. Still needs some more work because some of the holes were drilled out by the panelbeater and will require a larger diameter rivet to fill them properly.

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Thursday 14th April 2011

Although we had the granddaughters over today I did manage to drop into the workshop for about 1/4 of an hour, having had to go down that way on an errand. And while there managed to finally remember this for Hobbs:
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Took some pic's of the clamps, and it might Hobb's lucky day. While taking the pic's Wade mentioned he has a spare pair of clamps. Hobbs, I'll send you an email to work out arrangements.

Wade has been working on the bonnet(hood) panels for The Fossil, mounting the opening/closing mechanisms and handles on these panels. While I was there Wade was finishing off mounting the little chrome handles to open the four small side vent doors on each side panel.

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Monday 18th April 2011

Drove the Coupe down to the workshop this morning, so the exhaust leak can be fixed, and parked it outside. Much shuffling of cars was required before I could back the Coupe in, under Wade's direction, and park it between Big Red and The Fossil. Jacked up the front end, jackstands under frame, then under car and took off engine pipe and clamp to bellhousing. Out from under Coupe, air cleaner off, carburettor off, throttle linkage disconnected from carb, fuel line disconnected, vacuum line disconnected and front and rear manifold nuts off. Back under Coupe and then the fun started. Everything had been straightforward to this point, now there remained the removal of the other 8 nuts holding on the intake/exhaust manifolds. They'd been easy to put on when the engine was rebuilt on the bench a year ago. Now, undercar, in a confined space, fatman on a creeper, it was a completely different scenario. Took the rest of the morning, using only one hand because there's just no room for another, with most nuts only turning a fraction of a turn because of the proximity of the manifolds, but I got there!

Near the end Big Bad Barry arrived. BBB had dropped in to borrow Harvey's brake drum puller because a whine has developed in the diff of his '35. BBB had driven the '35 on Noel's Run a couple of weeks ago. On the run BBB had taken DavidM for a drive to listen to it, whereupon David advised the sooner Barry stopped driving it the better! Because BBB lived relatively close by he took the '35 home and swapped it for his '60's Ford Galaxie. Continuing in the Galaxie he then ran into another problem when a heater hose sprung a leak, such is the way of old cars. But back to the '35, BBB has a spare diff and is swapping the pumpkin in so needs the brake drum puller to remove the axles for the exercise. If that pumpkin is OK, ie no whine, fine. If not, then further action will be required.

Back to the Coupe, and finished removing the nuts from the manifold studs then broke the intake/exhaust manifolds free from the block. Required help with lifting the manifold assembly out of the engine back, it's a fair way down when you're leaning over a '41 mudguard(fender), and the weight factor definitely comes into play. Out it came and onto the bench. A quick examination showed that #7 exhaust port was blowing as well as a few "spider legs" on #4 with #5 also suffering. However, examination of the manifold assembly on the bench revealed it was loose! There didn't appear to be any suggestion of a blown gasket but when dis-assembled proved otherwise. The innermost gasket surfaces, where the bottom of the inlet manifold hot box abuts exhaust manifold and the only surfaces you can't see, was completely blown through. Can't remember what manifold gasket sealant we used but, whatever it was, it had set really, really well. While I cleaned up the manifold surfaces by scraping and on the wire wheel, Wade was cleaning up the block surfaces with a knife and a scraper only. And a good job he did too!

While cleaning up the manifolds Noel arrived in the '39. He'd picked it up today after the final polishing for it's ding repairs and didn't it shine! Noel was dropping it off for a grease, oil and oil filter change at his local Packard Service Centre. Well, it's the only one in Sydney that I know of and probably in Australia too! Noel didn't have a new oil filter cartridge so he's going to chase that tomorrow at the place I sourced the one for my '41 recently, Mr Filter at Toongabbie. Probably get a few more too, because he'll need one for his '41 Coupe as well as having a spare or two for future use. So Noel knew what was needed, Wade removed the old filter cartridge, drained it of most of the old oil, bagged it in a ziplock and presented this to Noel to present to the counterman at Mr Filter.

Back to the Coupe again, manifold surfaces all clean a trial fitting using a new hot box gasket showed some height differences between the intake and exhaust manifold portions with the intake manifold port runners clear of the exhaust port surfaces. The manifold assembly exhaust/intake port surfaces had been surfaced almost three years ago, as an unbroken unit, with 0.080" approx removed. Because of that clean up there's no more meat left for further clean up surfacing so another solution was required. This turned out to be Mal filing the three hot box bolt holes to elongate them so the manifold surfaces were once again level with each other. Did I mention filing? I did? What I really needed to mention was I filed, and filed, and filed. After each round of filing, bad pun intended, the exhaust/inlet manifolds were re-assembled with a new gasket, level checked, dis-assembled, more filing, re-assembled, level-checked, dis-assembled, etc, etc. Getting close, but not quite there. Last check revealed the "middle" manifold bolt was acting like a pivot so the two outside holes and bolts were fine just not the "middle" one. After one more round of intensive filing, on the "middle" hole only, re-assembled and......perfect.

With Wade not in the workshop tomorrow I was to return there on Wednesday. But on returning home, courtesy of Wade's limo service, Kath informed me we are visiting her brother and his wife that day. So it'll have to be Thursday before I can complete the job.

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In a pinch Harvey would do it even without brake drum puller.

Thursday 21st April 2011

Arrived at the workshop very early, catching a train, with the expectation of driving the Coupe home. With Wade not due in for another 3/4 to 1 hour I busied myself cleaning up the floor under the Coupe, there was a lot of fallout from removal of the old gasket from the block surface. Also cleaned up nuts and bolts and found some new washers to replace those on the hot box bolts and for the exhaust pipe manifold clamp. When Wade arrived, at his request took some pic's for Barry Smith of the ID plate on the Autolite starter on the Coupe. Barry is trying to source a replacement plate for the starter in his '38 Twelve and was told they didn't have them but if he could provide details they'd make him one. Hope the pic's are good enough for this purpose Barry. Then I set about preparing the intake and exhaust manifolds for re-assembly together. This entailed using a silicon gasket sealer, rated to 700F, and applying it to both faces of the hot box then loosely bolting the pieces together along with use of the straight edge. Once a level surface was achieved with all the intake and exhaust flanges the hot box bolts were tightened some more.

At this point Wade left me cleaning up the manifold stud threads while he rescued the '34 chassis from its lonely resting place under the ramp to the upper carpark. Why was he doing this? Because Snapey was coming over in the afternoon to pick it up and take it to its new home and commence work on the racing biposto. Wade had spent some time yesterday clearing the accumulation of parts and debris from around and on the chassis. Between studs I spent a little time out there helping push the chassis, first with the diff on a trolley jack and then with the trolley jack under the front axle. Moved it from the depths of under the ramp to facing out, still under the ramp, awaiting collection.

By this time the initial curing period for the silicon gasket sealer had elapsed so onto the the next phase, coating both sides of the manifold gaskets with the same sealer. A very messy operation too, but that's to be expected when I'm squeezing stuff out of tubes. I could never be accused of being sparing in these operations. 120 manifold gaskets are in three pieces so as each piece was done it was slipped onto studs. Then the two person operation with the manifold assembly, Wade at the front and myself at the back. '41 Packards with their high rigid bonnet(hood) sides are no fun to work on at the best of times. Even less so when trying to hold, manoeuvere and install a manifold assembly. Manifold on, the two end washers and nuts installed then I was under the Coupe again to install the other eight manifold washers and nuts. While I was under the Coupe Wade was again out with the '34 chassis, removing the rear wheels, pumping up the tyres and re-installing same. Meanwhile back under the Coupe I was fighting the confines I'd placed myself in but it was easier than when I removed the nuts earlier in the week. For one, I'd found a better position and for another the cleaned threads aided installation. During the course of all this Noel arrived, even though he'd picked up the '39 yesterday after it's Packard service. Actually he had to come back over this way to an art shop just round the corner, who didn't have what he wanted! Nevertheless he also picked up some things he's taking down to Peter Packard in Canberra this weekend, I think. Why do I think this? Because the whole time Noel was there I was under the Coupe so it's a bit hard to be part of a conversation in that sort of situation. And, here's a first, no pic of Noel this time over! Continuing on with manifold nut installation and tightening, finally managed to get them all done......but! But I had a 9/16" ratchet spanner(wrench) stuck on nut #3(from the front), I'd managed to get it on the nut and tighten it up but it wouldn't come off! Fortunately it did in the end, with some judicious light levering using a large screwdriver while jiggling the spanner(wrench) managed to get it up and off the nut! Otherwise I would have needed to replace the hole I'd created in Wade's toolchest.

That done, lunch, so up to Eastwood Rugby Club for a meal accompanied by liquid refreshments. Worked out well, because there was more curing time for the silicon gasket sealer. Back at the workshop re-installed the cross engine throttle linkage with Wade's help and then the carburettor. Then while I was under the Coupe installing the exhaust pipe to manifold gasket Wade was up top hooking up various lines like vacuum, fuel and choke hot air. Must say, after what was a very good lunch, this fatman found it much harder to "slide" under the Coupe. During this Matt, Snapey, arrived and with John and Wades help winched the '34 Chassis onto the car trailer. I took a brief time out from under the Coupe to snap some pic's of this operation then back under to finish off the exhaust pipe hookup. After Matt had left with his prized Packard possession, which still has the engine and trans in it although these are not part of the deal, returned to the Coupe and re-mounted the bellhousing to exhaust pipe brackets. But returning to the '34 chassis, part of the deal with Wade was that Matt would make a frame/cradle/whatever which the engine can be mounted on/in so it can sit in the corner of the workshop while contemplating it's new life as a "spare". Back under the Coupe again, when Matt left, and re-mounted the bell-housing to exhaust pipe bracket and clamp. Left it there, although I thought I be driving the Coupe home this afternoon. Will finish things off on Saturday morning by re-installing the fuel pump heat shield and the air cleaner, Plus the extra cold curing time is good for the silicon gasket sealer, 24 hours at least is recommended before firing up.

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Possible source for early Auto-Lite tag.

JD, I'll let Barry know.

Some Auto-Lite generator and starter tags are also available as repro from Classic & Exotic. There are pictures of them on their site.

classicandexotic.com/store/c-397-autolite.aspx

Dave, I'll pass that info long to Barry as well.

Saturday 23rd April 2011

Checked all the manifold nuts following the cold curing of the silicon gasket sealant since Thursday. Per the advice on the sealant tube, all tightened up by 1/4 to 1/2 a turn. Also checked the exhaust pipe bracket bolts and the exhaust pipe to exhaust manifold bolts, all OK. Then re-installed the fuel pump heatshield. With the Coupe still up on jackstands had to stand on a milk crate to get over the fixed bonnet(hood) side panel to do so. Took a few attempts because the milk crate tended to slip away from the Coupe especially, so it seemed, at those critical times of manoeuvering the heat shield around the manifold and laying it over to fit. Finally got there, then back under the Coupe to install the two screws which hold the lower edge of the heatshield to the bracket off the rear fuel pump bolt. While doing that Wade re-installed the air-cleaner for me because he was waiting for Rick's hoist to become vacant so he could grease Big Red. Under car work finished, returned the Coupe to terra firma, and started her up. Result? Good, no exhaust leak.

And why was Wade going to grease Big Red? Because next week he and Gina are journeying to Melbourne in Big Red during the coming week for a Packard Rally to Tasmania. Starting with an overnight ferry trip from Melbourne to Devonport then a couple of weeks touring the island before returning to Australia. I believe Rally participants include a couple of Packard Twelve's being shipped over from New Zealand. Wade will be gone for about a month and workshop posts are unlikely during that time.

Was also given a job to do for Wade next week when the Post Offices reopen after the Easter Break. In installing the waterpump Wade had rebuilt, for the '36 120 up on the Central Coast, the mechanic concerned had struck an obstacle, there wasn't a waterpump pulley! So I'm entrusted to post a pulley up so the job can be completed.

Quote:Emailed JD's and OD's suggestions to Barry, to which he responded "....could be exactly what I need.....emailed suppliers to check size. Sure appreciate the tip-offs....."

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