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C2C makes some generic type replacement panels. They aren't as good as NOS, but they are strong, cheap and will work with a bit of hammer and dolly work. Here is their website:c2cfabrication.com/packard/ I used fiberglass on some minor pinholes in my 39, but the 51 was too far gone and had to weld in replacement panels. You can buy a rubberized sealer tape to coat the floors for heat and noise reduction. It is sold at Home Depot or Loews - it will be in the window section, since that's what it is designed for. It is basically an older version of the stuff they sell for floor underliners on cars. Just much cheaper and easier to get. I would recommend against the "seals up a screen door" stuff. It is very viscous and melts like snow if gas or oil gets on it.

BDeB Thanks, the vent hole makes sense now. Think Ill get a chunk of steel wool and poke it in there for a little protection.

And David, thanks for the link, Ill check it out and see if they are in my budget... Ill also pick up a few yards of the sealer tape.. I also have a 1950 Chevy Pick Up that Im sure will need some de-rusting also...

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Steel wool may be too fine and soft. I'd be concerned it may disintegrate too easily dropping tiny slivers of metal into the trans. A larger copper or brass mesh such as a chore girl scouring pad would be better and closer to what was there originally.

Yea.... that does sound a little better... You can tell I'm not a Mechanic, but I play one in my driveway!

Mark, sorry to hear about your father. If I recall the Packard correctly, it looked to be in good condition on the outside. Keep at it and let us know how you are doing.

(o{}o)

You can get Herculiner at lowes as well. By the gallon and yes brush or roll on. Basically it's a do it yourself bed liner for trucks. But I'm using it on my floor I'm patching right now. I'm going to use it inside the doors and panels. I already used it to replicate the old stuff under the trunk lid. Did under the hood as well. See my blog. You can get metal from lowes as well for much less then c2c. And since its the floor it won't matter cause nobody will see it. I also filled my small pin holes with metal epoxy stuff from jb weld.

Thx, Ill look into the Herculiner, definitely need to get something on there so my son doesn't need to repair the floor here in 25 to 30 years. The frame and the rest of the underside are all solid. Thank the heavens this car was in New Mexico off of Rt 66 where the humidity was next to nothing, and it was in an old Malt Shop. I think most of this is from the lack of seals in the windows and the door seals. Both back doors are missing the strip at the front of the door, and the swing out window seals are hard as a rock.

You can buy cans brushable seam sealer from eastwood. It's a thick rubber/asphalt type product. Works great for covering up pin holes and for sealing welded seams. I coated the entire floor in the stuff and let dry and it pretty much reproduced the look of the factory sound deadener. 1.5 cans were enough to coat the entire floor and foot wells.

Well... The floor is rust free, and a thick coat of Herculiner on it to permanently seal off the elements (from the inside anyway). Took off the gas tank yesterday. Was actually super easy. There was a little rust on the strap bolts but with a few spins of a bolt threader they came off with ease. I did find out the gas gauge was reading wrong, due to a weak connection. When the second bolt came out, the half full tank that was reading about an eighth came right to the driveway. Just thankful I wasn't still on a creeper under it. I was having fuel issues, and figured the tank was full of crud, so off with the tank, looked inside and it looks like new in there. Not even a spot of rust. So, I blew out the lines, rechecked the connection for the gauge, and put it back on. .... Still, almost no flow from the fuel pump. I have replaced the mechanical pump with a 6vlt unit at the tank. Brand new with about 5 miles on it. Im thinking there is something that has gone into the pump at the "in" side clogging it up. Tomorrow will be removing the new pump and testing it. only time and cooperative weather will tell.

If the pump checks OK, while looking inside try to angle so you can get a look at the pickup tube. If the car sat with tank less than half full it is possible pinholes could have developed. Known locations are in the pickup tube at the "U" bend directly above the open end or at the bend where the line exits the tank. If the fuel level is below that point, either could cause the pump to pull air instead of fuel.

If the tank is pristine, any chance it was treated with one of the coating compounds. If those are allowed to dry with the tank flat they have been known to puddle and harden in the pickup area blocking the tube.

If you are checking flow at the carb and going thru the mechanical pump, if car still has the original flex line between pump and steel line those have been known to harden enough so the lining cracks and restricts or completely blocks flow. There should also be a screen affair in the bottom of the mechanical fuel pump. That could be full of rust particles.