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Back on Post #791 about engraving the VIN plates, I've been looking for ways to do this. I looked this weekend for a set of metal stamping numbers with an I(phonetically 'eye'), or a hyphen to make one in combination with a san serif I, without luck. On mine, barely discernible, the dealer and date were rubber stamped. So I was going to have a rubber stamp made for that and seal it with clear, and only metal stamp the number. But Packard used a serif I(eye) for the numeral 1, so continuing to look, and today will check with stamp manufacturers.

But an engraver, if they can stamp the number, or a trophy shop, that's probably a better option than trying to find a metal stamp set with serifs. And I fear that once I had it, I wouldn't be able to resist stamping all kinds of other things with it.

But just thought I would mention that perhaps those plates you have were rubber stamped, and the ink wore off over years of wiping off the cowl. Maybe.

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I've used a trophy shop for the the portions that were factory stamped (VN) with very satisfactory results.

Hope you have luck on finding the stamps but to get it to the detail and perfection you're looking for, probably not an easy task. Unless you find the hyphen or a good shop that can precisely match it or possibly even an old time dealer set, would imagine you will wind up having a custom stamp made.

Not a cheap option but Owen_Dyneto posted a picture of the Packard fonts some time back. Perhaps that and an inquiry to one of the custom stamp mfgs like this onehttp://www.infinitystamps.com/alphabet_stamps.html would be an option. At least if you got a custom set you could go into business.

Tuesday 28th June 2011

Wade is away for a couple of days so yesterday, before leaving the workshop, I suggested coming down today to complete the unfinished manifold studs. Good idea, I thought, should only take an hour or so. Took slightly longer, being in the vicinity of 4 & 1/2 hours before I'd finished the 13 studs required. Yesterday I'd just hacksawed off the heads of the bolts being used as "stock" for the studs required. But before leaving yesterday had Wade figure out how long the stud and new threaded length needed to be. Turned out by my cutting off the head of the bolt for the "stock" each was about 1/8" too long. So another series of hacksaw cuts were required this morning to trim the 13 down to the right length. Next was cutting the new thread. First one started off well, threads cutting easily until I realised that what I thought was easy cutting was the "stock" turning in the vice. One stud ruined. Second one clamped much more firmly in the vice and cutting well until I realised the thread was cutting at an angle to the axis of the "stock". Second stud ruined. Third one clamped in the vice, and this time it was a combination of the woes of both one and two, with the thread not cutting straight and the "stock" turning in the vice! Third stud ruined.

Time to take stock.

Determined if I ground a champher on the end of the "stock", so the die could start on a slight taper, I'd have a better chance of cutting a thread parallel to the "stock's" axis. And not to be too gentle in tightening the handle of the vice! And what do you know? It worked! Felt very pleased with the first one, only needed another 12. Fortunately I learned from my mistakes and didn't butcher another "stock" in the process. Did have to cut 3 new "stocks" from bolts to replace the "stocks" ruined but did so with one hacksaw cut each, so I learned there too. With one of the lessons of life being to learn from your mistakes, today was certainly a day I learned a lot! The studs are longer than the studs they'll replace and will probably require some trimming before or after they're fitted. But that's a story for another day, and as they used to say at the end of whatever serial was playing at the Saturday arvo flicks "don't miss the next thrill packed episode"!

Quote: Joe,

Maybe.....it's certainly possible in light of your experience, but I'm not sure that was the case here in Oz!

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The use of the words 'stud' and 'Mal' in the same sentence makes me feel just ever so slightly unwell... although had you been manufacturing nuts it might be a different story. LOL

Grinding a chamfer on the end of the rod to be threaded certainly helps a great deal and is a handy lesson without a doubt. The other one you may not of heard of (or at least I assume so since you didn't mention it) is the use of cutting compound. A good cutting compound makes it much easier to cut threads than they would otherwise be. A squirt of oil helps, but the real stuff makes it that much better again.

Quote:

Joe, this way please.

Sunday 3rd July 2011

Oh, woe is Noel!

Some pic's from todays PACA run to The Australiana Pioneer Village at Wilberforce. About 5 minutes after Noel left, I received a phone call advising the OD on his '39 120 had locked up. The remaining PACA members drove to offer assistance and/or advice but it was apparent nothing could be done to fix it on the spot. Suffice to say the '39 suffered the indignity of being trucked back to the workshop on a Tilt Tray Tow Truck. More tomorrow, it's been a long day.

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Poor car. This isn't the first time it's suffered such an indignity because of the OD is it. Maybe it's time to get firm and threaten to gut, consign parts to the scrap pile, or even replace the OD unless it gets its act together. Too nice a car to be laid up by one recalcitrant assembly.

What is it with this guy's car? I think I saw it on www.imamistake.com.au/Noel...

Howard,

Yes, has happened before so Noel isn't very happy. It wasn't just stern words said to it yesterday, also some very colourful language.

Hooberitz,
to PackardInfo but the link doesn't work for me. And if you own a Packard, I invite you to include it in the Packard Owners Registry here on PackardInfo.