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Have made good headway in getting the parts car apart but it was all just disassembly so not much to post. I am leaving Oregon on Tuesday but I am pleased with the progress for this short visit.

In the process of the disassembly, I noticed a couple things, one of which is an odd rectangular hole below the rear seat heater. It appears die-cut rather than simply chopped out but I couldn't seem to get a good enough photo to show its depth. Any ideas what it is for?

The floors in the car appear to be rock-solid without even any surface rust, possibly due to its long storage of not being totally closed up so that it could air and dry out quickly. It did sit outside for some time and I have no idea how long it sat before I bought it but so far so good and the other Patrician is probably at least as good.

However, just as I was about done for the day yesterday I discovered a tiny hole at the bottom side of the recess where the body hold-down bolt goes at the driver's door. Of course, I've not yet pulled off three of the sill plates so not sure what's lurking and there might be some work needed on the rockers.

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One more photo of the roll pin removal tool I made from a C clamp. The compete setup is shown in post #39 on page 4 of this blog. Forgot to mention that the pins are in very tightly so had to remove the wire lever that came on the C clamp and weld a nut to the end so I could use a gear wrench for added torque.

On the rectangular opening, I wonder if it is for a different heater. Some like the one in the 47 have a motor that extends under the floor. Maybe the square is to accommodate something like that or maybe a heater with different plumbing layout.

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Thank you, Howard. I remember you had shown me this press but I recall (or THINK I recall - maybe I dreamed it!) seeing one somewhere in one of the Packard manuals that was pliers-like and am looking for that photo.

On the hole, it is definitely the stock 1954 heater and is identical to the one in my other 1954. The hole does not go through to the outside but rather seems to open into a narrow pocket between panels and appears die-cut rather than chopped out. I suppose I'll have to see if it's also there under the heater of my other Patrician when I get that far!

Don't remember any but will keep an eye out for pliers like roll pin tools. Do remember valve lifter checking, upholstery hog ring, and hose clamp removal tools that are pliers like that I think have been shown in Packard photos but can't think of any roll pin at the moment.

Another question. Does the brake pedal's pivot shaft push out to the right? In case it doesn't, I don't want to damage anything trying to get it out and I can turn it a tiny bit so it's not completely stuck but it doesn't seem to want to slide out either. The firewall padding is just about the only thing left inside to be removed and, while it's not reusable, I still want to take it out as intact as possible.

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IIRC, the brake pedal pivot bracket bolts to the cowl wall and it and the shaft are one assembly. Check in the engine side and you will find the nuts that hold the assembly to the wall. The pad will have to be moved out of the way to get the bracket out. JWL

The pad has only two slots for the bracket tabs go through so there is no way to remove the pad first without destroying it. Since the shaft is keyed to the pedal and therefore must pivot (but doesn't because it's stuck), now that I'm back at the shop and looking at it, I can't see it working any other way!

The parts car needs a new Treadle-Vac cylinder casting and, even though far off from an actual restoration, I want to rebuild it to put into the other Packard to get it driveable before I start working on it, especially as it runs so well. A good shake-down will give me an idea of problem areas.

If the Treadle-Vac master cylinder is Bendix, does that mean that the booster is too or were they sometimes mixed with Delco-Moraine? If the latter, is there any external designation to know which I have? I see it on the casting that it's Bendix but can find nothing on the booster.

Also, how was the Treadle-Vac finished? Painted (what color?), plated or left bare?

Packard did not use the Delco Moraine.

The booster portion was natural metal finish as was the die cast portion. The lid and cap were plated copper.

I don't remember how the pin on the bracket removes and don't have anything to look at but is obvious it does in order to remove the pad. If it turns at all there is probably a burr or corrosion on the pin that is preventing it from sliding. Can you use penetrating oil and by grabbing it with pliers try to rotate and push or pull at the same time one direction or the other to move the shaft a bit and then get a file or wire brush on the areas that were in the holes?