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

I have a 115C Touring sedan I am working on. I need to remove the riight front door handle to fix the lock I have no key for. Can I just remove the 2 screws or bolts on the outside door handle or do I have to remove the interior door panal? I also need to pull the engine and do a rebuild as I have no hoist and such I plan on removing each fender and grille shell separately. Does the 1937 six have a heat distribution tube in the block and how does it come out? Kanter does not advertise a replacement one in the catalog I have.
The car also came with an 8 volt battery to statr a little better. Does anyone know if and how many ohm resistor is needed for the gas gauge?
I also have no heater, are there repos or nos heaters available?
Hope this is not too many questions in one porting.
Thamks
Jim J

Welcome. I'm gonna give quickie answers to get you going, then I suggest you break your issues down into individual posts, for several reasons, one, to keep your questions on topic, and second, so the strings are searchable in the future for the individual topics. Also note the service manuals available on this site, etc.

1. Front door handle, remove 2 screws, lever down 45 degrees and pull handle out. Take to locksmith.
2. (a) Pull the front clip as a unit. Several strings on this site, particularly good one is by KenPackard. Remove hood, hood rods, unplug headlight wires, radiator hoses, front bumper braces, fender to frame braces, bolts at runningboards and fenders up side of cowl. One tough bolt under radiator collar. Call friends. remove clip.
(b) engine removal - undo oil pressure line, temp gauge, generator and starter wiring, horn wire, ignition cable at back of coil, unbolt exhaust pipe at manifold and at exhaust hanger at bellhousing, fuel line to fuel pump, vacuum line to wipers. Next, under front floorboard, ground strap at trans cover to frame, ujoints/both tranny stabilzer (back/bottom of tranny) drop/remove driveshaft. Block under engine/bellhousing. Some folks remove lower cover to block there. remove bolts into tranny mounts, tranny to bellhousing, unbolt clutch fork at linkage. Oh, accelerator linkage and choke cable. Almost forgot that. Slide tranny back (TOB will fall off) up and out. Next, unbolt two bolts at front of engine through frame. Lift engine out.
(c) sell children, kidney and another mortgage on house. Buy parts.

3. Yes, there is a water distribution tube in the block behind the waterpump. Brass. Remove carefully as part of engine disassembly. Carefully. Ken Packard, you can tell him why.

4. Heaters are available. 2 Packard types, standard and deluxe and 48 different period aftermarket ones....for now, make sure heater in garage is functioning - its gonna be a long winter.

I agree with everything flackmaster says. Pulling the front clip off in one piece is the easiest. To get the water distribution tube out, remove the water pump and then use a long piece of all thread with a 1/4" long 90 degree bend on the end to get the tube out. Hopefully yours is brass, which means you can get it out. Mine was corroded galvanized steel. It came out in about 40 pieces. If you find a source for new tubes, post it here please! I'm looking for two.