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Barrie,

It seems a never ending chore this cleaning. The wire brush wheel on the bench grinder is getting overworked and is a great tool. I use it on just about anything that can be unbolted and hand held! And yes, the engine will be Packard green.

Saturday 7th June 2008

Half a day at the workshop this morning and in that time Metal Readied engine parts, firewall and front cross-member and related areas and then washed these down and compressed air dried them. Next was setting-up on the rack of the smaller items and a balancing act between 2 pieces of timber for the starter motor, then painting the lot. And this time almost managed to avoid getting POR-15 on me. Because of the contortions required to paint things while they are still in the '41 rubbed up against the radiator outer shell and only realised too late that I'd already POR-15'd there. So I've now got black streaks on my left ear, still it was considerably better than some earlier episodes.

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Monday 9th June 2008

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Surprise, surprise! It's a public holiday here in Oz celebrating the Queen's birthday, shows our colonial heritage, although there is a big push for a republic. And on arriving home after running an errand found a Post Office courier delivering the parts ordered from Max! That was pretty quick, 8 days from ordering on-line to delivery! And shipping was significant, being US$42.00. Although they were light and not bulky they were in a fairly large box with lots of packing to fill all the empty space. Doesn't cost them but sure costs me.

And tomorrow on the way to the workshop will drop in and see Sam and Ivan and see if they can weld up the broken oil filter bracket for me. And this time won't go empty handed, will take a dozen cans of amber throat elixir with me.

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Tuesday 10th June 2008

Before heading to the workshop this morning a courier delivered the steering crank pin kit I bought off eBay recently. I'm still amazed that when I needed this item that one popped up on eBay, it's like deja vu all over again! The kit is good, including the "Belleville Washer" Peter, only drawback was the price US104.49 but I couldn't wait around so had to buy it.

On the way to the workshop dropped in to see Sam and Ivan, and Sam was able to weld the broken oil filter bracket for me. And this time I didn't go empty handed and was able to leave them a dozen bottles of "Pure Blond" beer as a thankyou for their help over the last few months'

At the workshop, first tidied up Saturdays painted items taking them off the wire most had been strung from and cleaning up any overpaint of POR-15 on inappropriate surfaces. Then drained the oil from the engine. Next, into the engine compartment disassembling the horns and horn bracket and the cross engine throttle linkage. These items, including bolts and brackets, were cleaned on the bench grinder wire brush in preparation for painting later this week.

And on arriving home found there was a small parcel in the letterbox from Packards1. I've bought a Gas door spring on eBay that the '41 was missing, thanks Joel.

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Wednesday 11th June 2008

Couple of hours at the workshop mainly scraping and wire brushing the head and block in preparation for painting. Also took off the breather pipe at the back of the engine and cleaned it too. It's no fun cleaning things while they are still in the car but circumstances dictate what can and can't be done at times. And now for a bit of R & R, we're off to visit the granddaughters this afternoon.

Thursday 12th June 2008

Half a day at the workshop this morning and had only been there about 1/2 an hour when Wade arrived. He and Gina had arrived back from the Border Run rally to Berri yesterday and Wade was there to clean up the Super 8. However Wade hadn't been at the workshop long when Gina rang to say her Celica wouldn't start, apparently the battery drains if left sitting for a week or more, so Wade rode to the rescue returning later once Gina was back on the road.

While Wade was out I was Marine Cleaning the engine and more engine compartment bits. Then when Wade returned he started on pressing out the old bushing from the steering crank arm which took a little persuasion in the press but finally came out after the direction of push on the bush was reversed. Some comparisons with the old parts were then made to ensure we had the right pieces and all checked out OK. Wade honed out the steering crank and the new bush slid in without a worry. And while this was going on I proceeded to Metal Ready the engine and the other bits. All prep work finished now and ready for paint, probably early Saturday morning.

While washing down the engine after the Marine Clean a guy named Peter came over and we started chin wagging as you do. Seems he's known Rick for a long time and was getting Rick to fix a problem with his Mazda MX5, bought it new and says he'll keep it till he dies. Also mentioned some other cars he's owned including MGB, E-Type Jaguar(like most former E-Type owners didn't have one good word to say about it) and a Ferrari Daytona! He'd also gone for a drive in a new Jag recently and wasn't impressed at all either. Plenty of interesting people are in and out of the workshop all the time.

A word too about the Rally, haven't heard much yet from Wade but will catch up on that in the next few days. And if he's got some pic's I'll include those or a link to an album for all to see. There were 26 cars with all but 2 of these being Packards, so a very good roll up, with the 2 non Packards being Cad-La Salles.

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Hi Mal, you are getting there!

Interested to see how you cleaned the head. I have to do this as well during the weekend and was wondering how you cleaned around the spark plug holes and how you are gonna paint there? Obviously I dont want anything to get into the holes or openings! This is how mine now looks! Lots of penetrating oil. Will use engine cleaner and then the trusty wire brushes...to get old paint off.

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I used oven cleaner and brake cleaner to degrease the head and block, and then used the small wire wheels that come on a 1/4" shaft in my die-grinder to remove all the rust. Then I went over the entire block with a rust converter to get any specs that the die-grinder could not reach into. Then a final pass with brake cleaner to remove any remaining residue and grease. The I brushed on Bill Hirsch Packard Gray. I did all this with a set of "junk" spark plugs installed.

See my project blogs as I have pics of this process along the way.

Monday 16th June 2008

After donating plasma at the blood bank earlier arrived at the workshop late morning to find that Wade wasn't there. Further cleaned up the engine prior to painting and wired up the smaller parts in preparation. Then rang Wade to find he was literally overhead having just arrived at the carpark on the roof of the workshop. He'd been to Pirtek, a hydraulic hose specialist, sourcing parts for the '34's oil filter conversion. Took a number of pic's of the oil filter parts and setup today and will post these along with a description of the setup in the near future.

Proceeded then to mix the Packard Green paint and hardener for the engine and parts requiring painting and applied a coat by brush, leaving the old spark plugs in place. The engine painting is going to be done in a number of steps because I'm now going to remove the timing cover and tappet side covers and paint these separately. I'll also paint the sump separately as it is currently resting on the blocks which gave clearance for removal of the steering crank pin. Once the steering crank pin is re-installed, and the new front engine mount rubbers are installed then the sump will be done. After the engine and related parts were finished more parts were wired up and POR-15'd black.

I had hoped to add a surprise here as a photographer arrived at the workshop soon after I did and told me he was expecting up to 12 young women to arrive shortly for shots to add to their portfolios as aspiring models. Well we waited, and waited, and waited and I was ready to drop my paintbrush at a moments notice and become a photographer myself, all for the sake of art of course. They were going to use Wade's Super 8 as a prop as well as a Harley chopper that had arrived. But all to no avail as apart from one young lady who arrived early in the piece and left soon after nary a one was sighted. And at this point I was going to show you the pic's of the girls doing their posing. But never fear, if the young ladies do appear at some future date I'll take and post pic's of the event.

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Tuesday 17th June 2008

Woke this morning to find that Forum member Turbopackman had forwarded an eBay listing of a Lower Transmission Stabilizer Rod which I require because the left hand threaded section on mine has snapped off. Thanks Eric. We now won't have to pursue Wade's proposed fix which he was talking about just yesterday, what a co-incidence!

And while I'm here, a couple of things I forgot to mention in recent posts. Thursday last week, on his return from the Border Run to Berri, Wade arrived with a Gel type battery for the '41 which came via another Packard club member from Melbourne, Victoria. And on Friday I dropped into Lee Bros, the specialist fastener supplier, and picked up some copper sump plug washers.

Also this morning another Forum member, Heather Moss, had emailed me some pic's from the Border Run including her '39 Super 8 and ANOTHER '41 Coupe. I note there are a few external differences compared to my '41, notably the front bumper and the lack of running boards. I will make contact with the owner, as another '41 coupe owner to satisfy my curiosity concerning these features, and just to talk "Packards".

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