Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

If you're wooried aboutthe clamps damaging the paint, putting in back on with two guys is pretty simple and you won't need the clamps. Put you pieces of wood at both ends. Then you gently lay the head on the studs and lower it by removing one wood piece at a time. 3/4 inch thickness works well.

Some advice on painting the head. I ran into a problem where the paint cracked around the washers when I torqued down the bolts. I actually took the head off again, sanded down around the bolts holes and repainted it. If I had to do it again, I would put washers on the bolt holes to mask the area under the acorn nuts. Of course when I painted the head, it was much better than it came from Packard.

Ken, I have seen your detail work posted before and I am surprised you did not hand wax each washer prior to installation! If I ever get my car half as nice as yours I will be very happy indeed. I do have to decide on whether to paint the head or not at this point, the restoration is around 10 years old, and the engine compartment is very presentable but not show. I just wonder if it would look better if things sort of match or not, as it still looks pretty good. I will detail all the paintwork while things are apart - clean and wax the firewall, horns, etc.

Just a quick comment, Tom's idea about the clamps made the job 100% easier. I had a helper, we had elaborate plans but just ended up lifting the head, he held it for a minute while I walked around to his side and we moved it to my bench. Literally a 60 second task.

Things look good in there, although I am contemplating leaving head alone other than a check for flatness as it had what looks to me like a cheaper aftermarket gasket on it; telling me that the head has been off before. It was VERY easy to unbolt, so I wonder if there was enough torque there.

Will miss Rhinebeck, NY, a big show up here I really wanted to get to next weekend, but will make our Memorial day parade at least!

The ony thing I see with usingthe clamps, is with my luck and mechanical skills, somehow they would come loose and I would dropped it on a fender.

You could spend a little extra time and paint the engine. I bought a quart of the Hirsch enamel. I used one of those Preval compressed air can/painting to do the rest of the engine.

I've read somewhere where some have used regular acrylic enamel and had it mixed at a paint store. The beauty of that is if you run out of touch up paint, you can go back and get more. I was as told thatthe color on Hirsch's paint can vary noticeably from can to can. Howwever Hirsh's paint on my engine is hold up fine.

You know I did polish the washers before I put them on.

Yes, I am thinking about it especially since I am cleaning up the rest of the engine compartment. Took the head to a machine shop today and was happy to find out the owner has a '29 640 roadster at home. Needs to be checked but at first glance he said it looked ok.

Quote:
Steve,

Good to hear about the head, even better to hear the machine shop owner has a Packard! And of course you alerted him to PackardInfo and adding his '29 640 roadster to the Owner Registry?