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Monday 1st July 2013

Just a quick update. Dropped into the workshop to drop off a starter motor for Fleurette. The starter came from Peter Packard who brought it to Sydney from Canberra, about 260kms on Saturday for Noel. It's an AUTO-LITE MAX 4006, more powerful than the MAW 4018(I think that's what Noel said) it was replacing. Peter, and Ann, had come up in the "Hot Rod", a '38 Eight Sedan equipped with a 4 bbl 327 and OD. This car holds a special place with one DAF but at present it is suffering. After arriving at Noel's warehouse the diff decided it wouldn't cooperate and the "Hot Rod" ending up returning to Canberra by car trailer about 3am early Sunday morning. Peter and Ann we missed you at our meeting yesterday, but carried on regardless! Noel had picked up Fleurette on Friday from the workshop and taken it home. However he didn't have a chance over the weekend to put some miles on the rebuilt engine which he's very pleased with. However today it's a nice blue sky winter day here in Sydney, after about 2 weeks of very solid rain, and the forecast is for more clear skies through the week. So Noel, get out and drive the girl! Once Fleurette has sufficient miles on the rebuilt engine she'll go back for a re-torquing of the head nuts as well as a starter motor swap.

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Running board delete panels are reproduced by Gary Osko. Pm me for contact info.

Hi all, especially Mal, Well the 38 - 120 ( fitted with souped up 53 - 327 and R6 OD) was brought up to Sydney to help celebrate Noel's 75th Birthday on the 23rd June. Everything was going fine...nice drive up sitting on around 110 kph. At Noel's we all piled into the 38 to headed over to the other side of town. Noel wanted us to turn across 6 lanes of traffic and said GO!!! after spotting a 75 metre break in the two way traffic. I gunned the engine and tried for a jack-rabbit start. I made it across three lanes and the terrible clanging and chrunching started. I had sheared the welds holding the diff banjo onto the spring saddles. The diff had rotated and pulled the tailshaft out of the gearbox uni spline. I shall spare the gory details of removing the tailshaft, C/w both universals in the traffic, in the rain. Dressing up the mutilated ends of the slip yoke and tailshaft spines with a Leatherman file, putting it all back together after rotating the diff back into line, and really tightening up the U bolts, hoping this would temporarily stop the rotation. It drove backwards and forwards ok but as soon as we tried to put any power on at all it rotated the diff again, this time shattering the diff uni joint. so it's all Noel's fault, although not really. I inspected another banjo and there appear to be only 4 spot welds and a few dabs of weld on the saddle ends. This arrangement has worked for 75 years but there would be some corrosion involved over this time and I intend to really put some weld into it this repair. I shall also check my other Packards for sufficient welds in this oft neglected area.

Peter for the detailed explanation as to the cause of the Hot Rod's problem.

Wednesday 3rd July 2013

Not really Wade's Workshop although I did touch base there three times today. Firstly in the morning, after clearing our Packard Club's PO Box which is close by, dropped in and gave Misty a bone. Next, early afternoon met Noel there, after he co-opted me to accompany him to pick up a small shipment of Optima 6V batteries for PACA members. He was also expecting the new WWW tyres for his '41 Coupe in place of those which arrived months back which were the wrong size! Batteries and a mailing tube, the contents of which he wasn't aware of, did arrive but no tyres. Back at the workshop, the third instance, on opening the mailing tube found it contained window channels Noel had ordered, my guesses were, long trim pieces or door sealing rubbers. While picking up the batteries and mailing tube saw a guy there I thought I recognized from my misspent youth of hot rods and dragsters over 40 years ago. Asked him "Is your Name John?" Answer "Yes". Q - "JohnF?" A - "Yes". A hot rodders reunion ensued where he advised he was still drag racing with a 225ci Chev doing 7.2 in the quarter at a best of 195mph and, if he reaches 200mph will retire! Missed seeing the 1912 Cadillac which had been imported, it had left yesterday for it's new home. There was also a rough '46-'48 Mercury Sedan besides the front gate, one of three imported. But very interesting were the three partially disassembled light planes being picked up. Then, on the way home from the workshop, saw RichardW was in his driveway with his Bentley. It's a '51 Mark V1 bought by his Dad about 40 years ago. Richard had been for a run today with his car club to Pie in the Sky, which trulocal.com.au describes as "Great value, tasty pies are available at this pit stop cafe on the Pacific Highway. Serving both savoury and sweet flavours, you can get everything from the traditional Steak & Kidney pie to delicious desserts like warm blueberry pie. There's also a selection of meals, sausage rolls and teas on offer." Some images of Pie in the Sky can be found here! Pie in the Sky a popular destination for car club runs or makes a good pit stop on longer runs.

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Sunday 7th July 2013

Took a trip today with Noel in Fleurette. The trip had a double barreled purpose, helping to run-in Fleurette's rebuilt engine and provide advice to a PACA member entering his cars in a Concours at this display day. Picked up by Noel we enjoyed a pleasant trip on a beautiful blue sky Winters day, max temp 19C, to Gosford on the New South Wales Central Coast. There we met up with PACA member BruceG and his restorer Rob of Central Auto Restorations. Bruce is bringing his '55 Four Hundred Hardtop and '58 Facel Vega to the display day and had entered both in the Concours. Noel was casting a very beady judges eye over both cars with a view to advising Bruce and Rob the areas and features needing attention before being presented at the Concours. The Facel Vega had spent most of it's life in the New York to Virginia area before Bruce found it in a dilapidated state in a barn in the Australian southern state of Victoria. It's a very interesting vehicle and has been fully rebuilt by Rob making and replacing panels and other parts as required, including the large stainless steel lower body side trim! Noel looked over, looked under, looked under bonnet(hood) and looked inside the Facel Vega all the while pointing out matters requiring attention. Nothing major, just little things which would incur point deductions. In the end Bruce had two pages of notes on the things requiring attention. Noel was also able to provide some handy hints and tips to aid in it's presentation on the day. In Noel's opinion it'll be a contender on the day subject, of course, to the level of the competition present. But, because Noel has advised Bruce he automatically rules himself out of being able to judge it on the day. Then turned to the Four Hundred, which Bruce has owned for about 15 years having bought it too from Victoria. It's a very, very nice driver but Noel advised against it's being entered in the Concours. Instead it'll be shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the Packards in our club display area. That done, then had a pleasant lunch at the Terrigal Hotel before returning home. On the way to Terrigal Noel rode shotgun with Bruce in the Facel Vega while I was privileged to drive Fleurette. The roles were reversed on the return trip to Gosford, that'll likely be the only time I ever have a Facel Vega Experience. I also drove Fleurette back to Sydney and on the day Fleurette performed well with about 200 kms put on the rebuild. But back to Rob's shop, Central Auto Restorations. Besides the Facel Vega and the Four Hundred it contained a number of other vehicles. These included, a '24 Rolls Royce which has just had the body and mudguards(fenders) repainted as well as Rob hand making replacement interior wood trim mouldings, a '64 Ford Fairlane Coupe, a '50's Bentley about to be "Uted"(he just finished another one last week) and a hand built hearse trailer to be towed by a trike!

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Friday 12th July 2013

After donating blood plasma this morning, yes - it's worth bottling, went over to Noel's warehouse to help him with a couple of Fleurette matters. Now, Noel's warehouse is a bit of a misnomer, although there's plenty of truth behind it. Noel's former life was as Australia's Table Tennis(Ping Pong) coach and he also established and ran Aussie Table Tennis. Although Noel is no longer the business owner he still maintains close links with it. So much so that today, while he was attending to matters in front, I was out back attending to Fleurette's needs. I also encouraged a couple of kids, an about 8yo girl and 10yo boy to sit behind the wheel of Fleurette. Dad took pic's and the kids also hopped in the back seat to sit where Nicole Kidman had sat for the film Australia a few years ago. I know I'm very generous allowing other peoples kids to sit in Fleurette Noel, but you just never know, they could be Packard owners of the future following such a gesture! Part of Fleurette's needs was the right front wheel to which TonyW had riveted new hubcap clips, but they weren't holding the hubcap on. The left front, done at the same time, was fine but not the right. After I took the wheel off Noel demonstrated the technique that Tony had advised to remedy the situation. Seemed to work to an extent but not well enough for the hubcap to stay on. Hmmmm, there's a car show on Sunday at Linnwood House so when Noel arrives there in Fleurette he'll put the hubcap on 'for show purposes only' and remove it for the trip home. Another thing I "thought" we were going to do was change over the front bumper for one sent up by Peter Packard during the week. Although I had been sworn to secrecy, about the incident in question, and some of that will remain to protect the innocent, Fleurette suffered some front bumper damage during last Sundays run to Gosford/Terrigal and return. All I'm saying it was NOT my fault, NOT Noel's fault and certainly NOT Fleurette's fault. The other party will remain nameless, as I said to protect the innocent, except to say that Noel is now spruiking that out of the approximately one million Packards built his is the only one to have this happen to it. So, Fleurette is now one in a million! You can't always look on the bright side of life but in this case Noel did! Sorry Noel, but the Devil made me do it! Turned out the bumper Peter sent up won't be used after all and it's now likely Noel will have Fleurette's bumper straightened and and probably re-chromed. Speaking of which, I'll get the centre piece of my '41 120 front bumper re-chromed at the same time because it's rusty! The chrome job it had about 5 years and also the re-chrome, under warranty 2 years later, just didn't work! The chromer that Peter uses does a great job so I'm thrilled the centre piece will at last look good.

During my time out the back with Fleurette I took a phone call from IanH, mentioned in the pages before as the owner of a '36 120B Club Sedan he's now restoring after buying it 39 years ago. Ian was looking for some advice and for some parts. Apparently Peter Packard has helped him with some parts but he needs to go up a notch, sorry Peter. So I've now referred him to the Flackmaster for help on both counts. And there will be a return to the workshop on Wednesday! Wade is coming down for the day, I think it's the beginning of the end, preparing for the move of parts, equipment and The Fossil to the Central Coast. However Noel is taking advantage of this and taking Fleurette over for some after sales service, notably draining the Penrite running in oil and refilling with Penrite HPR oil and also re-torquing the head nuts. By then Fleurette will have about 300 miles on the road since the engine rebuild. There'll also be a couple of other little jobs to attend to, being installation of a new heater pipe from the water pump to the heater inlet, a masters touch on the errant hubcap clips and possibly installation of a new bendix drive to Fleurette's starter and it's re-installation in lieu of the Peter Packard starter presently in place. This last only if the bendix drive arrives from the US in time.

And why aren't there pictures from today? Not because I was sworn to secrecy, again, I wasn't! But because the camera wouldn't work. Thought the battery was flat but I've now recharged the two batteries I have and neither made any difference, so it's the camera itself! Fear not, by the time Wednesday comes around I'll have had it fixed or splashed out for a new camera.

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Wednesday 17th July 2013

Drove the Coupe to the workshop to get her up and done on the hoist before Noel arrived with Fleurette. Reason being, I wanted to change the engine oil and check the trans and OD levels after almost 3,000 miles since the last oil change. Most of the 3,000 miles being the trip to and from Phillip Island in March and the Eden trip last month. It almost worked out, but Noel arrived an hour earlier than expected catching the Coupe In flagrante delicto up on the hoist part way through topping up the trans and OD. Once the Coupe was finished, replacing or replenishing oil stocks, out she went and in Fleurette came to take her place.

Noel and I then left Wade to tend to Fleurette's needs while we went on an unrelated road trip. Part of the road trip was to change a seal I'd picked up yesterday on Wade's behalf for a '37 Super 8 water pump rebuild. Wade, through mate PeterL, had found a machinist on the Central Coast who was able to make a new SS shaft for the pump as well as machine the pump body for the ceramic seal required. The '37 Super 8 is a Club Sedan with sidemounts and imported from the US. Was also tasked by Wade with picking up a bolt for his new engine crane. The bolt that came with it is a fraction too large in diameter to fit the holes it's intended for. It is 16mm, actually 15.9mm and the next smallest bolt size is 5/8" or 15.7mm. Hopefully the 0.2mm size reduction is all that's required, the next smallest being 9/16" or 14.3mm which would be too small. Another stop was Hare & Forbes where I picked up this parts washer as my gift to Wade for his new workshop. I've spent many hours cleaning Packard parts in the one in the current workshop and Wade's new workshop didn't have one, until now! Now, every time Wade stands there cleaning parts he can think of me. Seriously, it's a small gesture of thanks for all that Wade's done for me personally with my Packard. Thank you Wade! And speaking of garage equipment, Wade has a hoist! Or should I say he's getting one, but in a round-a-bout way. PeterL's son bought him a hoist only to find out too late it's too tall to fit in Peter's garage. Enter Wade, who's now buying the 2 poster without the top cross bar, off Peter's son and installing it in his new workshop. Also dropped off Noel during part of the trip, he's returning on Friday to pick up Fleurette.

Back at the workshop had to admit to Wade that I'd bingled his Ute. Would have posted a pic but, I'm using my old camera while waiting for the new one to be repaired under warranty and, the old camera sometimes sticks and doesn't work. Fortunately it's a minor parking lot bingle only which I inflicted at Lee Bros where I backed into a pole. It left a small indentation in the plastic bumper, mark on the tailgate hinge, moved the emblem on the tailgate and marked the tailgate itself. Wade, you know where I live!

Turned then to Fleurette, which Wade had drained the running in oil from, it having done it's job, and refilled with heavier weight oil. Wade had then installed the new Bendix starter drive to Fleurette's starter, the intention being to return it in place of Peter Packard's loaned starter. But it was not to be, although the Bendix is working, there's now another problem with the starter itself. Wade went on to trying to track down an exhaust leak but wasn't convinced it was the engine pipe to exhaust manifold joint as Noel suspected. Thought it was the choke hot air pipe fitting on the exhaust manifold where blowby could be felt with the engine running. Took off the fitting to discover there was blowby there and it was escaping around the fitting, the silicone sealer having failed. Looked around for a gasket or something to make a gasket from finding a 120 manifold gasket as a likely donor of the material required. Until.......on examining Fleurette's cracked original manifold, for marking out purposes for making the gasket, found it had a piece the replacement manifold didn't! This piece could be described as a cup which fits inside the exhaust manifold and seals it when the cover fitting is installed. With this no exhaust gasses reach the pipe that runs from the fitting to the choke mechanism, only warmed air. Meant of course the carb now had to come off to install the previously missing cup. Both Wade and I learned something new today about 120's of this vintage. All back on but there's still a leak and it IS coming from the engine pipe to exhaust manifold joint, but that'll now be a job for another day.

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Thursday 25th July 2013

Ross borrowed the workshops trailer today to transport an HR Holden Sedan to his new home in the hinterland of the Queensland Gold Coast. He also picked up the engine for his '35 Super 8. The engine is being dropped off on the trip north to an engine re-builder for re-babbitting the bearings and a lot of other work. After Ross's departure, Wade continued with the rebuilding of the '37 Super 8 water pump he'd been working on. Oh, and when Wade removed the '35's Super 8 water pump in readiness for transportation it had a segment missing from the circumference of it's impeller! Looks like Wade will be doing another Super 8 water pump rebuild in the future.

Water pump out of the way it was off to see JohnM and his '39 TJ Richards bodied Six Sedan. This was to give it a checkover prior to it's annual registration inspection which it should have no trouble with. Then on the return trip to the workshop detoured to pick up some financial paperwork from our club's auditor. That done, it was back to the workshop, where I picked my car and took the paperwork to our Treasurer Chris, Starliner. Chris advised he's going to sell one of his Packards either the '53 Mayfair Hardtop(preferred) or the '54 Clipper Super Club Sedan. And if any of you Aussies are interested, you read it first here! But please contact Chris directly, his contact details are in the front of the magazine and in the Register of Members.

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