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I love the way the colors of the interior, wood graining, and exterior paint compliment each other. Nice job.

(o[]o)

Simply smashing Barrie. Well done.

Barrie,

Really nice car you got there! Congrats.

Tom

sweettt!!!

Thank you very much for all the support! I have been away for a while, but at long last got the water pump refurbished here locally - it seems fine but sometimes it is making a soft noice still? Anyway, it will have to last a while as it was very expensive!

I also attended my first show - Angela's Picnic - a yearly gathering in a park to gather some money for the local hospice and cancer patients. In my excitement I forgot the camera at home. So no photos. I also discovered that the rear brakes is binding and is now busy rebuilding the whole setup after having resleeved the master cylinder. I am waiting for the shoes to be rebonded and will resleeve the rear slave cylinders as well. The rear wheel bearings is still good so will just re-grease. Cant wait to start driving around again!

First long trip! I went to a car show on Sunday and it was the first time on a long trip. Not the usual around the block thing. The show is about 100 miles round trip and it went very well, I was the only Packard there from about 1000 cars. Some highway and some in town driving. I kept it slow and didnt exceed 50 mph on the highway. I must say it is an exceptionally comfortable drive! But she doesnt like traffic stop and go. I have to relook my clutch cable setup, it is moaning and groaning. The diff and back axle was very quiet and no issues.
The photo is at a petrol stop on the highway. You can see some water escaping from the overflow....

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Hi Barrie

Seeing your car up and running starts me off wanting mine to be finished - on the road - and going to Shows !

Latest stumbling block is the car backfired and broke the starter motor casing at the front (anyone EVER had THAT happen !!)- needless to say no spare aparts over here in Olympic G.B so the front bit has been away to be welded (weeks now !)

I'm told by me restorer that once the starter is returned and back on she is ready for her M.O.T and I can take delivery - I'll believe it when I see it.

Have some road running fun Barrie.

Best regards Michael

Hi Michael!

Congratulations on a wonderfull hosting of the games in London!

I think we are experiencing a kinda de javu? Early on in my restoration my casing also broke clean off with a backfire.... I also had it welded as that part is totally unobtainable in SA. What I did find afterwards is that the welding was a very small bit skew or out of true, meaning that the starter gear tended to catch just a teeny bit after the car started. Sometimes you could hear the gear touching the flywheel. Fixed this with a thick spacer between the starter and bell housing. About 0.5mm made from a gasket material. This just moves the gear out of the way. In my case I have to make these kinda plans as getting a replacement is impossible ... sometimes I must laugh at myself for the kind of plans I have to make haha!

As a long term project I would like to look at a modern replacement starter to be adjusted as I believe once pot metal has cracked you cant really depend on it. The smallest imperfection in the welding means that starter can let you down at the most awkward time. I dont want that.

Good luck and send some photos of your car.

By the way, I bought myself some British problems the other day...see photo.

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Barrie that is a Landrover - a British IKON - that will NEVER give you any trouble !

They were exported in thousands to the African Continent so plenty of bits if any break - which I doubt.

Don't know much about 'em - not my cup of tea - only once did I ride in one - they don't have any springs you know ? so every bump is felt you know where ! - - - Best of Luck with her though.

Because the Packard is STILL not finished we had to have a car for this year's shows as we sold the Citroen CX at a Show in York last September (we had high hopes that the Pack would be ready by showtime but were once more let down by the guy doing the work) so we have bought a P6 Rover 3500 V8 Auto - see photo.

Oh yup the other incentive to sell the CX was that we doubled our money in the 4 years of ownership ! That was a first in my dealings with old cars over the last 40 odd years or so.

Keep in touch Michael

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Past sunday club meeting. First time in attendance with the Packard and a 50 km drive on the highway. Went wonderfully at 55mph! Lots of interest from the crowds as these are very very scarce here.

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