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"I want more panelbeater pics. My car is in this phase"

Sorry, I don't have anything more specific than this:

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Tuesday 24th June 2014

Was down at the workshop this afternoon for parts cleaning, what else? Reason being the trans adapter for the R9 from Gerry, packardssouthwest, finally was in my hands. Noel picked me up this morning and we travelled to Rouse Hill where a load of Packard parts had arrived. Besides the adapter there were parts for Peter Packard and Noel. Noel's parts included a bonnet(hood) strip for his '41 160 Club Coupe. Either, when it was removed from the coupe the backing piece under the stainless was removed, or it wasn't there! If there it now can't be found but, irrespective of that, Noel now has a bonnet strip complete with backing.

Also at Rouse Hill was a car I'd never seen before a Cole. It's a 1916 V8 and the owner told me he'd bought it because nobody else wanted it! He'd driven it in the US from LA to Clovis and return sitting on a steady 60mph on the highways/freeways. They suffered some mechanical problems amongst which were the water pump falling off twice and the generator not charging, the last only found after a new battery had been purchased. The owner also said he's gone from not owning any old cars 3 years ago to now owning 3 Veterans, ie pre 1919, a 1905 Black, the 1916 Cole and a 1917 Overland. Looks like the bug has badly bitten him! Other cars that came in with the Packard parts and the Cole were a '46 Ford Super Deluxe Coupe, a '40's? DeSoto Sedan and a '50's Mercury Station Wagon. The Ford Coupe needs a lot of work, the DeSoto looks OK and probably very cheap so would make a cheap driver here even after all the import costs, while the Mercury needs a lot of TLC to just fix the rust and bullet holes.

After Rouse Hill instead of returning me directly home we detoured to TonyW's to pick up more Packard parts. The dash for Peter Packards '37 Super Eight Coupe and a bonnet(hood) ornament for Noels Coupe and a gas/ammeter gauge set for Fleurette. Tony had fixed the dash woodgraining for Peter while he'd remounted Noel's goddess and refreshed the gauges. Contacted Wade and will be taking the adapter up on Thursday so the trans/OD rebuild can commence in earnest.

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Wednesday 9th July 2014

No actual work, just an update. Was supposed to take up the trans/OD adaptor to Wade a couple of weeks ago but the flu intervened laying me low for a while. Instead, with Wade at the workshop for a short stay today I dropped it into him there. However I intend to go up and see Wade next week.

Wade was also going to see a Packard club member about some Packard parts. This guy has a couple of '35's so it's quite possible he might be a source for some of the missing parts for Amelia. And this for O_D who I've been corresponding with on Wade's behalf recently about the Bragg-Kliesrath vacuum brake system on Amelia. The vacuum canister in the system looked good but the leather diaphragm was "dirty" or "gritty". Wade now advises he's since learned that one of Amelia's previous "restorer's", not an appropriate term, had sandblasted the canister! O_D also advised Classic and Exotic Service Inc as THE supplier where a Bragg-Kliesrath system is concerned.

Wednesday 16th July 2014

Just returned from the movies where Kath and I saw Jersey Boys. In which, briefly, there are a couple of Packards including the '41 160/180 Limo in the YouTube clip.

Apart from that, on returning home, found that Wade's wife Gina had sent me a photo. The photo being of Wade under the dash of Amelia, with this comment "Just in case you were missing out on the clicking. Think he will be finished tomorrow." I am missing the clicking, as well as all else that used to go on in the workshop, but que sera sera. Now hope to make it to see Wade next week!

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Friday 18th July 2014

With Wade's part(mechanical and electrical) of Amelia's resurrection complete it was time for her to head north to the Gold Coast. There, Ross will have the body, paintwork, upholstery and any other unfinished aspects of the restoration completed. Hopefully I'll see Amelia mid-September looking much better than she is now. That's because I'm organising a get together of Aussie Packard owners from around the Gold Coast area at that time with Ross kindly hosting the lunch on the day.
Ross!

Wade had called me yesterday to let me know that a car transporter was picking Amelia up about 11am this morning. Unfortunately with a relapse of the flu I wasn't able to make it, but Gina was kind enough to photo document Amelia's departure for me.
Gina!

Of course the 11am pickup time wasn't met, instead Gina advised "Sorry you missed this morning but it was freezing at 7 am" That's a real turn up, usually it's the other way around, running late rather than early! Gina also sent a pic of fellow PACA member PeterL from a week ago, doing what I used to do, helping Wade.

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Wednesday 23rd July 2014

Finally over the flu so headed north to see Wade, doing so in the Coupe with Noel as a passenger. Coupe ran well over the 108 kms and on arrival I set to changing the oil, difficult to do at my place with limited working space. Although that should change later this year when we move to a new house in Bowral 128kms south in the Southern Highlands. Wade also has all the equipment required including a large hydraulic trolley jack one of which is on my shopping list for the new garage. Jacked the front of the Coupe up, put jackstands under the frame and drained the very hot oil. Know it was hot because, in taking out the sump plug, got some over my hand when it gushed out. While the oil was draining opened up the oil filter, extracted the cartridge and emptied out the canister. New cartridge in and using the old gasket put the lid back on the canister. Sump plug back in, then overfilled with fresh oil to allow for the now empty oil filter. On start up all was well with good oil pressure then allowed the engine to run for a few minutes. First mistake! Should have checked for oil leaks, of which there was a major one, from the oil filter canister lid seal! Only noticed from the large puddle of oil(about 1.5 litres) under the car just after it was shut down, should have conducted checks while running. Topped up with oil, removed the oil filter canister lid and this time used a new gasket, held to the lid with grease, so it was less likely to move when being tighted. Started up again, this time carefully observing for oil leaks. There were none.

Later, because the recently rebuilt waterpump was leaking, started her up again to try and find the source of the leak. No success so removed the fan and pulley to enable a better, closer examination to take place, it's cramped in there. Doing so established that the waterpump seal is leaking, and this after a new one was used in the rebuild! But didn't take the pump off to replace the seal because Wade's magic shelf didn't have one. Besides the afternoon was slipping away and Noel and I needed to return from whence we came. So replaced the pulley and fan, thanks Wade, then I adjusted the fan belt tension. Second mistake! Because on the way home, shortly after joining the freeway, noticed the temperature was pegging right on HOT. Pulled over, bonnet(hood) up and determined that the fan belt had about 3" of free play. Whoever had tensioned the belt, moi, hadn't ensured it was sitting properly in the crank pully.
Ordinarily I have tools in the boot(trunk) but they were presently in the boot(trunk) of my other car. Not to worry, but what would you do in these circumstances? 1) Ring the automobile association? 2) Ring for a tow truck? or 3) Ring your local friendly Packard mechanic? Of course I chose option 3) with Wade, good sport that he is, bringing the tools for me to do the adjustment required. This time ensured the belt was properly seated and running through all pulleys before tightening it up!
Wade. Then after topping the radiator up made it home without further incident. Although there had been one minor event, when sitting by the side of the Freeway with the boot(trunk) open waiting for the Packard mechanic to arrive, there was a sudden loud bang! Happened when a large truck's wind wave was sufficient to lift the boot(trunk) lid enough to release the catches and gravity promptly took effect! Suffice to say Noel and I were both surprised/alarmed until we realised what had happened.

Wade had earlier offered to rebuilt another waterpump for me to swap in at a later date and in the meantime to keep a close eye on the water level. Noel also offered a NOS waterpump HE has in stock but I declined that, instead opting for the Wade rebuild. However, and you read it here first Noel, after a later discussion with Wade I'm now going to take up your offer!!!

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Thursday 24th July 2014

Gina forwarded some photos she took yesterday.

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Tuesday 29th July 2014

Wade was down at the workshop today not primarily for Packard pursuits but to repair the air conditioning in Gina's Toyota Celica. Had previously bought a new condensor, the old one was leaking refrigerant gas, and was now taking the opportunity to replace the condensor and re-gas the system. By the time I arrived Wade had already reached the stage that he's replaced the condensor and was now waiting for the mobile air-con guy to arrive to re-gas the system. In the meantime another guy arrived and replaced the two rear hatch lift struts of the Celica.

But Celica's weren't what I was there for, rather it was the usual, cleaning a Packard part. To wit, the top for the trans Wade has rebuilt for the Coupe. After all, I cleaned everything else for the trans, why shouldn't I clean this too? Easy enough, it wasn't real dirty and a short session in the parts cleaner followed by a brake cleaner washdown and a session of the wire wheel for the gasket and exterior surfaces saw it looking much better than before.

Was also meeting Noel at the workshop because he was bringing over a waterpump for me to use in place of my leaking pump. But Noel didn't bring one pump, he brought two! One was a rebuilt unit from eBay. The other was a NOS pump from our trip to Hershey in 2012. The Hershey pump has a story to tell, one which started at the end of a loooong Hershey day while waiting at the truck for people to arrive for a lift back to our accommodation. One DAF, who for want of a better term was our FlackTourmaster, and who some say can literally smell Packard parts, was wandering the nearby vendors when he returned and pulled Noel from the back seat of the truck. DAF then took Noel over to one vendor and said, pointing to something in a box, "what's that?" That, as it turned out, was a NOS 120 water pump which Noel promptly bought at a bargain basement price. The self same 120 water pump I'll be swapping into the Coupe in the next few days. Besides checking the "feel" of the pump bearing a rudimentary leak test was conducted by blocking the water inlet with a large rubber knob and pouring water into the pump cavity then turning the fan flange and checking for a leak from the seal weep hole. All appeared dry until I dislodged the rubber knob and, besides spilling water over the floor, ran a goodly amount down my arm.

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Wednesday 30th July 2014

My limited mechanical skills were put to the test today by swapping Noel's NOS waterpump into the Coupe. Managed to remove the old waterpump without real incident except I dropped a 1/2" ring/open ended spanner(wrench) part way through the removal process. Took off the upper radiator hose inlet from the pump housing, likewise the heater hose return also from the pump inlet. Loosened the generator, that's when I dropped the spanner, and removed the fan belt, then removed the four bolts holding the fan and pulley to the water pump, managing NOT to drop any of those because of the confined working area. Then, with access now readily available, removed the four bolts holding the pump housing to the block. Pump out removed the pump to block gasket and cleaned the block surface.

Turning to Noel's waterpump, which came with 3 block gaskets and 1 waterpump plate gasket(the big one), cleaned all the mounting surfaces. Then commenced applying non hardening gasket cement to the metal surfaces, plate and big gasket and gently tightening up the 3 upper retaining bolts and nuts. Also had to fight my old pump housing to release 2 of the copper washers which are used for the 4 pump housing to block bolts. One especially put up one heck of a fight the other was more co-operative. Applied gasket cement to the pump housing, small gasket and block surface then commenced to struggle to align bolts with holes. Got one in easily but getting the next one aligned seemed almost impossible. But, if there's one thing I've learned from Wade it's perseverance. So I persevered and finally, and although it wasn't the planets aligning it certainly had the same importance as far as I was concerned. Then removed each bolt individually and gave them, and the copper washers too, a good coating of gasket cement. Tightened all the bolts in increments, including the upper plate retaining bolts, until all were secured.

Took a break at this point to 1) let the gasket cement have some time to set somewhat and 2) have lunch. Lunch break over returned and slipped on the fan belt. THIS TIME ensuring it was properly seated in the crankshaft pulley vee! Then came some of the real fun stuff, remounting the fan pulley and fan on the pump shaft. Didn't have an aligning spigot so used the next best thing, a wooden golf tee. The tee has been sitting on my desk for who knows how long and it was just the thing after I cut it to size. Hardest part was the initial alignment of pump shaft boss, pulley and fan. But by inserting the tee in the boss, carefully slipping the pulley on and then the fan this proved to be easier than I thought it would be. Now came the really tough part, getting the fan retaining bolts and washers started without dropping any. After getting the first two on without incident, and mentally congratulating myself for doing such a terrific job, I of course jinxed myself! Third bolt and washer disappeared into the depths of the front cross member under the crankshaft vibration damper. Fourth bolt and washer went on as easy as the first two, proving I shouldn't let my ego get the better of me.

Then it was off the get a plug for the heater hose outlet at the rear of the cylinder head. Reason being the NOS pump had a plug in it and not a hose fitting like the one that came off. Being fearful that if I tried to remove the hose fitting I would either damage or break it I choose not to. Instead removed the heater fitting from the head and a trip to Pirtek and AU$1.70 later I had a plug. Re-routed the remaining heater hoses so that they formed a closed circuit with the heater. And with it being winter here and a temperature of 24C today and 25C forecast for tomorrow, there's not a great necessity for a heater anyway. Shhhh, that temp is unseasonably warm for winter but with freezing point seldom reached in Sydney lack of an operating heater isn't that big a deal. Also called into the workshop for advice from John on what coolant to use. With our impending move to a colder climate I need to ensure the Coupe can cope with regular below freezing overnight temperatures.

Back home filled with coolant then performed final checks on all hose fittings, nuts, bolts, fan belt and generator tension and fitment. All looked well so fired her up and observed for a while. All appeared well, no leaks. Left the car running for a while while doing some tidy up of tools and stuff. Then back to the Coupe to find, a leak! Or leaks? Disappointment isn't a strong enough word, shattered might be better. Leak appears to be coming from the pump to block seal, or lack of it! But by this time I'd had enough, put the car away for the night just so I can do the same again tomorrow! Isn't that deja vu all over again?

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Mal, great idea about using a golf tee for a bolt pilot. Maybe some short pieces of dowling (sp.?) could be used too. Too bad about the coolant leak. Those garage gremlins always seem to turn up.

(o{}o)