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Wednesday 16th April 2008

Only spent a few hours at the workshop this morning. In that time scraped the undersides of the front behind the bumper splash shields and some other smaller pieces and Marine cleaned them.

On the way home purchased an International Money Order, for the Aero Drive knob I required, for Yesterday's Radio and mailed it off. Interesting that their price was US $30.00 plus US $11.00 shipping while the two other quotes I received from major Packard parts vendors were both 50% higher for the knob and 200% and 400%+ for the shipping and handling charges. Sure pays to shop around. So thanks to Clipper 47, I think it's Dave, for recommending Yesterday's Radio.

Thursday 17th April 2008

Again, only a couple of hours again at the workshop this morning. Arrived there to find that yesterday, after I left, Kablan had arrived and had cut out the rust in the outside of the lower right front of the body. Only to find there was also rust in the inner panel in the same place. There had been a build up of dirt and rocks nestled in the space and this was now spreadout on the workshop floor below that corner of the body, so this was a major contributing factor in the rust-through.

Spent my time mainly working on the front fenders and hood side panels removing rust and crust along the joining edges so they can be painted up before being re-installed. Sorry about the pic quality, thought I'd got things fixed for close-ups but most shots were disasters.

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Saturday 19th April 2008

Arrived at the workshop this morning to find Wade already there, although I thought he was getting back next week. Turns out, and it was my misunderstanding, that next week Wade and Gina are going in the '37 Super 8 to the Ballarat rally. They are leaving on Wednesday morning to be at the start of the rally on Saturday with Ballarat being 975 kilometers, about 575 miles south of Sydney.

In preparation for this Wade had the Super 8 up on Rick's hoist to service it. However after he drained the oil, when he took the cover off to remove and clean the oil pickup screen a nut and a washer came out as well as the screen! Needless to say this caused much consternation and resulted in Wade taking off the sump to check out the situation. Wade's guess was that a nut holding the oil piping in the sump had come loose, but this wasn't so. Couldn't find where it may have come from, even checked Kevin's engine on the bench to give other angles to look from for possible causes. Wade came to the conclusion that somebody may have dropped them down the oil filler tube at some stage in the car's past. With having to take off the engine splash shields to access the sump, Wade took the opportunity to clean both these and the sump in the parts washing machine, and is going to repaint the splash shields while they are out. Talking to Wade a few weeks ago, he was saying that since he brought in the Super 8 from the US last September he's put about 5000 miles on it. And thinks the nut and washer have been there at least since then!

Meanwhile back at the '41, not a great deal happened. Did some more wire brushing of small components then Marine Cleaned and Metal Readied the rear bumper splash shield and some of the cleaned pieces. Looks like I'll have another 2 & 1/2 weeks to get all the cleaning and painting finished including the cowl vent and underneath the dash. Then on Wade's return from Ballarat it should only be re-assembly work required.

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Monday 21st April 2008

Half a day this afternoon at the workshop. Scraped and wire-brushed the cowl vent opening and under the cowl where there had been some water ingress. Also finished wire-brushing the last of the small panels removed with the front fenders. And metal readied the undersides of the front splash panels. Then all the pieces needing painting were strung up on Rick's drying frame using small pieces of wire. Painting will be done on Wednesday, have other matters to attend to tomorrow.

Wade was finishing up preparations for the trip in the Super 8 to Ballarat. He put another radiator cap on, because the catch can he'd made was siphoning water out of the radiator! Also discussed Dave's, Owen_Dyneto's, post regarding engine detailing on Wade's '34 Engine. Wade said that as the car was not intended for high point Concourse judging he was happy with the finishes on the engine components. Wade also said I'd missed a good night last night, as there had been a dinner at a local restaurant organised by Noel. Noel had a couple of Packard visitors from Capetown South Africa, they have 3 Packards including a '37 120 coupe currently being restored, and a couple of weeks ago they'd been to the workshop while I wasn't there one day. Pity to have missed them as I would have put in a plug for the Site!

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Wednesday 26rd April 2008

Painted this morning, with POR-15 black, most of the bits I'd been cleaning over the last week, bumper brackets, splash shields, etc, etc. Surprising how long it takes to a) get everything organised to paint and b) the actual painting process, as this is being done with a brush together with a lot of fiddley bits. Also managed to stay relatively paint free. Now off to see out grand daughters.

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Thursday 24th April 2008

Arrived at the workshop to find that John had been working on a rodded Ford F100, looked clean but the smaller although wider wheels didn't seem to suit. It had a flatbed rear and Cad Bullet taillights, but these were under the bed and not noticeable at first glance, see pic's below.

Painted the fittings for the bumpers which weren't being chromed with POR-15 Silver today. Also the channels in the cowl vent opening and under the cowl where surface rust had started. Then cleaned up the front suspension parts I'd previously painted so that all surfaces with metal to metal contact were clean of paint. Next was cleaning, in the wire-brush wheel of the bench grinder, a few more fittings and bolts/nuts missed previously.

Won't be at the workshop tomorrow because it's a national holiday, Anzac Day, when the men and women who gave their lives in defence of Australia are remembered and honoured. Anzac Day received it's name from the Allied invasion of Turkey in World War One at Gallipoli on the 25th April 1915 by the ANZAC's (Australian And New Zealand Army Corp) with a huge loss of life. This was the Dardenelles campaign and ran for some months with continuing large losses of men before the Allied forces were withdrawn. Although it was not known at the time the planning, by the British, was flawed and the troops used turned out to be little more than cannon fodder as were many other battles in WW1. It was from this campaign, in which Aussie troops featured prominently, with many heroic deeds performed and medals awarded for valour including many Victoria Crosses that Australia found a basis to remember those who gave their lives. Here endeth the history lesson.

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Saturday 26th April 2008

Not a very exciting time today, with only a couple of hours this morning at the workshop. First, tidied up all the bits I'd POR'd Silver on Thursday. And second, used the bench grinder wire-brush to clean a lot of little pieces and nuts & bolts in preparation for POR-15 Black on Monday.

Monday 28th April 2008

Only spent the morning at the workshop. First, final clean up of a few bits then POR-15'd Black all the pieces cleaned over the last few days. Also took the opportunity to touch up some of the other pieces painted recently as the poor lighting combined with my deteriorating eyesight isn't a good combination. And, Eric , took some pic's of Wade's '37 120 front and rear sway bars, see below.

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Tuesday 29th April 2008

At the workshop, first tidied up the pieces I'd POR-15'd yesterday. Then it was more cleaning of pieces and nuts/bolts, mainly in the wire-brush wheel of the bench grinder, these pieces will be POR-15'd tomorrow. Spent about 4-5 hours doing this and it really cleans them up nicely leaving them bright and silvery. Not much more of this to do.

Oh, almost forgot I had a call from Harvey on Sunday evening, he's going to re-woodgrain the dash for me. Harvey gave me instructions for stripping the present brown paint off and to leave the original pattern which fortunately remained under the centre behind the radio. I'll probably do this later this week and then the dash will be off to Harvey so he can work his magic.

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Wednesday 30th April 2008

Only spent an hour and a half at the workshop this morning and the time was spent POR-15ing the bits cleaned yesterday. Surprising how long it takes to paint all the fiddely pieces. And it's like a christmas tree or more so wind chimes stringing all the pieces up to paint them, plays quite a tune when they get bumped!

Earlier in the morning rang the chrome plater and he advised the bumper bars were done but they were still working on the over-riders. over-rider bars and bumper bolts. The tail light bezels will be another couple of weeks anyway because they are pot metal.

Yesterday I rang a couple of coach companys to get quotes because I am on the Organising Committee for the 2009 National Packard Rally of the Packard Automobile Club Australia Inc which will be held in the Southern Highlands in March 2009. I needed quotes for a trip from Mittagong. the hub of the Rally, to Crookwell. As part of the activities of the rally it is proposed to visit Crookwell by coach on Thursday 29th March 2009 for a guided tour of the Sydney Vintage Car Restorations workshop there. Received one email reply and I sent off an email to another coach company detailing our requirements. Anybody interested in the Rally its the last week of March 2009 and all are welcome.

And, just after I returned home today, received a package from Yesterdays Radio containing the knob for the over-drive in the '41.

Now off to see the grand-daughters!

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