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I didn't know you needed them! lol

I wondered about the postcard that you got with your delivery Mal. Perhaps it is ment to inform us that they are 'rear end' specialists?

Gerd - how is it that you have not done something with this yet? Surely Mal and Wades faces could find a place in that lineup???

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Harry, what do you think? And Harry replied ...

Monday 29th August 2011

Thursday of last week had a call from Wade enquiring whether I'd be at the workshop on Friday. Reason being he'd had a call from Wendy, Emily's owner, that Emily had sprung a leak returning from the display day the previous Sunday. If I was going to be in then we'd go and pick up Emily, but unfortunately I wasn't going to be there. So first up this morning off we went to pick up Emily. Well, never has a girl car been so easily picked up! No one at home, garage door chocked open, girl car waiting inside the door and keys in the ignition. Topped the radiator up with water and off we went, Wade driving Emily and I following in Wade's Ute. Didn't get too far though, because Wade pulled into a fuel station to fill up, the gauge was showing empty. But Emily wasn't quite empty, took a couple of dollars worth to fill-her-up. An in-operative fuel gauge will do that to you, but best not to take chances.

At the workshop first the fan came off, Wade tells me it was very hot against the radiator removing the fan bolts. Then the fan belt was loosened but couldn't get the fan pulley off the water pump, because there wasn't enough clearance between the pump and the radiator. No drain plug at the bottom of the radiator or in the lower radiator hose so the radiator hose inlet to the water pump was loosened and water allowed to escape. Then removed the water pump to block bolts, juggling the fan pulley to suit bolt removal. Pump out, backing plate off and, besides the rust stains from the leak, turning the impeller by hand found a fair bit of movement present. The reason for this became clear once the fun pulley boss was pressed off and the impeller and shaft pressed out. The impeller had been riding forward and has shaved metal out of the blades, base and the pump housing. Wade's magic shelf wasn't so magic today with the only '37 water pump there being the original out of Old Blue, which was replaced years ago, and was in worse condition than Emily's. Pump body, impeller and fan pulley boss all cleaned up ready for transportation tomorrow to Anglade Engineering via ABC Bearings for pump seal and bearings to replace the worn bushings.

Next, moved on to Emily's accelerator linkage. This was going to addressed last year when Emily was in the workshop receiving treatment prior to the Kangaroo Island National Rally. Definitely being addressed this time round because Wade found there wasn't much oomph when he put his foot to the floor. And me, following behind, just thought he was driving Emily in the courteous manner she expects! At some stage in Emily's past the carburettor has been replaced, probably with one off a Holden 6, seems to be fairly common practice in Oz for 6 cylinder Packards. The carb is unlikely to be a problem though, it's the linkages which are a concern. There is a lot, make that a whole lot, of slop between depressing the accelerator pedal and the carburettor butterfly opening. The linkage has been removed from Emily, dis-assembled, cleaned and the cross shaft, cross shaft bracket and other parts will also make the trip to Anglade for repair and/or replacement.

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Tuesday 30th August 2011

Before heading off to ABC Bearings and Anglade Engineering Wade spent some time drawing up another sketch for the machining required to make a press in sleeve for the double row bearing and modern seal for the '37 water pump. Wade was going to use the previous drawing from the '37 pump done a month or two back but it seems no two are alike. Saying that, it's not that the pumps are different, it's just that each new pump presents new challenges!

First stop was ABC Bearings where two bearings and seal were purchased. At least these don't change, so Wade is now able to ask for these by numbers. While at ABC a customer told us his Dad had a '54 Packard and he was a PACA member many years ago and Wade remembered his Dad's name. The guy also said he still had many spare parts so Wade gave him a card in case he wants to divest himself of them. Then off to Anglade where the machining requirements were detailed. Then the other project for Anglade was discussed, rebuilding or remaking worn components for the accelerator linkage. All going well, both tasks should be ready by the end of next week. While at Anglade. Noel rang and was going to be at the workshop later in the morning, but then rang again a little later, and he'll now be there tomorrow!

Back at the workshop turned to Noel's '39 120. Last week Wade had installed the right side rear inner axle seal but not the outer seal, retaining plate and backing plate. Because of the seal failures I was set to work cleaning up the right side of the axle housing, the right backing plate and the immediate undercar area of the resulting oil and grease residue. While I was doing that Wade removed the left axle and inner seal and fitted a new inner seal. My cleaning of the right side finished, swapped sides with Wade. Then, while he fitted the outer seal and bearing retainer to the right side, I cleaned the left side. By the time I'd finished cleaning the left side was able to assist Wade with finishing up the right side including re-fitting the brake drum. We both then turned to the left side and it too was re-assembled. Next step was bleeding the brakes, accomplished with me sitting inside but on the floor because the seat bottom had been removed for the heater installation. Brakes bled, wheels back on the rear and that part is almost done. Once the car is back on the ground the axle nuts and wheel lug bolts will be properly tightened. Another matter to attend to on the '39 is the heater ducting from the blower motor to the demister outlets at the bottom edge of the windscreen, will source tubing/ducting in the near future for this.

And come this weekend, or maybe early next week, Wade will have a two post hoist! Hoist is from the bloke who had the hoist Wade looked at some months back. He doesn't want to sell this hoist but, because he's sold his workshop, needs somewhere to store it. Enter Wade, who will "store" it for him until he needs/wants it back, whenever that might be. The guy can also access and use the hoist at any time, subject to reasonable notice being given. In the meantime it'll be a win/win situation, the hoists owner is happy and Wade is happy with it helping to get and to keep Packards on the road!

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Wednesday 31st August 2011

Last day of winter in this part of the world but, at the workshop, Packard life goes on regardless of the season.

Besides the miscreant throttle linkage on Emily, the insulation pad between the bottom of the carb and the intake manifold was broken around the outer manifold stud. Didn't look good and didn't know how far the fault extended. To find out the carb needed to come off. Turned out the pad was broken only on the outside of the stud so probably would have been OK to leave as is. But now the block was off it was decided to replace it anyway. Unfortunatly the shelf was again low on stock, with stock = Nil. Made a trip to see Tim at Carburettor Service Company necessary but before doing so needed to know when Noel was coming over. Left a message on Noel's phone but he didn't call so moved to other matters. Sparkplugs out of Emily, cleaned and re-gapped with #1 plug not looking as good as the others. As result, before the plugs went back in, Wade was going to run compression tests on all cylinders. Except he didn't, Emily's battery was flaaat because someone, who shall remain nameless and it wasn't me this time, left the ignition on. Battery put on the charger with compression tests and sparkplug re-fitment postponed to another day.

What to do until Noel arrived? Why work on his '39. The '39 is currently up on jackstands but, with a hoist soon to be part of Packard corner in the workshop, Wade wants to get the '39 onto the hoist before finishing off the trans/OD re-fitment. Because the trans/OD is out of the '39 the rear of the engine is being supported by a jackstand and a piece of timber in lieu of transmission rear engine mounts. Not wanting the engine to fall on the ground, if the '39 is dropped back to earth, to facilitate moving it a different rear engine support was required. Wade had cut a length of angle iron to the approximate size required where it could be slid between the frame rails and support the flat bottom of the bellhousing where the lower cover had been removed. Under the '39 a trial fit determined that, with some trimming, the angle iron cum engine support should fit if about 1/2" was removed from one side of it. Wade was using the angle grinder to slice the angle iron to size when Noel arrived. Noel was just dropping in because he was on his way to pick up some stuff from "The Pirate Ship", the import service of choice for larger parts from the US. Noel inspected first hand the cleaned up spears Wade had mounted on the heater doors of the '39. And, as Noel was on his way out, learned that his '39 also has a name, being "Fleurette". Fleurette literally means "little flower" in French and the name was given to the '39 when it was in the body/paint shop when someone took the opportunity to write the name in the accumulation of dust on the '39. Noel, if I have the story wrong, please fell free to correct me. After Noel left there was more minor trimming of the angle iron before it could take the place of the jackstand and timber support. Can now report the rear of the engine is now comfortably supported in this manner. And once the hoist is installed Fleurette is projected to be it's first occupant and the trans/OD will be re-installed. Much easier to do using a trans lift not to mention giving Wade's back a rest.

That done, it was then off to Carburettor Service Company in style aboard Big Red. At CSC Tim too had difficulty in putting his hand on an insulation block for the carb. What is the world coming to? Instead, after some ferreting around, Tim produced 3 insulating gaskets, one about twice the thickness of the other two, but once together only about half the thickness of the broken insulating block. This was good! Why? Because with the present insulating block the carb is only held on by a couple of turns of thread onto the studs. The thinner insulating gaskets should let the studs show through the top of the nuts.

On my way home, picked up a length of flexible plastic hose/tube to be used in Fleurette between the blower motor and the windscreen demister outlets. Love the colour! Fleurette, just like most girls, will certainly enjoy the way this little trinket, for want of a better term, will make her stand out from the crowd.

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Mal,

They use that kind of tube as conduit for running network and data communication wires through a building. The nick name for it is "Smurf Tube".

Mal, Your memory is spot-on. A friend of mine from Paris gave it the name "Fleurette", but I can tell you recently I have used other names which are not so nice! Rgds, Noel

Wednesday 7th September 2011

No workshop reports this week, reason being Wade and Gina headed to Melbourne yesterday to attend the funeral of the Regional Director of the Victoria Region of the Packard Automobile Club of Australia, Bill Brien. Bill died last week after a long illness and, because of the distances involved, I was only fortunate enough to meet him on the two National Packard Rallies I have attended. Wade, Gina, Mat(packard34) and many other Packard people are attending the funeral where there should be a good roll up of Packards as part of the tribute to Bill and the role/s he played in the club over many years as well as just being a good bloke. Our thoughts are with Pam and family at this time.

I did mention in this thread that I'd expand somewhat on the two Packards I saw on Sunday and Monday. The easiest way to do this, from my perspective, is to plagerise the article I'm penning for our club magazine and include it here in two parts, one for the '38, the other for the '36. Below is the '38, the '36 should follow tomorrow because I'm waiting for further info from it's owner who wasn't with the car when I saw it.

"Arriving at Terry's there was his '38 Super Eight 7 Passenger Limousine, looking resplendent in the afternoon Spring sun. Terry let me take many pictures, answered many questions and volunteered information freely about the Limo which began its life in Australia being owned by Edmund Resch's, of Resch's brewery fame. That also explains the name Terry has bestowed upon the Limo of........Edmund! Terry bought Edmund at auction in Sydney in 1982 out of the Green's Motor Museum collection. But it wasn't until 2002 that restoration began in earnest and necessitated the "financial assistance" of his bank manager to ensure it was completed in a manner befitting a Packard! One feature, which don't often survive on '38's, is the one year only ID decal on the firewall and, although it's unreadable, Terry ensured it was preserved during the restoration. Edmund, since then, has won numerous trophies and awards and was the featured Salon Car in the Fall 2007 issue of the Packards International magazine. Edmund was delivered new by Ira Berk of William Street, Sydney, and was always known as the "Blue Mountains Car" as it was used to travel from The Swift's, a 50 room mansion on Sydney harbour, to the Resch's holiday retreat in the Blue Mountains, and was always chauffeur driven under their ownership. An interesting update is that in more recent times The Swift's mansion had Nicole Kidman as a neighbour as well as a $27M price tag in 2007. Terry's stories didn't just centre on Edmund, they also encompassed his former Packard, a '37 120 known as Belinda, purchased in 1972 from Eric Lang and previously owned by Newmans Bus Company, but subsequently sold to help finance the '38. Terry is also the founder, and has been it's one and only President for over 16 years, of the Automobile Restorers Association Gold Coast Inc, his local car club."

And after viewing the pic's I took, Terry provided this interesting snippet concerning the '34 Rolls Royce I'd seen earlier in the day "....the Rolls at the Sheraton used to sit bang smack in the middle of their nightclub, when it was operating that is, the club was appropriately called Rolls, and people used to sip champagne inside." Now it appears to be just eye candy at the entrance to the resort.

Link to album of pic's of Gold Coast trip.

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Thursday 8th September 2011

Briefly called into the workshop today where John informed me that he's going to dismantle the hoist, which Wade's volunteered to mind, on Sunday and it will be on the trailer in the workshop that afternoon/evening. I would have volunteered to help but we're having a Packard run on Sunday to the Norman Lindsay Gallery at Faulconbridge in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. Norman Lindsay and his house, which is now the Gallery, are depicted in the Aussie movie Sirens which is quite "saucy"!

And here's the second Packard story promised from last weekend.

"The reason I visited this Packard is that Wade was asked to rebuild a water pump for a '36 120B in Queensland resulting in my curiosity being tweaked about the car it came off. Looked in PACA's Register of Members and found an entry for Frank and GloriaG as the owners of a Blue '36 120B. The water pump had been posted down to Wade by a Hot Rod shop, Ozrods at Meadowbrook, which isn't that far away so I presumed that was the car it came off. But in the note from Ozrods, which accompanied the pump, the owner was given as StephenG with a mobile number for contact purposes. Subsequently the pump was rebuilt and posted back to Ozrods and to organise a visit to see the '36 I rang Stephen's mobile only to discover he was at Bellambi in NSW near Wollongong! Was I confused? Yes, but that's more or less my normal state anyway. But was less so after Stephen explained the car is Frank's, his Dad, and Frank couldn't work on the car anymore, and Stephen was getting it finished for road use, hence it's presence at Ozrods. Initially it looked like I'd be able to see the '36 at Frank and Gloria's as the work on it was expected to be finished by the time I made my visit. But it turned out the '36 was still at Ozrods so that's where I caught up with it. The '36 has some updates for modern driving including power assisted brakes, an alternator and conversion to 12 volts. One thing that caught my attention is that it still has a bail hood ornament, not a common sight nowadays with Cormorants usually preferred, and I like it!"

That's my part of the story, what follows is StephenG's.

"Fr Tom Sherran was a Catholic priest in south-west Queensland in the 1970/80s. Apart from teaching kids how to box (he was a Commonwealth Games referee), he kept a close eye on abandoned cars around the Cunnamulla/Charleville region. Frank Guest owned a sawmill in Mitchell (a few hundred Ks east of Cunnamulla) and they eventually met when Tom was transferred to Mitchell as the Parish priest in the late 70s.

Frank had a passion for Vintages and Classics before Tom arrived and had secured a 1925 Hupmobile and a 519, 1923 Fiat. Tom was keen to have a go himself and liked the look of Frank's Hupmobile. He knew lead-foot Frank didn't care much for slow cars so Tom offered him a deal - the altar rails out of the church and the whereabouts of a straight-eight Packard near Wyandra (about 100 KM) south of Charleville for the Hupmobile. So in September 1980, with Frank's daughter, Charmaine, the trio headed west in an old Bedford. And there it was - lonely but pretty-much intact with only a mud flat for company. They drank a few beers, took a few pictures and bought it back to Mitchell. And that's pretty much all that happened to the Packard for the next 20 years as Frank worked on the Fiat and other vehicles (including an SVI, 1962 Valiant). Then, in 2004, when Frank and his wife, Gloria, moved to Brisbane to live with their second daughter, Tracey, the Packard came with them.

In the meantime, Tom had restored a few more Hupmobiles (he now has 9 cars) and had become the Bishop's right-hand man in Toowoomba. For the next three years Frank worked on the Packard (Tom did the upholstery) and a week before Christmas in 2010 it was registered. A lot of work is still being done (a big thanks to Peter Packard, Big Bad Barry and Wade) and when it's all finished, Frank, Tom and Charmaine intend to drive the car back to the mudflat in Wyandra. What does Frank's wife, Gloria, say about it. 'Bloody old cars. I'm sick of them. They should have left it on the mudflat'."

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