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Well, it's still really hot, so no work being done on my part. But, I was able to contact my old supplier and he was able to confirm that he has tooling for the 1955-56 V-8 exhaust flanges. I ordered a flange set, a set of 3-into-1 collectors and a few other parts. I should have them in a couple of weeks.

Meanwhile, I've got some other things I can do on this project once the heat wave breaks.

Craig

this is great news from your supplier! sorry about the heat. we had a cold front...in the 90s this week. wooohooo!!

hey how about headers for the straight 8 anyone make them?

Quote:

I have no idea, but you'd probably be better off starting a new thread on this topic since guys with S8s are not as likely to read a V-8 thread.

Craig

Steve,

Have look through Turbopackman's Eric's Packard Barchetta Speedster Project Blog. On Page 15 there's this post. If I remember correctly, I've flicked through about 12 pages of the blog but can't find it, Eric had a couple of flanges cut.

The temp cooling down today: high of *ONLY* 106F instead of 113F like yesterday. So, Lance & I were able to get started on building the maTILTas (hat tip to PackardInfo buddy Roy for the name) which will be the main tilt rotators to put the 55 Clipper Super 4dr up on its side. We haven't quite got one done yet, so no pictures; probably tomorrow.

Craig

WRT temp: the weatherman misestimated as the high was 108F, not 106F (and globull warming can be predicted -- I think not).

Anyway, some minor progress made on maTILTas this AM. Most effort was in moving my 55 Clipper Super 4dr parts car about 100 ft forward of it's previous location, which was on a slight incline. Now, it's pretty much flat and also nearer my garage. With 4 good rollers on it, we couldn't move it by hand and didn't immediately understand why. So, I hooked a tow strap to a Clipper front bumper bracket and my 55 Pat rear bumper bracket and pulled it about 100ft forward to the flat area with the Pat. The reason why it had to be towed became evident later when I did a trial fit of the right front maTILTa. The brake drum could not be turned by hand, but needed a BFL (Big F'n Lever) to turn the wheel hang tang to bottom position.

The maTILTa backing plates now bolt to the hubs on the actual car to be used, so on to finishing the maTILTas tomorrow (hopefully). Then there should be pictures. I don't want to post interim pictures because I think there will be too many Qs.

I don't know of anyone, Packard or otherwise, who tilted a complete car up on its side WITHOUT a rotisserie and not hurting the sheet metal. Does anyone?

Craig

The front maTILTa has been completed.

maTILTas are bolted to the brake drum using grade 8 hardware (only the top bolt installed in the trial fit shown) with a 3in clearance hole for the hub so the backing plate is flush with the outside of the drum when bolted down.

The purpose of the maTILTas is to allow one side (in this case the driver side) of the 55 Clipper Super 4dr to be lifted with a cherry picker (engine hoist) to rotate the car from a horizontal to a vertical position. Once vertical, ALL the force is taken through the center of the hubs through new, custom fitted wood blocks (not shown in these pictures), down to the ground. At that point, the maTILTas are not supporting any significant weight. Over vertical rotation is prevented by the "tilt stop" legs (the tall vertical 2x4s shown in the pictures).

In addition, the "B" pillar will be supported too with small "A" frame and some wood. I haven't built this yet, but I'll show it later when done.

Also not shown, but after the tilt, both the front and rear of the Clipper will be triangulated with 2x4 A-frames, so that it would take a tornado to push it out of it's vertical position. There are no tornados in Pahrump, NV.

Here's a series of views of the completed front maTILTa:







Here's the empty front load box. During actual tilt, there will be a custom tight fit new piece of wood inserted between the hub stud (dust cap removed) and the bottom of the load bar. Therefore, when the car is tilted, ALL all of the force of the weight of front end will be transmitted through the suspension to the load box to the ground. The maTILTas support very little weight at that point.



There's another part of maTILTa not shown or installed in these pictures which is the "anti-rotate" bar which is across the top and binds against one of the front fender brackets. It's purpose is to prevent any possible rotation of the brake drum.

I have many more pictures of the construction, if you are interested. The actual lift/tilt awaits some more construction.

Craig

Craig............you are one wild and crazy guy. But you are definitely pushing the envelope here in my opinion. I'm concerned - just saying.

Kevin:

Concern duly noted.

No disrespect intended, but I do have one compound retort: who has the engineering degree and who has done about a zillion car projects since the early 1970s?

IMO, maTILTa will perform the one-time job for which it is intended.

However, if anyone else cares to differ, pipe up!

Craig