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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.

http://www.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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Wednesday 27th April 2011

While Wade's away,
Mal will play,
Down at the workshop today.
Hooray, hooray, hooray!

Wade and Gina are travelling to Melbourne today in Big Red to rendezvous with the Spirit of Tasmania ferry for the trip across Bass Straight on Saturday for the start of the Tasmanian Packard Rally. So while Wade's away I'm taking the opportunity to do a little job on the Coupe. The front number plate on the Coupe is mounted on an Aluminium(Aluminum) plate which in turn mounts to the Coupe's number plate bracket. In addition to the number plate the Aluminium plate also has Club and Rally badges mounted on it. As time has gone on I've come to dislike the setup. But why was it done in the first place? Well all I can say is Mea Culpa, and offer the Streakers Defence(Defense) "it seemed like a good idea at the time". Be that as it may, the time had come to fix the situation.

I have about a dozen Aluminium bars each about 600mm x 47mm x 8mm and of which I've used small pieces at various times over the last 40 years. About a month ago I cold bent one of the bars to fit the contour of the front bumper grill guard bar. The Aluminium bar will be mounted on the bottom of the three front bumper grill guard bars and provide, in turn, a mounting for the badges. Had a couple of different thoughts as to how to clamp the Aluminium bar to the front bumper grill guard bar, one of which was to use small U bolts through the Aluminium bar. So on the way to the workshop stopped at the local hardware store and picked up the biggest of the smallest variety of U bolt they had. The smallest of the bigger variety they had was much too big to start with so I placed my faith in the biggest of the smallest even though I had some misgivings that it wouldn't be big enough. And it wasn't! But by the time I determined that, I'd already drilled holes in the Aluminium bar so remedial action was taken by hacksawing the ends off where the holes were. Didn't lose much, maybe 1/2" at each end at the most.

This meant Plan B came into play, and heaven help if Plan B didn't work, there was no Plan C! After hacksawing off the spoilt ends of the Aluminium bar I then hacksawed off, what was going to be a clamp, from a length of Aluminium channel the width of the Aluminium bar. Cleaned up the edges of the blank clamp on the benchgrinder then hackswaed a rectangular slot in the sides of the channel to accommodate the front bumper grill guard bars profile. Too late, I realised I needed to make the contour of the slot match the rounded profile of the front bumper grill guard bar! Scrap one clamp blank. Cut another off the length of channel, drill a hole to gain the contour required and hacksaw out the rest of the slots finishing with a file and on the benchgrinder. Much better, make a second clamp for the other end of the Aluminium bar and I had a pair. Next was marking and drilling holes in both the clamps and the Aluminium bar. This setup looks like it will do the job nicely just needed some nuts and bolts to put it together with.

Picked up the nuts and bolts required after dropping in to see DavidM and Veronique before they too departed for the Tasmanian Packard Rally. Did this in my guise as PACA Club Secretary taking up some membership renewal forms which David will process tonight in his guise of Membership Secretary before he and Veronique depart early tomorrow morning for Melbourne. That they are going in their '29 633 Roadster surprised me because I had heard they were going in their '29 Sedan. Even more so in that Tasmania is our southern most State and our coldest, especially with winter fast approaching. However Veronique was insistent that it should be the Roadster and, as David and Veronique have toured extensively in their '22 Sports Tourer, they are well versed in the (dis)comforts of open car driving. And David says because they are taking the Roadster when the opportunity(read that as weather) presents top down touring will be the order of the day.

In order to accommodate the luggage required for over 3 weeks away the trunk off the Sedan was transferred to the Roadster and the rumble seat squab removed, every little bit helps. But back to the trunk, David had made it for the sedan just prior to their departure to the Kangaroo Island Rally last year. He'd finished it two days before they left for the Rally and thinking he wouldn't have any chance of having it covered in time rang his upholsterer to arrange to have it covered on his return, it could stay painted for the duration of the Rally. The upholsterer though, when told, said bring it over and whipped up an excellent vinyl cover in time for that Rally. And back to the rumbleseat too. On the floor of the rumbleseat, pushed right forward, is a spare engine! Did I say spare? No it's actually not a spare but the engine out of David's '12 Maxwell. Reason being there's a bloke in Melbourne, somewhat of a guru in Veteran car circles there who is going to get the engine running as it should. David has had a lot of trouble getting the engine to run properly and is taking advantage of the opportunity to drop the engine in, on the way to Tasmania, then pick it up on the way home, hopefully now running at 100%. This guy is also giving David a ride in his '12 Maxwell so David will know what it should be like. Apparently this guy also says if you just keep pushing it the Maxwell will keep getting faster and faster until the engine just can't take it any more. That said, David says he's only ever gotten his Maxwell up to about 26mph, at which speed there's no danger of blowing the engine!

Will be back at the workshop on Friday to finish the badge bar. And here's something for Wade, if he gets a chance to log onto PackardInfo while away, a package from Max's arrived today, see pic of invoice for contents.

EDIT - Bit more on the Maxwell. The diff is with Award Diffs at the moment. David tells me when he took it over he'd prepared drawings explaining it because it was different to the diffs he was familiar with. But in explaining everything he could see the guys eyes glazing over and it turns out the guy "did his time", ie apprenticeship, on Model T's and that many modern day truck diffs have the same features as this 99 year old diff has, so he's very familiar with what's required. Also, the guy asked David if he'd like a new crown wheel and pinion to be machined up for it? David might, but is waiting to hear what the cost of this exercise would be!

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