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Hi Mal

Ja it seems you are still busy with the dirty business. You would make a good steam locomotive driver! At least you will be sure that it is 100% when you are finished! The underneath is probably the toughest part but once it is finished you dont have to do it soon again! Keep at it.

Wednesday 19th March 2008

Still more scraping. Finished the front frame rails and crossmembers and underbody. One thing I did find though, was more rust than I thought there was. It's just in one spot, at the right front bottom of the body shell where it curves back under the car. Knew there was one rust hole there but with more vigorous scraping in that area other smaller holes came through. There is also a lot of dirt inside that area so when it's cut out I'll clean it all out and de-rust before the patches are welded in place. I think it most likely happened from a leaking windscreen seal but the car has a new seal now so should be OK in the future.

Then onto the engine, started on the right side and to provide access to the block removed the generator. This type of scraping is different to that required for the frame and underbody. For one thing it's oily and greasy gunk of different consistencies from almost runny to hardened depending exposure to heat or continued exposure to oil. Found the casting date on the lower rear right side of the motor, being: 3 28 41.

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Mal,

For greasy dirt, I have found Easy Off (Fume Free) to work really well on my 30. Just don't get it on chrome or nickel plate, as it will spot it. Spray it on, leave for 10 minutes, then scrub with a brass or soft steel brush and rinse. Be sure to rinse the area well, as the mild (very mild) acid will continue to etch.

Tom

I agree with that. Oven Cleaner works really well on removing that gunk from the engine. I let it sit a little longer as most oven cleaner is heat activated, and with my engine not running, I let it sit for a couple hours then hosed it off. Just keep that spray off rubber, wiring, or any other painted or plated surfaces.

A positive side affect of using oven cleaner is that the concrete under the engine was cleaner after doing this.

Quote:

Yup. I actually used oven cleaner and a power washer to clean my garage floor last weekend. I wouldn't call it spotless, but I can now lay down on the floor and not get up looking like I emerged from the tar pits!

Cheers,

Tom

Thursday 20th March 2008

Did it again! Finished composing my post last night, Thursday here in Oz, then added a picture and then uploaded it and what happens - Lost it! Regular readers will know this is a familiar occurrence with me and I used to think I was either too trusting or much too naive. Now that it's happened again, I realise that actually I'm too long-winded with my posts and it times me out. And this time, in the resurrection of this post, it did it again! I wonder why, another long-winded post no doubt, but I did learn from last night and copied it before I previewed the post, Whew! After all, how could anyone have such a fascination with scraping the underside of a Packard and for so long at that! Looks like I'll have to find a new focus for my obsessive-compulsive behaviour in another Packard related task as this aspect is finally drawing to a close.

Further scraping was done of the engine, bell-housing, trans and aero-drive. Reason this is taking so long is the in-situ nature of the task with restrictions on access to these parts. Also found the same casting date on the left side of the engine, 3 28 41, as on the right side, good to know it's the same - LOL! Have already taken off generator and will de-mount distributor, starter and tail-shaft to finish this task and after scraping top of trans and other closely related parts through the trans floor plate cover will get to the cleaning phase. And thanks to you guys for your tips for this part of the operation but after talking with Wade he's suggested spaying on brake cleaner so I'll give that a go.

Among other matters I discussed with Wade were re-woodgraining the dashboard, which I rang Harvey about on Wednesday night. Harvey said he's snowed under with work and other matters at the moment but that he should be able to do it in about 3 to 4 weeks time. Reason I ran it past Wade was to get his input as to whether this would impact much on the re-assembly which WILL start soon! Wade was OK with the time-frame so I rang Harvey again and advised we'd go ahead and he suggested I follow-up Noel, the owner of the other 41 Coupe here in Oz, to see if his still has the colour and pattern on the dash for Harvey to use as a template, and this I'll do.

Another matter was the new wiring harness which arrived on Wednesday from Vintage Wiring Harness in Melbourne, and does it look good. Especially when compared to the ratty tatty perished original which they also returned, along with full tagging of the new harness and instructions and lists identifying the wires and their applications.

Still another matter was the front most manifold bolt had appeared to sheer when I removed the heat shield over the fuel pump. And was I relieved that it wasn't me who did it, as the age of the rust on the sheer indicated it was an old injury, but it is one more thing needing fixing.

Final '41 related matter taken up with Wade was the rust in the right front inner body panel. As Wade was going down to the panelbeaters to pick up the oil-filter for his '34 which had some dents removed, he said he talk to them about the '41's rust situation. As Wade tells it, he was talking to the former owner the old guy who started the business and drops in occasionally and the old guy said something like "It's no good talking to them(his son's mind you) about it, they wouldn't #$%^&*@ know what to do. I'll come down myself and have a look." So it looks like the rust repair aspect is in hand.

There was a further Packard related matter I took up with Wade, this time on behalf of Eric, aka Turbopackman, who is in the process of accumulating the pieces for his Packard Speedster project. Eric was after a period type Packard Gauge Plate and Gauges for the Project and it came to me that Wade has a '34 parts car for his '34 project and Wade told me last week he did still have the dash and gauges. So after speaking with Eric in the chatroom as to whether a '34 dash would suffice in lieu of his preferred '37 Super 8 I approached Wade about this subject. Although Wade was positive about the dash and gauges there was a BUT - He wouldn't part with the parts car pieces until his '34 was up and all the gauges in it had been checked out as OK. BUT - There was another but, being he also has a further Gauge Plate which Eric could have. When I asked how much he wanted for it, he said Eric could have it for nothing and added "wasn't that what we are here together for as Packard owners to help each other out"! Needless to say the Gauge Plate should now be winging it's way over the Pacific to Eric, who has voiced his thanks to Wade by email including the offer of amber refreshments should their paths cross!

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And Eric is EXTREMELY grateful for all that his "brother from down under" has done for him, from giving me ideas on the chat to now this. I couldn't ask for anything more! (to steal from a Toyota ad...)

Thursday 27th March 2008

After the Easter break wasn't able to get to the workshop until today. Spent my time scraping top, sides and bottom of bell-housing, trans and aero-drive and parts of block and sump, access permitting. To facilitate access on the right side of the engine removed both the distributor and starter motor, photographing the distributor so we know which way to put it back in. Of course the '41 wouldn't give up the distributor without a fight. So in trying to pull it free after wiggling it first to "break the seal" it resisted then let go jarring the inside of my left arm against a post mounted on the frame for the electromatic clutch! Bloody hurt, drawing blood and leaving a red mark, the '41 wasn't going to surrender its hold on the spark of life easily. After all this, started washing down the engine, bell-housing, trans and aero-drive with brake cleaner and an old paint brush. Effective, but went to show how much I'd missed in scraping, so there were stoppages for more scraping of particular areas.

Note - On Easter Monday, a public holiday, got the shock of my life when a Post Office courier delivered the cowl vent gasket from MaxM. But probably not as big a shock as the courier when I answered the front door clad only in my red undies! After all, on a holiday Monday morning you don't expect deliveries from the Post Office of all people!

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Saturday 29th March 2008

Another day under the '41, but left feeling discouraged although a lot of progress has been made and this phase is almost complete. Reason being, I will have to redo some scraping around the front end and the engine block. Probably a combination of the conditions(lighting, access and the Michelangelo effect) and my not so competent scraping technique obviously.

First up today I conjured up an Idaho dust storm under the front end, using the compressed air gun. Couldn't believe how much there was, see pic below. Then into the Marine Cleaning. Because of the nooks and crannies in and around the engine and other equipment some will be need to be done again. Also I will re-blow the channels and corners where the dirt and sludge from the cleaning gather. Did find what I think would have been a rodent nest in the front right frame when I saw a feather peeking out then proceeded to pull out a number feathers from the hidey-hole where they'd been secreted, see pic's. Very much doubt a bird somehow flew in there!

And yesterday sent off a message to the seller of the needle bearing king-pins I bought on eBay 2 weeks ago. He replied they were shipped Thursday, so should arrive in 10-14 days.

I'm determined to finish this phase of the undercar cleaning next week as it seems to have been going on forever.

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The Michelangelo effect you speak of must be in you as the picture of the feathers are displayed on a Packard catalog nice touch on background. I look forward to your updates and pictures. You are making progress : hands on, dirt on, and paint on, part will be long remembered memory and point of pride as you did it yourself.