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I believe the same tool was used to take off the crank hole cover on the radiator shell and to remove the chromed center hubs on the wheels - so, does anybody make this tool or know where a poor guy in Louisiana can find an original? As many older Packards as there are out there, it seems like somebody would've made this tool again, without it, getting that cover off or removing those centers is a lot of work!

Also, I'd pay good money for somebody to reproduce that cursed "special tool" Packard made for adjusting the lock nut tappets! It's illustrated in the shop or parts manual, forget which one, but that sure would make adjusting valves infinitely easier!

Thanks!

Do you have photos of the tool or what it is used for? Perhaps someone could 3D print one... depends on the strength required.

Are the tools mentioned when this question was asked last year no longer available or is this tool need for something completely different?packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb ... 4941&post_id=239560#forumpost239560

Kanter doesn't have them, and the link for the other one was just for one original wrench for sale - it was sold before I got to it. To my knowledge, nobody reproduces them.

If the tool for sale was just a one off original then you are probably correct and no one reproduces them. Is it specifically the correct tool only that you wanted or do you just need something to remove the crank hole cover.

If cover removal is all that is needed, what is the width for the hex recess as measured across the flats. If it is a standard US size or maybe something in between that a metric size might work with, what about getting a hex head bolt or nut in that width and weld it onto a handle. That would be about as inexpensive as it gets and might do the job until another proper tool comes along.

You might find an offset wench that comes in the size for the other end of the tool but the larger size offset wrenches are somewhat expensive. The size wrench that appears to be inside the crank hole end and used for whatever other function might be the only one not able to be worked around.

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It would have to be a darned big bolt! I'm not home at the moment, but spit balling, that hex is probably about 3-1/2" across. And to remove the hubs, they're screwed on pretty tightly, the crank hole cover shouldn't take a whole of effort to get it off, but, to get at repacking wheel bearings and things such as that, you've gotta' be able to take that hub off.

For the crankhole cover, once you have a dimension it might be possible to find a nut to fit. McMaster-Carr has several with flats in the 3"-3 1/2" range. Those are available individually and priced $15-20 and above. Once over about 3 1/4" or so they start getting more expensive. If it is a larger size than 3" it might be cheaper to just layout a pattern and use a jigsaw to cut a hex shape from flat steel or aluminum plate and attach some sort of handle.

Of course that won't help the other end needed for the hubcaps so that part could get expensive to find an offset wrench that large. If an ordinary socket would work Amazon has some large sizes -- also fairly expensive. They do list something less expensive called wheel bearing sockets at 3" and greater which look to be a thinner walled stamped steel item. Those appear to use a standard 1/2 or 3/4 socket wrench but probably would not be strong enough if the nut torque is similar to axle nuts on later cars..

I can reproduce them if I had a sample to borrow for a few weeks.

I bought mine on Ebay and have seen several since that time.

Funny thing, I was doing some prototype work, I don't care to remember on what, and we needed one of those thin wrenches. I told them I thought I had one at home and I brought it in the next day. It was an old Craftsman tappet wrench.

So you can look on junkbay for some, or go to one of the tool companies like Cornwell, buy some long combination wrenches and grind them thin.

I love making my own stuff.

For the crank hole cover you can go to a plumbing supply and get PVC fixings to make up a non-marring tool or make one out of wood.

We never used tools on the disc wheel hubcaps. Almost all the 7th series and earlier cars are chewed up from that. Rubber strap wrenches from junkdepot work fine.