Packard Forum Index » Project Blogs

Well it has been a while since I have had anything to post, but progress is being made. The engine is being rebuilt and is almost ready to paint and to be tested a bit for oil pressure. The shop has asked for the distributor and the valve covers. The only valve covers that I have are senior ones that are embossed "PACKARD". I want to find a set of 55 ones that are flat, then I can have "CLIPPERROD" done in sticky backed vinyl. For now I have painted these in Jamaica Yellow with the embossed Packard done in black. I am attaching the Jpeg I took this morning. I did the black with a paint pencil, as such the work is a bit wavy but it was the best I could do for now. I will send more when I get them.

ALK

It appears that my new computer and windows - 8 does not know how to resize photos. Therefore the jpeg was to big. To all who use W-8 It is a P.O.S. I am going to get my Windows -XP reloaded on my old computer and go back to it and turn in this new P.O.S back to best buy. God what a nightmare.

If no one else steps up, you might give Mike Dulinski a call. If anyone would have some spare Clipper covers he would probably be the best bet.

As to your Windows issues, my sympathies. I don't use Windows any more but lots of reviews echo the same sentiments on W8 changes. IMO, Microsoft appears to have copied too much, too soon in W8 and the learning curve is steep and showing.

For what it's worth, those of us in the Mac fold are not immune either. I recently upgraded from OSX 10.5 to 10.8 and while not the same issues you have or even any major ones, am still finding it a somewhat exasperating experience at times.

Apple's "Think Different" approach is OK -- but I don't necessarily want to as often or as much as they want me to. I expect the Windows camp has similar feelings.

Al, HH,

I usually post from an IPad. Still learning how to use and post with it. For some reason, I cannot use the spell check when posting.

Those of you having trouble with the "latest and greatest" technology have my sympathies.

While I hope to never own an Apple product, I'm no fan of Microsoft, either. I'm just stuck with them as there's no other affordable alternative that's as widely supported.

As far as user-friendliness, I think Windows hit its peak with XP. Vista was a complete waste of time and money. Yet, a friend, who only got online a couple of years ago, has had nothing but trouble with Win7 (crashes, hacks, infections) - requiring him to purchase an external HDD for full, frequent backups. Win8 doesn't appeal to me in the least.

However, I'm not sure what I'm gonna do when MS ends support for XP in 2014, and suppliers eventually all follow suit. While so-called "smart phones" may have their place, tablets computers and their touch-screen interfaces just don't seem to cut it. Mebee I'll press my old Tandy 1000X into service and scrounge up enough other old equipment to set up a dial-in BBS.

IMHO, the retail computer industry is rapidly becoming a white elephant - too many solutions for which there are no problems.

Manwhile, I look forward to further installments, here, on Al's progress with his Clipper Hot Rod.

The 2014 ending of support for win-xp kind of puts me in a bind as I was contemplating having my old xp box scrubbed clean and re-installing it to get past the service-pro error that closes my computer down and I have to re-boot just to get the same thing and I can never get past it. Oh well.

In any event I think I can now load the jpeg I took this am
of the valve covers. Wish me luck. I have tried Mikey and he
does not have any 55 valve covers. Please keep in mind that this was done with a spray can from Home Depot and a Testors model paint pencil.

Attach file:

---

  (106.15 KB)

BH QUote:
"IMHO, the retail computer industry is rapidly becoming a white elephant - too many solutions for which there are no problems."

That is the most brilliant statement made in the last 10 years. Pretty much describes current world issues too.

Well progress is being made little by little. I will go with the "PACKARD" valve covers for now until I can find a set of flat 55's. Then I can get the "CLIPPERROD" script done at a sign maker and attach it. Have not yet decided on the color scheme yet, yellow/black - green/yellowy or what. Any other suggestions.

Attach file:

---

  (124.06 KB)

With that color scheme you might get into patent trouble with john deere

Talking about windows 8 what a POS! I rather go back to windows 95! My old desktop crashed and I like the new touch screen desktop bot the OS is the worse

Somebody from John Deere would have to see and by the time it got to court we'll all be worm food. I plan on going back to windows XP.

Great to see you back in the game with the ClipperRod, AL! Might I suggest that format for your valve cover logo? I also favor including the Packard name, partly because your car is a hybrid of Packard senior and Clipper. You might want to do it subtly, in script, followed by a bolder ClipperRod. My reason for the capital letter on "Rod" is strictly for more easy recognition of the name and pronunciation.

If I ever need to paint raised letters on a valve cover or such, here's my plan. Don't know if it would work, but...

Paint the entire cover in the color you want for the raised letters. Paint it again, the color you want for the rest of the cover. Carefully rub off the second coat of paint with a piece of emery cloth attached to a suitable flat sanding block, revealing the other color underneath. Polish with low grit rubbing compound to get the paint to shine.

Like I say, just a long-shot hypothesis. You'd probably have a few trial-and-error runs to find out how many coats of each paint worked best, and to get the rubbing done right. But it SHOULD give a near-perfect result unless there are a lot of imperfections in the stamping.

Re computers, I'm an Apple Macintosh user, but not a Windows hater, however, the last really reliable, easy-to-use Windows OS interface, for me, was Windows 98! I'm serious! Everything else seems needlessly complicated. They should have stuck with the basic interface and just added features.

I loved the comment about Microsoft "copying things too fast." Things, I take it, like the Mac OS. Apple really should have won that lawsuit against Microsoft many moons ago, for copying their graphical interface with Windows. But, Apple had already copied the idea from Xerox, and so it goes in the corporate world.