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This is probably the same floor pan from 1951. Before BTV, could check standard brakes and able to check Ultramatic fluid. My 56 400 and Carib have it.

my 52 200 has the same opening and i figured it was for your master cylinder fluid fill. many early fords and mercuries ooffered the same type situations. i wouldn't worry too much as it makes a easy way to drop empty beer cans.

51-54 Manual Master Cylinders were not mounted under the car as in 55/56, but forward of the firewall, on the frame rail right behind the steering box. So unless it was a filler port access for the 54 and prior Ultramatics, then there would be no reason for it.


Housekeeping > Topic Merged with AL's project blog.

Back to the Clipper. No matter how hard I try I cannot seem to keep from doing this. I removed the front grille and bumpers and took it all apart. Ditto the rear bumper. I took all of the bracketts to the powder coating shop and the chrome that needed to be done went to the chrome shop.

Now I have(?) all of the parts that I took to the powder coating shop and am in the process of assembling the rear bumper in preparation to install same. Minor problem, I am missing one bracket, the passengers side inside one. It mounts to the bumper and tO the other two brackets. It was there when I took it apart, it went to the P.C. place now I can't find it. Fortunately the N.Carolina parts stash has come thru again. I discovered that I have a 55 Clipper rear bumper that has that very bracket(personal to self, "SELF TAKE INVENTORY OF WHAT YOU HAVE... DO IT NOW). The bracket is now down to the P.C. place. Does this sort of thing happen to anyone else or just me. I am now working on the front bumper. A note to any and all vendors, it may be wise to put together a compartmental box that has all of the modern bolt, screw and fastners to remount bumpers, grilles etc. I don't know how many trips I have had to make to the hardware store to pick these up. I have had to spend close to $50 so far on bolts, screws, washer and nuts. ITSA DRIVIN ME A CRAZY.

It's not clear to me what happened to the missing bracket. Do u think the platers lost it or maybe U lost it!!!

Make an inventory list of items that u take to a service provider. NOT that u will make him sign it or anything like that but rather u can take account of what u take and what u pick up.

As for bolts and fasteners i find it best to place them back onto the car or other parts (spares) just ot keep up with where they are and where they are stored. ESPECIALY in long term projects that are down for a long time.

Short term projects i just put them all in a coffee can.

It is too ez to miss place a part at home, especialy long term of anything over a week or so.

It takes extra time to 'pattern' or list or can parts and fasteners but it saves time and money in the long run.

Quite often one particular part or bolt will require special attention. That part usually gets placed somewhere else for later special attention and i forget what happened to it and have to spend an hour looking for it and rattling my memmory. It's just part of the ordeal that happens.


I have R&D clutch work i do for Indian. The primary drive cover has about 14 bolts in it of varying length. Sometimes i have to R&R the cover as many as 8 times a day to remove the clutch.

TO keep the bolts in proper position i 'pattern' the bolts using a SPARE primary cover. Just pull the bolts out of the running test machine primary and stick them in the corresponding holes of the spare primary cover.

As i understand it, u have plenty of spare parts laying around. USE THEM!!!!

That's one of the main reasons i bought the Executive parts car from u some 10 years a ago. I use it as pattern, mock-up etc.

Ziplock bags from small to extra-large are a godsend when taking a car apart. All the hardware and small parts go into a bag which is then labeled to their purpose with a sharpie. I make also write down some notes about what I took apart and still those in the same bag.

Also I take plenty of pictures with the digital camera. That really helps during reassemble.

Another use for a digital camera is when you take parts to a vendor to have something done to them. Take pictures of the parts before you take them to the vendor and do the same thing when delivered to the vendor. Time date both sets of pictures. Then when you pickup the parts take a photo with you and compare.

John F. Shireman

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PackardV8,
That's the whole point, you don't know (and can't prove) WHO lost it or WHERE it was lost, or EVEN if it was there in the FIRST place, because these things go in and out of black holes all the time. It's the space-time continuum of things like lost socks in the wash.

If this hasn't happened to you, consider yourself lucky... and FOREWARNED!


AL,

How do you like replacing chrome parts on Packard V8 cars? I mean, is it a total pain? I know you sent the Clipper Hot Rod to the painters with chrome already removed. What would it have cost you to have them do the chrome R&R? Would you trust a body shop to do this?

Also, I remember you saying you got a sweet price for the paint job... what did it end up costing, if you don't mind saying?

Anxious to see pics of my favorite '56 Clipper. You could almost call it an Executive Hot Rod, but it wouldn't really be accurate, and it wouldn't sound nearly as cool.

Remember the song Hot Rod Lincoln?

"Son, you're gonna drive me to drinkin'
if you don't stop drivin' that hot.... rod.... Lincoln.

Good luck identifying stuff. I'm probably better 'n' you at losing sh*t. Put it down hear, or there, or somewhere, then can't find it. Or drop it on the floor or ground... but I'm REAL good at finding things I've dropped. I get so much practice. Even on the lawn, I'll usually get it.

Remember that Gary Larson Far Side cartoon? One of the best of all time. Bunch of guys operating on someone and a weird looking body part goes "SPROING" and flies through the air. The surgeon says (of course we've all said this) "Watch where that lands! We might need it!"

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