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Mal, you're always on the ball to get everybody's Packard in the registry, but I looked for Amelia and she's not in there!
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If you need help contact Mal

Thursday 31st July 2014

"Too bad about the coolant leak. Those garage gremlins always seem to turn up."

Hmmmm, overnight it seems the friendly fairies intervened and counteracted the garage gremlins. Got to the Coupe late morning and after driving it out of the garage, and letting it run for a while, couldn't find any leaks! Let it run for a good while, and with the temp gauge on normal, still no leaks. Looks like the overnight sitting was enough for the gasket sealant to take effect. Turned the car off and let it sit for another hour then topped up with about 3 litres of coolant and went for about a 13 mile drive. Temperature today was right about the forecast 25C and driving was urban, with a fair bit of traffic light to traffic light stop start, so a good test. Part way through the drive stopped at a supermarket for about 15 minutes and the only minor coolant drips on the pavement were from the overflow tube with no sign of leaks from the pump gaskets. Likewise on reaching home, no sign of leaks. Will be going for further drives in the near future then thinking of pulling the fan and pulley off to re-tighten the pump bolts again.

"you're always on the ball to get everybody's Packard in the registry, but I looked for Amelia and she's not in there!"

I know, a pity, she would have made a nice addition. I have told Ross about PackardInfo but I think he's unlikely to join. Although I'll work on it again when I see him mid September.

That's interesting Mal. I guess it was just that the sealant hadn't cured. Hope that is the end of the problem! Didn't realise you will be moving to Bowral later - lovely place to live I reckon.

What probably happened is that the gasket was dried out a little, and it expanded enough with the coolant/water that it sealed.

Tuesday 23rd September 2014

Looks like The Fossil is finally about to move to her new home. Wade was at the workshop today preparing her for the journey north tomorrow morning on the back of a tilt tray truck. Part of preparation was ensuring she'd run so she could be driven on the truck rather than be winched on. I arrived just in time for the start up. First some fuel was pumped through the fuel pump and carb and then she roared into life. And when I say roared I, I mean ROARED! Going full throttle from the get go. Wade was inside the cabin trying to pull the throttle back with his toe, while I was on the other side to the carb having just observed the bowl on the fuel pump filling. Raced around to the carb side but Matt, a mechanic at the workshop, beat me to it. Simply by placing the palm of his hand over the top of the carb, the air cleaner was off, starved the engine of oxygen and she shut down. Tried again, after disconnecting the throttle linkage but with the same result. This time I placed my hand on the carb and strangled the engine after after pushing the throttle linkage manually had no effect. Wade then observed manual operation of the butterflies, looked good. Then checked the needle and seat, also looked good. With nothing apparent, then took the carb off the manifold to check the float. What a procedure! Not the easiest of carbs to work on with the choke linkage requiring disconnection and 3 restricted access screws on the underside. The 4 screws on top are a snap by comparison. Top off and the float is good. With the top off testing of the needle and seat became easier and this is where the problem is. The needle is one of those with a rubber(?) tip and was sticking open! I left Wade as he was about to depart for Carburettor Service Company to obtain a replacement needle and seat. Trust that Tim at CSC has what Wade needs.

While at the workshop who should call in but DavidM, our early Packard guru. David was there to pick up a set of repro door sills for the '30 740 Limousine he's finishing a resto of. Car was originally owned by his mate. But with the sudden demise of his mate and the car half finished David has stepped in and bought the car to complete it. When the car was picked up from Brisbane, about 550 mile north, there were some parts missing including the doorsills. These were found recently and were picked up when we had a recent Packard run on the Gold Coast about 60 miles south of Brisbane. 12 Packards on the run and about 50 people with a good time had by all. (Last 3 photos by E Wheeler)

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hi mal; hope things are going well for you down under. i was looking at the pictures of the fossil and noted in jpg(114.71kb) that the linkage with the spring on it for the accelerator pump is upside down. there is a small locking screw inside the big screw. have fun with the packards. jon

Sharp eyes there, Dell! It indeed is upside down and can cause several problems - the accelerator pump will bottom out before the throttle plate is fully opened and if forced can do damage to the carb. Also note the pivot screw, like almost all Strombergs of the era, (unless it's been previously damaged and rethreaded) is a left-hand thread.

Wednesday 24th September 2014

Dropped into the workshop this morning before heading off to the Southern Highlands. Found The Fossil parked outside waiting for the Tilt Tray but couldn't stay to see her loaded up and then wave her goodbye. Yesterday Wade was able to source a new full brass needle from Tim at CSC. Tim didn't have the exact needle but one a little longer was soon ground down to size and after the float level was re-set the racing engine problem was duly overcome.
And Jon, for the heads up about "the linkage with the spring on it for the accelerator pump is upside down", I've alerted Wade.

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Thursday 8th January 2015

Hope not too many have been waiting for the next installment in this long running saga? But it finally happened, long overdue though it was, and the Coupe made the 270 mile round trip to the NEW Wade's Workshop on the Central Coast. This was so she could receive some treatment at the hands of Doctor Wade including installation of a new handbrake cable and a general check over prior to it's annual registration inspection next week.

Teed up the trip about a week ago but then received a phone call from a guy, also on the Central Coast, who had some Packard parts he was hoping to re-unite with the Packard they came from. Turns out Ashley was the mechanic who did the work on a '40 160 Club Coupe and after the former owner passed away, and his cars were sold, there were leftover parts! As a matter of fact I did know the car and it's owner, Andrew, a member of our Packard club. I'd first seen the Coupe when it was auctioned in 2010 when Andrew bought it. Saw it again later that year, then in 2012 when the club had a run to see Andrew's collection. One item noted by Noel, at that time, was it didn't have the correct air cleaner. I believe that Andrew subsequently bought an air cleaner off eBay. If only he'd waited! He now has another, as well as a radio "box" and speaker, a water pump and a wiper tower and spare distributor rotor, all picked up from Ashley on my way to Wade's. Ashley is an interesting guy with a lean to hot rods with a '28 Ford Model A "daily driver" with Ford flathead V8 with a dual carb Offenhauser intake, nice set of convoluted exhaust pipes, alternator, Toyota 5 speed trans, Chrysler Centura rear end but still not finished after being on the road for 7 years! Apparently this year the upholstery is slated to be done, that is if he can be torn away from his '34 Ford 5 Window Coupe project. Ashley is looking to specialise in old or older cars and to help him along in this regard, Aussies, a pic of his business decal is attached. Among the things that Ashley told me, and I don't know if Andrew knows this, is that when the previous owner bought the Coupe the roof had been chopped off. The previous owner in bringing it to Ashley for mechanical work was talking with another guy in the shop one day and it transpired that this guy was the guy who had removed the top for still another owner, but fortunately still had the top! And, thankfully, the coupe was dutifully reunited with it's top.

Anyway, after picking up the '40 stuff, continued to Wade's where the first order of business was replacing the MM handbrake cable with another MM handbrake cable. Result, the hand brake now works. Looks like the first hand brake cable failed soon after installation. Next was checking all the little things for rego, such as lights, horn and wipers. Horn and wipers were good, but the brake lights as well as both front indicators weren't working. Brake lights were fixed with a new hydraulic switch, silicon fluid just "loves" those switches. While both indicator bulbs had blown.

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Nice to read another exciting episode. Love the Model A hot rod.

(o{}o)

Edit: Is the brace on the air cleaner-silencer stock? Maybe repaired at some time in its past?