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Random pictures of my recent purchase.

Random questions:

Rodent turds appeared to be "melted" toward the rear of the engine on the head (pictured). I had a hard time scraping them off with a wood chisel,as I did around each spark plug.This was not the case anywhere else on the car or engine as it just blew off.Any idea why that was the case?

Can this front end ice tray grill (forgive me if it is known otherwise) replace the horizontal one on my two door? I've always liked the ice tray one.I hope I have not offended any purists here.

There are a couple of hairline cracks on the rear grill piece under the trunk. Can pot metal,if that's what it is,be repaired?

The lights appeared to be new.Hmmmm?

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More of the Packard...

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The last bunch...

By the way,I forgot to take a pic of the firewall vehicle ID,but I will the next time I open the hood.

Question: Why don't rat turds decompose? Are they harmful to to one's health if exposed for too long to them? The rear seat is loaded,and I was shoveling them out of the trunk when I went to put tires on it. About ten good size shovel loads,and there is plenty left.

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Unless your 2 door is a 23rd series Super 8, I don't think the 'ice tray' grill will interchange with any of the other 'horizontal' grills.

Hi Palanirides

From the photos, looks as if you got the Custom Eight down off the mountain. Sounded like that was going to be an ordeal, tell us how you managed that.

As far as grille interchanges, I believe you'll find that the units that fit the 120" wb models and the 127" wb models aren't interchangeable. An easy way to check is to tape a string tight from headlight center to center for a datum line, measure the width of the upper grille and the height from the string line to the top of the grille. Doing so for each wheelbase will show the difference.

Now, within the 23rd Series 127"wb models, the Super Eights have three large thick horizontal bars fitted into the same grille shell casting as the Custom's egg-crate grille. To confuse things further, the 23rd Series Super Deluxe Eight has the Custom Eight egg-crate. After reading Mr. Neal's 1948-50 book, we know this was done to utilize Custom-unique parts after that model was discontinued.

The 22nd Series Eights, Eight Deluxe and Super Eights share the smaller, horizontal bar grille as well as the 23rd Series Eights and Eight Deluxe.

Steve

There are a couple of hairline cracks on the rear grill piece under the trunk. Can pot metal,if that's what it is,be repaired?

They say anything can be repaired by a broken heart. If the crack isn't damaging the structural integrity of the part, it can be cleaned and filled with solder. Those chromium platers who deal with white metal repair would do this after stripping the existing plating and prior to replating.

It is a renumbered car, originally built as a 22nd series 1948 model and renumbered as a 1949 22nd series. Would you please provide the theft-proof number and the Briggs body number, and the motor# if possible. Thanks.

Quote:

I believe the droppings form a hard dry shell on the outside and typically just lay there. My guess as to why they stuck to the block is there was moisture condensed or maybe ran down onto the engine and the offerings were just melted into the mix. As to the danger, aside from the usual filth, with rats from drier climates there is a real problem with their being carriers of a hantavirus. It has been prevalent in some areas of Arizona and the desert SW in general. Even hit as far north as Yosemite Park a few years ago. It is a little late now for advice but hopefully you were wearing a dust mask when you did the shoveling.

I was 49Custom8Convert - changed my handle to 19482255 to reflect the car I bought.

I saw your newly-acquired Packard custom 8 4DR on c-list months ago now. Pretty fair price, despite its tough pickup location and decomposed state. Came out of Sylmar, right? That's close to me. I hadn't gotten my 48 custom club down here yet, but I could use some chrome pieces off your car if any are available that you decide you won't be using.

On the rodent droppings - same story with my 2255. Interior was crusted with them, engine compartment too. Did a bit of research before I dove in. CDC website advises that for a period of time after the droppings are freshly 'laid' they carry risk of airborne infectious diseases if the dust is inhaled. After (I think a week), the risk drops exponentially and if no live rodents are present and it's been months or years since the live infestation, the risk is minimal.

That said, common sense and good judgement would dictate wearing a micron filter particulate dust-mask (for filtering out airborne hazardous allergens, viruses, etc.), gloves, long shirts and pants, maybe even eye protection if rodents crawled up in the headliner (like they did on mine).

In other words, don't take a roll in the hay inside your new Packard just yet.

Here ya go,Owen.Sorry it's taken me a while.

By the way,I have a lead on a 1951 288 engine with an automatic transmission attached to it.It supposedly ran when they pulled it out late last year.

I thought of going up and purchasing it given the dirt cheap price and that it supposedly ran until recently,which is more than I can say for the 288 in my two door'49 -- I have no ideal when it ran last. One can never accumulate enough parts,right,and I could throw it in my car and at least try to have it running.

Question: With it coming off a '51 automatic will hooking it up to the '49 car's current three speed be pretty seamless? Any major (or minor) design changes twixt the 1949 and 1951 straight 8 engines I should be made aware of that might be a headache?

Thanks.

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The biggest problem you will face is that the engine mount for your 49 is at the front, the ones on the 51 are at the side. You will have to use your timing cover, front plate, damper, water pump and other details from the 49 on the 51 engine. At the back, everything will work but you will need to find a late 49-54 pilot bearing to use in the end of the crank if your earlier car did not have the large style yet.