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Wednesday 26th October 2011

Still another day and still another fleeting pit stop at the workshop. The hand brake cables for Junior had arrived yesterday, after I left, and Wade has fitted them to the backing plates. Wade is also in the midst of re-arranging benches and things in his corner because he's been the lucky recipient of a bench with a draintop and a slide out catch tray. The bench came from the same workshop the hoist came from and will be very handy for all the cleaning that's required with Packard parts.

The reason I called in wasn't because of that but to borrow a pop rivet gun to repair a screen door at home, my gun didn't
have a large enough fitting for the size rivet I was using. Then I promptly broke the rivet gun on the first rivet I tried it on!
After getting over that shock, finished the job by drilling out my el cheapo rivet gun to take the larger nail shank on the rivets, and it worked. Wade will be the proud owner of a new pop rivet gun tomorrow.

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Thursday 27th October 2011

Yesterday, the comfort package of Packard parts for Junior finally reached the workshop. Wade refitted the pumpkin to the diff housing with a new gasket, fitted the new shocks, repacked the rear axle bearings and refitted the axles. Then this morning, after more cleaning, the new outer axle seals, backing plates, brakes, brake lines and brake drums were fitted. The hand brake cables connected and adjusted and then re-adjusted. Then the rear brakes were bled but just as we were about to start that process Juniors Dad, John, arrived. Bled the brakes with a nice firm pedal resulting. John was pleased to see the progress made and see it was getting closer to being finished. After John left the skimmed pinion shaft was fitted to the pumpkin, the tailshaft re-fitted, the diff filled with fresh oil and the rear wheels and tyres re-fitted. Time to bring Junior back to life but required a 12V boost to get going. Then, once warmed up, put through his paces with wheels off the ground. Everything appears to be working and there are no untoward noises. Tomorrow we'll clean and check the plugs as well as perform a compression test although John says he's already done one with he thinks #3 showing only about 20/25psi, could be the explanation for the miss.

And Bill B forwarded a pic from his US trip with the message "Pride of place at Nethercutt Collection,Sylmar,CA. Eat your heart out!"

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Mal, thanks for sharing the 1934. I saw the car at Pebble Beach in 2008. It is more impressive than photos can present. Here are some more photos.

(o[]o)

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The whole LeBaron series for 1934 of the 1106 teardrop coupe, roadster and the 1108 sport phaeton are all fascinating. Fortunately we get quite a few opportunities to see them as they are often shown.

Whenever I see one, what comes to mind is "only 6(or 5, or 7?) built, only 15 remaining".

Friday 28th October 2011

On the way to the workshop picked up my sister Diana from the railway station because she's interested in buying a car. Unfortunately not a Packard, just something to get her around in. John currently has two cars for sale, a Lexus ES300 Sedan and a Volvo V40 Wagon, to help pay for the upcoming wedding of his daughter in December. When we arrived at the workshop Wade was pulling the plugs from Junior and performing a compression test. Left Wade doing that while Diana inspected the Lexus then we had to drive to where John's son was working because he's currently using the Volvo as his daily driver. Unfortunately neither car took her fancy, for reasons not directly related to the cars, so they both were No Sales. Still, I'm sure there are plenty of eager buyers out there just waiting for the chance to help finance John's daughters wedding!

After dropping Diana at the railway station it was back to the workshop where Wade had completed the compression test, see photo's for results. Wade had also cleaned, re-gapped and re-installed the plugs but Junior refused to start again. Juniors battery is currently on slow charge and because Wade is coming in on the weekend to do a little work on The Fossil will try and fire up Junior then.

Speaking of The Fossil, that's what was turned to on my return. Installed the vacuum tubes and through the firewall fitting for her braking system. Also did the through the firewall vacuum wipers fitting and oil pressure fitting. Finished off with some of the upper into the firewall bolts that attach from inside the cabin. Then it was off to the Eastwood Rugby Club for lunch. Last time at that venue because the food standard has been slipping, something the restaurant owner/manager wouldn't acknowledge.

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Sunday 30th October 2011

Went for a short run in the Coupe today to the Rolls Royce Owners Club of Australia New South Wales Branch Concours Day at Linnwood House. I used to work with the guy who organised the RR Concours and, having a couple of spare hours on a Sunday morning, took the opportunity to check it out. Funny, mine was the only Packard there!

Link to RR Concours pic's. Most pic's are uncaptioned.

And met a guy there who knows Wade, SimonA, he's the owner of the '51 Riley. Gave Wade a "hot lap" around Eastern Creek Raceway some years ago in a RR. And says he'll pop onto the workshop one day because he's only just round the corner

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Monday 31st October 2011

Caught up with Wade early afternoon, after spending the morning with the grand-daughters. Wade was trying to dig out the best of the vacuum and Bijur lines from the shelves, but! But, where there should have been a choice from two sets there was only one set of lines. Where do these things disappear to? Wade was sure the lines he couldn't find were in much better "shape" than those found. Will have to reshape those that were found because they have suffered over the years. While Wade was digging out lines and giving them a preliminary clean, I was taking them to the next level on the wire wheel and/or the blasting cabinet as required. Wade also disassembled the two Bijur reservoirs for the best mounting bracket, top and pump apparatus. These too received the wire wheel treatment. All this is part of the process of getting the firewall hardware, inside and out, mounted so other work can then proceed. And John, believe Wade will call you tonight.

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Mal,
I have quite a few bits and pieces of the Bijur lube system left over from my '29 projects. Let Wade know he is welcome to anything he can use.
David

David,

Melbourne Cup Day, but unfortunately I didn't make it to the workshop! Which as I write this, will be closed up, the occupants having adjourned to a Melbourne Cup luncheon to celebrate the race that stops a nation!

But I'm sure Wade, once the merriment is over, will read your post and contact you regarding your generous offer if required. From what I understand, all the chassis and running gear lines and lubrication points are done. It's now about getting the supply and pump part of the system cleaned, finished, mounted and tested. But a few questions spring to mind concerning the Bijur lubrication system, being:

It is a total loss system, isn't it, and being total loss it will drip?
Knowing Wade's continual struggle to eliminate oil leaks, in his and others Packards, will he be able to cope with this?
Or, being part of the Packard package for that year, he'll just have to grin and mop it up?

Sure, it's a total loss system, so it does drip. Want to see a photo of my garage floor after 46+ years of parking the car in the same location? It isn't pretty. But on the other hand, never a need to replace any item lubricated by the Bijur in nearly 85,000 miles. To me that's a good trade-off.