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Thanks, Ernie. "But it's always something with that car," which this female friend of mine calls 'Mrs. Brown,' like I'm married to the Duchess. There may be an element of jealousy, like the famous Beatrice story, but after decades together, I'm just trying to be worthy of the gift she was when I was 17. She performs like a Packard once again, thanks to son John. She's never looked better. The big problems are solved, but niggling items still exist.

And probably always will.

Amen, Joe...Life is full of niggles! And I suspect your Lady Friend is a bit annoyed by 'Mrs Brown' Ernie in Arizona

IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING DEPT:
When I came back fro Seattle I heard a little clunk as I let out the clutch. This turned out to be a combinations of things:
worn drive shaft spline
worn axle
one of the NOS u-joints has a bit of movement

But in removing the rear drivers brake drum, which was stuck hard, it popped and that gave it a hairline crack, causing a ack-ack when I hit the brakes.

So now we need 2 drums (because that are worn also and don't have enough material to turn), 2 axle nuts (one was beat to heck and the other was stripped in the removal process), an axle (or 2).

To get rid of the clunk I need a slip yoke and spline or a complete drive shaft, and a new rear instead of NOS u-joint.

Of course this is the first year I entered the local concours...on July 15 (though I showed the car there last year).

So early tomorrow morning I'm headed to Washougal WA to Joe Block's to pull the parts from a 1942 Limo. I've since learned that most likely, the axles and hubs added in 1970 weren't from an ambulance, but from a limo.

WOW! Ernie in Arizona

REAR AXLE and BRAKE DRUMS:
I know you've seen it in this blog before, my motto, which is Dumb, but Lucky.

So this morning at 7 I left for Joe Block's, after some confusing info in the parts book (to me), so I wasn't sure if the brake drums of a 2007 would measure out for my weird rear-end. But they did.

But everything checked out so far. So I have my axle nuts, wheel bolts, axles, backing plates, keys, and da-da brake drums, which I dropped off at the brake place to turn and will be ready later today.

The flackmaster was in the wings, if things didn't work out here locally, which I appreciate. Hard to imagine I'd have this stuff within 24 hours. I may go back tomorrow afternoon to pull the drive shaft. That would complete my quest, if it all fits on Monday.

But talk about a happy camper!

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HOW MUCH CAN YOU TURN PACKARD BRAKE DRUMS.. particularly a 1940-42 1807-2007. The drums didn't get turned this weekend, so I have to take them in at 8am and they promised to do them then, before dropping them at the shop. One hold up was they didn't have a safety spec for how much they could turn the drum. It's not in the 40 160 manual. I couldn't find one in the motor manual.


Where does one find such a spec? Is this just general knowledge?
I was told the car had maybe 40 or 50K miles, so I doubt the drums have yet been turned.

Thanks in advance of 8 am. PDST

Federal law prohibits cutting more than .060

Thanks

The "new" drums cleaned up at .020" and were installed this afternoon. Also 'new' axle nuts. Only one axle needed replacing, so I have an extra, plus backing plate (to clean up). These changes pretty much eliminated any slip or slop in the rear-end.

Replacing the drive shaft spline will have to wait until after the Forest Grove Concours.
forestgroveconcours.org

Same with a u-joint. But it's barely noticeable.

I'm confident I'll be ready to drive to CA in August and attend car week at Pebble.

DROOPY DOOR HANDLES:
It would be nice to have a little clarity on how to correct this problem.

1. Replace the latch springs, available from John Ulrich. 2 different springs /latch

2a. Rebuild the latch shaft-holding mechanism, as we did here:
packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb ... at&order=ASC&type=&mode=0&start=710

2b. If you don't rebuild the latches as in 2a, then you can heat and twist the handle shaft to compensate for the sloppy/worn shaft holder.
UNLESS you have a convertible whose shafts, I discovered this morning, are too short to twist.

The above methods will cure the problem. I did these, so why did the handles still droop?

ANSWER: I had to separate the escutcheon from the handle in order to have them rechromed. Then they had to be put back together. Packard had a press that dug in and "smooshed" the shaft up tight against the escutcheon. We didn't have one of those.
Way back on Post #87packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb ... lat&order=ASC&type=&mode=0&start=80
shows the method we used to put them back together. We drilled a hole in the shaft and inserted a pin against washers/shims to hold them tight.

Getting these 2 pieces to fit really tight is critical. So after I removed my handles to have them heated/twisted and discovered that wasn't possible because they are so short, I shoved one more U-shaped shim behind each pin with an upholstery hammer and then the vice. They are very tight now.

Make sure your doors are aligned properly, and hinge pins are not worn, the slighted droop or misalignment will cause the latch to not fully close.