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I managed to get the transmission cooler reinstalled last night but only after slightly bending its mounting taps. Otherwise it was impossible to get it over the studs to which it attaches! The upper line to the transmission is attached now too but the lower won't go in so I'll have to fuss with its alignment a but more. It seems to me that when I installed it before the front clip was removed but if so I have no idea how I got the lower hose back onto the radiator that way.

While working on the Patrician, a new roll-up door to the shop was installed as the last time I was here the old one's torsion sprint broke making it impossible to open. I replaced another door too recently and both had insulated while the old were not. My goal this visit was not to work on the Patrician so much as I thought changing the fan would take only a couple hours but that turned out to not be the case!

Finally got the lower transmission cooler line connected. After tightening a couple loose hose clamps, I started it up and it’s far quieter than it was with the flex fan! So far, no sign of coolant leaks around the thermostat housing but there is not much coolant in it either. Before running it I thought I saw the hint of a leak but running it, nothing appeared.

Also, I found why the fan is not aligned by anything, which is that it isn’t the proper pump. All my other pumps are identical to the one in the car so it was a puzzle until I found the one below which is noticeably longer compared to the one in the lower photo which is like the one in the car.

Who does water pump rebuilding these days and will I have to take out the radiator again to replace it?

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I added a gallon and a half of coolant and no sign of leakage around the thermostat housing. I hope that lasts!

I also removed the small starter wire from the solenoid and reconnected the body feed so that the battery would charge. It smoothly up to temperature but as I was about to shut it off with the key, it shut itself. It just bogged down and died so if not electrical (ie, the ignition switch) then there is likely debris in the fuel line. No time today to look at that, though, so it will have to wait.

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Its close quarters but on my '54 Patrician I removed and replaced the water pump without removing the radiator. I suggest a piece if thin cardboard covering the core to protect both the fins and your knuckles.

That's great to know and now I can sleep nights not worrying about doing it again.

As for the car stalling this afternoon, I'm not sure why it stalled as it's getting plenty petrol but the reason I couldn't help by pressing the accelerator is that the ball wasn't pushed into the rubber of the pedal and fell out! I knew it wasn't in when I put the column together but then forgot about it.

Also, I have several NORS AC filters but this car has the Carter type. I have seen the AC filters in the earlier '50s cars so was the Carter type proper for 1954?

The brakes seem quite touchy and I don't recall if Treadle-Vacs were always like that or it something is amiss. No matter, it's not going on the road for quite a while.

This car, being in storage for so long, had no wiper blades so a few days ago I put on a pair of NOS Trico that I had. However, in the parked position they are about 2” apart so should it have had 12” blades rather than these 11” blades?

I’m going to soon replace the aluminum head as the one on it is very corroded around the thermostat housing and I understand that these aluminum heads should have a copper-clad head gasket to minimize electrolysis which is one of the causes of corrosion on these heads.

Looking at the Parts Listing, I thought it would show as a different part number but oddly 1954 Patrician (5406) is not listed at all! Has anyone heard of the special gasket?

Info. from Packard parts book.....Gr. 5.0504 p/n 446940 fits 5406..all steel no copper..

Steel head gasket with aluminum head doesn't sound to good.....

John, it does not sound like a good idea to me either!

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That’s the one I found too but no mention of 5406 in the digitized database version of the parts book. However, Best #717C has steel on one side and copper on the other although oddly (to me) it is recommended to put the copper against the block and the steel against the head when I would have expected it to be the other way around.