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After many years laying idle in my garage, I decided to bite the $$$$ bullet and rebuild my engine. I still remember that cold wet winter morning when running late for work, I didn't pay old Betty blue the respect she needed by warming her up and BANG! Pushed her back in the carport where I pondered what damage I had done. She sat there for many years until I lucked on Fat Mike at J.H.Southcott's who was willing to take the job on. Mike's got a mint 1937 One Twenty coupe that's glorious. 8 months later I can almost see the light.
Engine is in but the old rare 7mm spark plug cables need replacing. Anyone know where to get a decent set? Otherwise I think I have to get them made to size in Sydney!

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Gene, I'd bet that bulk 7mm ignition wire and the two types of end-clips are readily available almost anywhere in the world. It would be a simple job to make up your own, nothing more than cutting to length and crimping the clips on.

Thanks for that idea Owen. I'm not sure how available it is. Heard motorcycles may use it. I'll be ringing stores like Repco, Supercheap auto, etc come Tuesday to see if I can make some up and save some time.

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Forget Repco and Supacheap....they will try to sell you silicon Resistor cables which are "death" to a 6V system with less than 10kv of ignition voltage. You should use wire ignition leads...same as dragsters use.. Go onto the Rare Spares website and you will find the cotton covered wire cable for early Holdens ( same as Packard in the 30's and 40's). Your cabling in 51 would have been non fabric nylon covered copper wire. They don't sell that in OZ anymore...it's all stainless wire. Ferrules for spark and distributor are available for DIY cable mutilation from the Rare Spares website. Good luck...PT

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Thanks Peter, that's the best help anyone's given me so far and highly appreciated! I will be following that up with rare spares, they gave me a form to fill out to get them made in Sydney, so I will check the web out n see if its the same deal as what they were banging on about last Friday.
I have more photos of my rebuild but I can't upload them due to some being a larger size, and I'm on my phone only at the mo, so can't resize them for now. The already uploaded ones were taken with the same mobile, so I'm still trying to figure out why some can be uploaded and others cant.
Re chromed the front bumper and put it on yesterday. Rather expensive but worth it given the state it was in. Apparently Packard added a higher nickel content to them due to the need for better quality metals for the Korean war production vehicles.

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Mike's garage is pretty full at the moment. Thinking he will be relieved to see the back of Betty blue. Bonnet on is next but now it looks like I need someone out to cut some keys, as I can't find my old ones anywhere, and never heeded the voice saying to get some spares cut when I had the chance. This means removing locks from the housing and finding a locksmith who takes off on you cause its in the "to hard" basket.
What a jerk, don't use Alchin locksmiths here in S.A. Doh!

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Gene,

Sorry to hear about your locksmith incident. Believe, if necessary, NOS locks and keys are available.

The '37 Convertible Coupe sitting below your Packard looks good.

Plus I googled JH Southcott , looks like an interesting place.

Re the locks, have you tried keys from your local Packard friends in the area? There were only 250 different keys used over all the years of Packard from 1935 onwards so, given a reasonable # of Packards in your area, your chances should be pretty good. Key #s were P-1251 thru P-1500. Most older Packard owners who have had a number of Packards over the years will often have quite a collection of keys.

I don't know how commonly known this is, but during the mid-30s and back the ignition key# was stamped in ink on the backside of the patent (VN#) plate. I don't know how long Packard continued this practice, last I ever took notice of was 1937.

Hi there Owen,
Mike tried his key's from the 37 120 but to no avail. He had to take the whole assembly out to take to the locksmith. That's done and she runs smooth as a new engine however I've a leaking water pump main seal and that's further bucks for replacement. So I'm just going to put up with it, keep a constant eye on the water level as I don't think there's an easy fix to it. The rear brake lights aren't on so I need another key cut for that and the doors. I'm hoping I can reach in with a coat hanger, grab the cables and just plug the leads back together with the rear seat removed. Hoping its nothing else!
I'd upload more photos but my cameras resolution is too high with some shots to upload.