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Bad luck Mal not getting the '41 registered today, should be straight forward tomorrow.
I am sure Wade will have a supplier for the new oil filter however just in case he needs it there is a company in Blacktown that sells nothing but filters for cars and trucks. They let me go out the back to search their shelves for an oil filter that I could adapt to my 1929 633. Very helpful. I think they are "Western Filters", if Wade needs it I will look up the contact details.
Good luck tomorrow. David

G'day Mal

Thanks for catching up on the phone tonight, and for letting me know to anxiously await your next post.

Great news!

Let me congratulate you on this forum for the superb work you have done in getting this beauty on the road. It will be a delight to see it at the PACA National in March.

The LHD things works fine once you get out and about. It is the passenger that has the weirdest experience, because they don't have a wheel and pedals for security like in our RHD cars, ...and they get to stare at the oncoming traffic!

Once again congratulations and also for being a super packardinfo citizen.

Good onya mate!

Wednesday 14th January 2009

The longest part of obtaining the hard copy Green Slip at the GIO office Hornsby was waiting for the printer to warm up, seeing I was the first customer in line. Then off to the RTA Motor Registry office at Ryde to complete the registration formalities. Had filled in all the requirements on the registration application form Tony had given me yesterday together with the Blue Slip. The documentation submitted consisted of:

Blue Slip - EA7797122
Application for Registration Form
Green Slip - TP12010542
Weighbridge Ticket No 0188 - triplicate copy
Vehicle Import Approval - 924542/1
Credit Card - AU$901.00

The Ryde office of the RTA had been holding the personalised numbers plates I'd ordered last May and these are included in the registration process. All went very smoothly with the vin numbers on all the documents agreeing, except for the Weighbridge Ticket which showed the thief proof number as the vin, but the important item there was the weight so no drama.

Back to the workshop for firstly a happy snap, like a fisherman displaying his catch, of the registration document and a number plate. Then mounting of the number plates, and because these are personalised plates designed for modern cars, none of the holes line up! Some measuring and drilling and the rear plate was mounted first but because the plates aren't as deep as the old ones the top sliding clamp is too long for the plate. But this wont be a problem as the plate is very secure and doesn't require the additional support. The front plates is even shallower than the rear one but by using a piece of scrap steel to brace the top of the plate it was mounted to the upright only with the bottom resting on the cross bar.

Then for a diversion, it was into Wades '37 Super 8 for a drive over to see Dave of JJ Smith's the radiator shop Wade uses. Wade's still not happy with the cooling on the Super 8 because at times he experiences dirty radiator water being forced out of the cap and blowing back over the '37. So, rather than continue to fiddle with things himself, it was off to see an expert. JJ Smiths moved over the Christmas break and are in new premises but are not yet fully set up. And are having lots of problems with the local regulatory authorities before they can finish things off and become fully functional. Anyway what Wade was after was advice and so after explaining the circumstances and setup on the Super 8 that left David to ponder and propose solutions. Checked to make sure the system wasn't pressurised and gave Wade a new cap for his overflow tank. Then after a number of thoughts were offered but all of which Wade had tried himself none had succeeded in rectifying the problem suggested a cleaning agent be tried. We took back with us 2 bottles of this to be added to the radiator water and run with it for 1 hour. Then a thorough flushing of engine and radiator. David said he's had a lot of success with this product without having to go any further to rectify cooling problems. We, or rather Wade, will see in the near future.

Back to the workshop and I took the '41 to show Kath, my wife, who the "other woman" was who'd been monopolising my time for the last 13&1/2 months. Kath was, to say the least, "rapt" and even more so when we went for a spin in it. Then on to my Mum and Dad's to take them for a ride too, which turned out to be two rides because the first one ended after about 50 yards when the '41 ran out of petrol. I'd noticed the gauge was getting low and was going to add some petrol on the way back to the workshop. And now we know that although the fuel gauge works it's accuracy isn't great. Walked back to Mum and Dad's looked for a fuel container and couldn't find one so rang the local roadside assistance provider aka Wade. So while I had a cup of tea with Mum and Dad, Wade went and bought some petrol, and after arriving in his Ute, tipped in about 5 US gallons. Noticed when I took the cap off the fuel filler neck that it released some pressure doing that. Fired right up, then once around the block, picked up Mum and Dad for the real run in the '41 while Wade returned to the workshop. After taking the '41 back to the workshop took the fuel cap off and blew through the passages with compressed air and it seems to be OK.

And why did the '41 end up in the workshop and not at home? Because there are still a few things to be done and also to work out any matters that arise as they could do with a 68 year old car. The major thing to be done is the front end alignment although the '41's fine to drive for limited distances. Wade doesn't like to let things leave the premises until he's satisfied that everything needing to be done is done and done correctly. The other noticeable matter is the trans oil leak, there were a couple of saucer sized oil patches outside Mum and Dads so this definitely needs attention. And Friday will be the day because tomorrow I can't make it to the workshop.

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Looks like it might be time to double check the accuracy of the fuel gauge......

The best way IMHO, it to drain the tank completely, then fill in 1 gallon increments, checking the gauge as each gallon is put in. This way, you'll be able to tell exactly how much fuel's in the tank. You can adjust the float if it doesn't read anything until you get something like 5 gallons or so in it.

Eric,

Although it works, and the gauge looked to work reasonably well when I half filled the tank initially, when it starts indicating close to empty I now know it's closer to empty than I'd first thought.

And following our conversation in the Chatroom just now, where your offered advice was dismissed as too impractical at this time, your fallback option of carrying a spare can of fuel will be taken up. As well as keeping the tank filled up as much as possible. In fact that will be my next test, filling the tank to see what the gauge indicates.

Edit - Your advice of filling the tank in increments and monitoring the gauge readings is good practice. But seeing we just dumped in close to 5 US gallons I might just try leaving the fill to brim approach for now and wait till some is burned off and do it from there. Will keep you posted.

Not leaving the workshop until everythings perfect.Imagine livinmg with him! The wife

Noticed when I took the cap off the fuel fuel filler neck that it released some pressure doing that.

Might it have been a vacuum (air rushing into the tank, rather than from it)? If so, better check and make sure you didn't accidently put on a non-vented gas cap. Correct cap is vented to prevent a vacuum from being formed in the tank as gasoline is withdrawn. The vacuum can not only strain the fuel pump and cause fuel starvation problems, but can possibly collapse the tank.

That's a sweet moment when you finally get license tags for a car and go for the first ride! Best of luck with it.

Quote:
Gina,

That's the beauty of it, I don't have to, so it suits me perfectly!

Quote:
Dave,

Thanks for the advice about ensuring a vented cap is used and it appears to be so. We also checked that the venting setup was working and it appears to be OK from our tests, as I noted.
Quote:
And, today I found on this eBay "Packard gas cap, for all 1941 thru 1950 models. This a new VENTED cap, not NOS. It is NOT made in China.". Looks entirely different to the current cap on the '41 (see pic's below) and although the price US$14.00 is "reasonable" the shipping in the listing of US$22.50 for this is unreal so I'm looking at AU$50.00 total!

You are right, that first drive is a very sweet moment, with the term "King of the Road" coming to mind.

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Mal, congratulations on finishing the '41! Well, I guess one never really "finishes" working on these wonderful old cars, but you have reached a significant milestone.

Another way to insure that your gas tank is vented, regardless of the type of cap used, is to file a small groove in the top of the filler tube. It doesn't take much and is not noticeable when the cap is on. Just a suggestion.

Your steps and missteps in getting the '41 registered inspired me to get my two Packards (1937 115C Convertible Coupe and 1947 Custom Super Clipper Touring Sedan) registered in Texas. It has been over a year since moving here, and I thought the time has come even though the New Mexico registrations have a few more months before expiring. My experience went smoothly, and I was done in about 30 minutes. I had to pay 6.25% sales tax on the 1947 Custom Clipper as I had just purchased it and had not transferred the title. I went with Texas Antique Vehicle plates for both cars. There are restrictions on where and how much you can drive, but this is not an issue the way I will be using them. Also, there is no inspection or emissions testing required. The cost is $50 each for four years. My total cost was about ten times your cost. Most of that was for the sales tax. Anyway, here is a photo of the cars with their new plates and me for you to download, frame and display in a prominent place of honor (just kidding).

Now you can spend some time enjoying the Packard by driving it instead of working on it; although, I don't know which brings more pleasure.

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Mal, Congratulations on a job well done!