Packard Forum Index » Project Blogs

Monday 26th October 2009

After donating blood plasma this morning arrived at the workshop where Wade was almost ready for a delivery/pickup run. He could have done this without me but phoned last night, to find out what time I'd be there, so he could take me along for the ride. Wade had loaded up the tray of the ute with John's 110 radiator, Big Red's flywheel, pressure plate, harmonic balancer, con-rods and gudgeon(piston) pins, new big-end bearings and new pistons. What hadn't been loaded was the crankshaft, which took both of us to lift in.

Then we were off, first stop JJ Smiths for the 110 radiator to be checked, repaired, tested, etc. Dave in examining it said the cap on it wasn't right, although it is a pressurised system, it was a long neck type, too long for the filler it caps! Next was LW Parry Engineeringhttp://www.lwparry.com.au/ for Big Red's new gudgeon pins to be pitted to the con-rods and the new big-end bearings to be bored to fit the crankshaft, and the crank, flywheel, pressure plate, rods and gudgeon pins will also be balanced. Then on to Lee Brothers for various nuts, bolts, washers for the projects in hand. That was followed by Graham Wilkins' where we dropped off the new pistons, Graham already has the block and head. Then on to ABC Bearings where Wade picked up a pair of wheels which had been on order for the engine crane. Also took the opportunity to photograph a roller cam follower of the type Wade is using in Big Red in lieu of unobtainable originals. Didn't have a "before" picture for the article that Wade's going to pen about what was done to adapt them to a Super 8 engine(Jim and others, Wade hasn't forgotten!). But I think we're back to square one on the pic, because all the pics I took are blurry! Sorry Wade. Last stop was Pirtek, a hydraulics business, where Wade was seeking to replace the oil cooler in Big Red because it's leaking with some other solution. Not to be though, the guy he needed to see wasn't there so that'll be for another day.

However, before picking up the running back at the workshop, a little background to some of todays stops. Wade had been waiting for some time for the parts he ordered from Max's to arrive. They did so on Friday, finally. They would, could, should have been here earlier. But because the value of the parts exceeded the "magic" cutoff mark, Australian Customs held them in their unmistakable bureaucratic grip and Wade was put through the hoops in order to gain their release not to mention enriching the governments coffers in the process. Parts received were a set of pistons and pins for Big Red. And there's a story just about the pistons themselves. When Wade rang JD at Max's he was told they were out of stock for 0.060" over pistons and it could be some months before more were available. However, there was a special ordered set which the customer now didn't want but they were 0.063" over. No problems though, the bores are going to be honed anyway, they'll just be honed sufficiently to take the extra oversize involved. The other interesting matter concerns the big-end bearings. These are now available, after being in short or non supply for some time, but they are all the one size! Because of this they then have to be bored to suit the size big-end journals on the crank being used whether they are std, 0.010". 0.020", etc, etc.

At the workshop while I scraped the '39's front crossmember and frame rails of years of accumulated grease and dirt Wade was working on the '39's distributor. On Friday he'd discovered the vacuum advance wasn't connected inside the distributor, it was missing it's actuating arm. New arm fabricated Wade also found because the advance wasn't connected the plate was "floating" around. And today Wade replaced the distributors bushes. Had quite a struggle removing the pins holding the shaft in place but once this was overcome, with the new bushes inserted, the distributor now turns and functions as it should.

Attach file:

---

  (23.28 KB)


  (14.96 KB)


  (22.38 KB)


  (20.76 KB)


  (34.80 KB)


  (36.78 KB)


  (22.54 KB)


  (20.58 KB)

The other interesting matter concerns the big-end bearings. These are now available, after being in short or non supply for some time, but they are all the one size!

Over here we used to call such bearings "semis" meaning they were semi-finished and still required finishing to needed ID.

Quote:
Thanks Dave, sometimes I'm lacking the correct terminology, learned something today.

Tuesday 27th October 2009

Morning with the granddaughters over, it was off to the workshop. Found Wade cursing and carrying on over the oil pump off Big Red. Left Wade to that while I turned to painting the generator and distributor off the 110 which he'd cleaned earlier today. To those I added the starter motor and some other bits and pieces I cleaned then painted the lot. Not a very exciting day.

Attach file:

---

  (34.52 KB)

Wednesday 28th October 2009

While Wade's way Mal will play? No, I was under instructions to paint the trans on John's 110 and the front crossmember and tops of the chassis rails on the 110 which I'd scraped and cleaned. Both were painted black as are all the acccessories on John's engine. Although the engines green, it's not Packard green, so anything needing paint will be done in black because it's not worth the time and effort to try and match the green. I was also supposed to clean and paint the oil filter and some other pieces, but didn't have time today, so I'll catch up with them tomorrow.

NOTE - Will add a couple of pic's later.
Further Note - Pic's now added.

Attach file:

---

  (39.51 KB)


  (23.14 KB)


  (39.87 KB)

Mal, Krylon's Hasta Leaf is a color close to Packard engine green. I is a bit lighter, but only noticeable if some is original color and other parts sprayed with the Krylon. It may not be available in Oz.

John,

The engine colour on the rebuilt engine is way off from Packard green and it was decided to leave it as is. This project is nominally replacement only of the tired old engine with a rebuilt replacement for a car which is a driver only.
And for the advice on the close match for Krylon's Hasta Leaf, I'll look into it's availability here in Australia for future reference

Thursday 29th October 2009

Tables were turned this morning, instead of me working on a car someone was working on me. Went to see the Doc for my annual check-up, and Eric, I'm afraid it looks like I'll be around for a while longer! Blood pressure was good, cholesterol checked out OK and the other results from last weeks blood tests were all good too. There were some negatives and these are overweight(I do like ice cream, it's a family trait!) and a rectal examination of the prostate because it's enlarged and the Doc's keeping an eye, or should I say a finger, on it for now. Last thing he did was give me a jab for Swine Flu!


The 63K service out of the way it was off to the workshop for more cleaning and painting. Drained the 110's oil filter, removed the lines and cleaned it up as well as some small pieces needing doing. Wade also went round and picked up the gear linkages from Ivan which now have new bushes as well as some of the rods being built up, should be no more slop and hanging up now. Painting done and Wade was putting Big Red's oil pump back together. Earlier Wade had made two new studs for the 110's exhaust manifold flange where it joins the engine pipe. Had a bit of a struggle cutting the high tensile bolts being used and cutting the threads required. Earlier Wade had re-assembled the 110's distributor and installed it, and put the bands back on the generator and starter as well as the solenoid on the starter. Looks like all that remains before the engine goes into the 110 is to get the shocks back from rebuilding then it'll go in.

Attach file:

---

  (19.71 KB)


  (11.15 KB)


  (32.85 KB)


  (17.83 KB)


  (32.38 KB)


  (25.06 KB)


  (29.97 KB)


  (25.69 KB)


  (18.60 KB)

Good thing there was a camera in the Doc's office!!:

<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tBsIcRZBh3A&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tBsIcRZBh3A&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>



LMFAO!

Mal, things are looking nice on the '39 110. Did notice that the vacumm advance looks to be pointed in the wrong direction. Maybe it is just temporary position. Also, since Wade went to all the trouble to make new studs for the exhaust pipe flange, why not use brass nuts? Brass will not seize like steel. Just a suggestion. Looking at my GeoChron, it is 1:47 A.M. Friday in Sydney as I write this.