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Only a couple of quick things done this evening. Mounted that license plate hold down bracket.

Also found a license plate light socket at O'reilies that worked perfectly in place of the broken packard one.

So with that in place I finished hooking up the wiring, and with that....we have lights!

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It's the little steps that can make a big difference...looking great!

More progress today. I picked had bought a near nos set of backup lights from Dan Yocum back in the day. But I found out they were for the HT and convertible Models and mount further outboard, and also have 3 mounting studs instead of two. So I bought a box of misc backup light parts at the PI meet for $10 so I figured I had enough parts to piece together a full complete set.

The first step was measuring out and marking the placement on the panel. With that done, the drilling began. I used a step bit to first drill a 1/2 in the center. once that was drilled I fed the parking like wire through the hole, and held the housing up to the panel to verify my mounting stud hole placement was in alignment. Everything checked out, so I removed the housing, and drilled out both the stud holes, and finished enlarging the center hole.

With everything drilled, I can to match up all my parts and use the best and correct one. I also discovered there were 3 difference bezel, and at least 2 different rubber spacers. My car uses the thin bezel and spacer. Luckily I had enough parts to find two good pliable spacers of the same size, and two decent bezels that cleaned up.

So after that it as simple a case of mounting the housings, installing the bulbs, glass, and bezels.

Instead or running the wiring under the car as called out in the service manual instructions, I has already run the wire for the backup light as part of the trunk harness when I made it up. So really all I needed to do was plug the lights into the waiting douglas connector on in the trunk.

With that, we have light!

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While my project is hung up waiting on a couple of things, I thought I would know out a few of the minor tasks on the list. So tonight I cut a new trunk divider out of black panel board (door panel material) using a paper template that Ross was kind enough to send me a couple of months ago.

It was one of those easy, living room floor projects. I think it came out pretty well.

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Hey, BigKev, it looks great! You've really come a long way from when you found it. I saw that you repainted the engine block, too. I was wondering if you could make any suggestions to make my painting better and turn out as good as yours. What would the color be on my block, too? Grey or green? Thanks!

Great work, Big Kev! I know you'll be happier with the back up light wiring the way you have it rather than it under the car. With all the work you've done on this car you should just about qualify for a pension from Studebaker-Packard - if you can track down what the corporation is called these days.

JR,

Not sure exactly what year the switch from Packard Engine Green to Gray happened, so I will let the experts chime in there. But the engine paint I got came from BIll Hirsch, and I brushed it on. But like anything prep work is king. The entire engine was first stripped to bare metal using a wire wheel on a die-grinder.

Regards,

Our 52 Mayfair engine was gray and most of the S8 engines I recall in 51-54 were also gray. Excluding the big 54 bronze.

Randy, I think with the Bathtubs they switched from Green to Gray, but not certain. I know all 51-54 are gray with exception of the '54 359 which you pointed out is Bronze.

Car is really lookinging great.Enjoyed the chat last weekend.Keep up the good work.Keith Woodall 46 S Clipper.