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Don't you need wipers?? How were they disabled?

Thanks Howard, I will see what my local hardware store has to offer.

ptv, yes I need wipers! At least for emergencies. A previous owner removed the vacuum lines going to the wiper motor and also the ones going to the switch in the steering column. I assume the wiper motor will need to be rebuilt. Maybe he was contemplating an electric wiper conversion since a 12v conversion was already started.

I read on time where it was recommended to use Vaseline to lube the inside of the wiper motor. They do make an electric replacement wiper motor for Packard. I think they run about 200 bucks for one though, 2 speed with park.
John

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There is a procedure on how to lube the wiper motor in a late 40s service counselor. I believe the guys familiar with lubes have suggested using vacuum pump oil instead of the Trico oil the article mentions. The procedure has helped some but not others. If the felts on the paddle are worn or gaskets shrunk so it is leaking internally it doesn't do much good and motor has to be rebuilt.

On the electric, it is Newport Engineering's kit. Nice kit and a bolt on although you might have to add a spacer under the mounting ears.

Downside is the 12v and the need for and size of the electrical switch.. I don't remember exactly how much space there is in the original location between the shroud and the steering column -- not much I am sure. Unless you can solder wires to come off the sides of the switch terminals and protect them from shorting to the steering column and then maneuver the switch into the column, I believe you will have to hang the switch under the dash or drill a hole in the dash. By the time wires are attached in the normal fashion switch is long and fairly sure it won't fit in the space in the column.

If you wanted to keep the switch original or conversion reversible you could build a little module using two microswitches to replace the Newport switch functions. Rig the cable of the original switch up to operate a simple slider to work the microswitches. I did a more involved version of that on my 56 because I wanted to keep the original switch and the washer co-ordinator function intact.

Thanks guys...I'll probably try using the wiper oil to see what happens but eventually will have to send the motor out for a rebuild. I don't want to convert to electric wipers.

9-21-16

Tomorrow my speedometer cable from Gerry should be arriving so I crawled under the car to remove the old one. While I was under there, I figured it was a good time to remove the overdrive lockout cable. Both came out without much drama, but the routing seemed odd.

On the speedometer cable, I found 2 very old clothes pins attached to it! What could that be for? Did a previous owner attempt to cure vapor lock and mistake it for the fuel line?

The overdrive cable had a 90 degree angle to it. I straightened it out and now it moves! That was a relief. It is still a little hard to move so I'm going to have to lube it somehow.

This makes me question if the car was originally a stick or converted at some point? Anyone know the proper routing for the speedometer cable and overdrive lockout cable? The way they are on my car does not seem factory. I also noticed a lot of oil covering the trans so that will need to be addressed at some point.

Here are some pics. Sorry for taking them in the driveway. I didn't know my driveway would reflect so much.

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"On the speedometer cable, I found 2 very old clothes pins attached to it! What could that be for? Did a previous owner attempt to cure vapor lock and mistake it for the fuel line?"

I still don't understand clothes pins on fuel line. Wood is not a good conductor of heat or are they using them to keep the line from touching other surfaces? Now those big larger metal paper clips would be a different story to transfer heat.
Wes

9-25-16

Taking a break from the car right now. So far I have lubed the replacement speedometer cable with graphite and the overdrive cable with grease. The bolts that hold the overdrive knob bracket under the dash are now stripped out and won't hold it in place. The speedometer gear is very tight in the new cable and doesn't appear to go all the way in. It is very easy to insert in the old cable. Argh!

Even with the speedometer inner cable pulled out, the speedometer gear is not fitting easily.

UPDATE: There is definitely something wrong with the new speedo cable and/or my existing speedometer gear. Even with it in the position in the pics it is too tight to move.

I loosely reinstalled the overdrive lockout cable. I will have to look up how to adjust it. I also removed what was left of the overdrive wiring harness. I will make a new one.

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9-28-16

Made some progress over the last few days. I was able to make a new wire harness for the overdrive system. I had to leave some wires long because they were cut by a previous owner and I wouldn't know how long they should be until it was in the car.

Today I got the overdrive lockout cable back on. I used the same route it was originally even though it doesn't seem right. I've been looking at pics of engine bays to try to see what the routing is supposed to look like but I haven't found a picture that shows it. I have to look up any adjustments because I'm not sure how the lockout switch is supposed to work.

I also have most of the wires hooked up. There is supposed to be a wire from the governor to the lockout switch that is missing on my car. I can't see where iris supposed to connect so a lot more cleaning is in order.

I also still need to wire in the kick down switch, the wire that goes to the ignition switch (which went to the circuit breaker behind the instruments on my car) and the wire that goes to the coil.

I'm working with Gerry on why my speedometer cable and gear do not like each other.

After I get all back together I still don't know if it will work or there is some component that was defective to begin with!