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Saturday 11th April 2009

Drove up to see Kath's sister in the '41, about a 35 mile round trip. On the way there a "noise" developed, a high pitched whine, which increased in volume on the way home. I suspect it may be the clutch throw-out bearing, or is it thrust bearing? Noise did go away periodically when the '41 was stopped and 1st gear engaged, but soon came back once rolling again. Will have to book space in the workshop because Noel's '39 is coming in Tuesday for some work!

Gerd,

But not much happening with the Coupe at the moment. At the workshop matters are concentrated on getting Big Red back up and running, with a recent side play in repairing Old Blue's starter motor. While a few things are also being done on Wade's '34. When Big Red is out of the way, or there's a lull, there'll be some more done on the Coupe. Major items are getting the Overdrive working, new tyres and wheels and the oil leak! There are also a number of minor matters to attend to so it'll be on-going. So never fear as things happen I'll update. Will be driving it tomorrow up to Kath sister at Rouse Hill and on Sunday 5th July there's a PACA run to the Australian Motorlife Museum at Kembla Grange.
http://www.motorlifemuseum.com.au/

Sunday 28th June 2009

Gerd,

You wanted something regarding the '41 Coupe? Well, your wish has been answered.

Coming back from taking Kath to see her sister at Rouse Hill today, while stopped at a set of lights in Castle Hill, a pedestrian called out that the left front blinker light was "hanging off". Because of where I was I didn't stop then but continued on for a little until I could pull over safely. I was hoping that the pedestrian could be wrong, because the blinker brackets have the blinkers riding above the bumper bar and it could appear broken to the uninitiated. But that was not to be, so after "bandaging" the blinker to the number plate bracket to prevent it falling off, continued home. Another minor fix to be added to the list.

EDIT - Remembered this morning that when getting the Coupe ready for it's run today, checking fluid levels etc, heard a loud noise(a metallic snap/crack) soon after closing the left side of the bonnet(hood to those in the US). At the time I thought it was just the bonnet locking mechanism "settling" but now realise it was the actual moment the blinker bracket broke!

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Sorry to hear that, Mal, I know it'll be fixed soon. That's what happens when you have a car that's a driver.

Could be that the lights are bending back and forth from the air rushing over them while moving and just like bending any piece of thin metal or plastic back and forth it eventually breaks along the bend axis.

Is the bracket aluminum? A thicker bracket may be in order.

Kev,

The brackets are aluminium. It's quite possible that flexing through airflow turbulence and road vibration caused the break. I think with this bracket that I've bent it too far when making it then bent it back thus weakening the metal to start with. There'll be a much closer inspection of all the blinker brackets later this week as I prepare the Coupe for Sunday's run down the coast to the Australian Motorlife Museum because I don't want them falling off!

Tuesday 30th June 2009

Back-tracking a little, last night had a call from Harvey who's after horn buttons for a '39 110 Business Coupe and a '39 120 Convertible Coupe. These Packards belong to his new boss and before Harvey starts his "proper job" he's getting the pair back up and running for him. This morning then drove the '41 over to see these two Packards. So far on the 110, which has been sitting for about 20 years, Harvey's done the complete brake system, got the lights and electrics working, the shutter-stat and shutters working, overhauled the carb and fuel pump, new paper element air filter off early series Valiant(perfect fit), motor running, needs to fill the steering box with oil(it's bone dry), topped the diff oil up, Cleaned the fuel tank out and gave it the POR-15 tank lining treatment and sent the bumpers out to be re-chromed. The 120 will be similarly addressed once the 110 is done but it's been sitting for only about 14 years and has silicon brake fluid so the brake system may not be such a disaster as the 110. It also has a bone dry steering box! Note, both cars were bought from the same people and they may have had a thing about not running oil in the steering box! Both cars are also in terrific condition, the bodies appear to be excellent and it's only the deterioration from sitting for 15 to 20 years that takes anything away from them. Although I believe the 120 may have an engine problem as the owner Vince dropped in while I was there and was saying that one of the pistons had been welded up! Harvey's not really looking forward to that part of his new job. I was also able to give Harvey a hand, or rather a foot, by pumping the brake pedal while he bled the left rear wheel cylinder on the 110. There'd been a brake fluid leak there which he traced to a crack in one of the lines which he's now replaced.

Then it was was back to the more mundane, taking the '41 down to the workshop. After all, seeing two new Packards together and coming back to life under Harvey's expert hands doesn't happen every day. At the workshop Wade was cleaning up the body bolts for the '34. Although he'd done this previously he'd left them sitting around so they required the treatment again. And tomorrow they'll be POR-15'd so he won't have to do it again, and again and again. While Wade was doing that I removed both front blinkers and their aluminium brackets and re-fitted the blinkers more securely. Wade assisted in crimping some connectors to the blinker wire to make then easier to service and access if required. I haven't replaced the rear blinker brackets as these seem fine and didn't require sharp bends like the front ones, but I'll keep a close eye on them in future.

Next was the blinker actuating unit attached to the steering column. It had given trouble for months and recently only activated the right side blinkers, and then only sometimes. I bought a replacement unit off eBay and now was the time to fix the problem but for this I needed Wade's expertise full-time. First was dis-assembly of the old unit to determine what the problem was. And it was apparent it was the indent ball mechanism that controls whether the blinker stalk is centered, or to the right or left. It was sticking and there was no apparent reason why it should be so. Next was dis-assemblimg the new unit, and the indent ball mechanism on that was perfect. Because the blinker unit has something like 8 wires leading from it's "guts", it was decided to replace the arm with the indent ball only as this required only 1 wire to be changed over. Some of the 8 wires from the "guts" go up under the dash and Wade didn't want to go there at all if he could help it! So, with his trusty soldering iron, Wade disconnected the old arm and connected the new arm then bolted/screwed it all back together leaving me to re-install the unit on the steering column. On testing the blinkers found the left front globe was blown so after replacing that now have a fulling functioning blinker system on the '41. Probably look at the brakes next time down as I want to adjust them and the handbrake before Sunday's run.

EDIT - Link to all the pic's of the '39's today
http://picasaweb.google.com/ozstatman/VinceS39110CoupeAnd120ConvCoupe#

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Thursday 2nd July 2009

Arrived at the workshop to find Wade dis-assembling the "windchime" of parts he'd POR-15'd yesterday. We then remounted the re-assembled grill shutter assembly on the '34's radiator to give Harvey some bench space. And as we finished that Harvey arrived, he was there to paint the strip on the cowl of Big Red under the beading where Paul had filled the large holes two months ago.

So while Harvey set to work on cleaning the cowl area then masking it up for primer/colour/clear coats I took the front wheels off the Coupe in preparation for taking off the brake drums to clean out brake dust in there. Wade didn't seem to think this necessary, as the cars only done about 1,500 miles in the last 6 months, but because the brakes have been squealing for the last couple of months I wanted to do so to try and eliminate the squeal. Took the right front off first, and although not much dust there was some so I blew it out with compressed air. And found that the bearing seal is running against the flange of the stub axle but as it doesn't appear to present an immediate threat it'll be addressed in the near future. Also again learnt the science, or is it more a "black art", of adjusting a front wheel bearing. Wade advised while I wrenched, and I'm pretty sure the final outcome is it's a "black art". Then on with the wheel and adjusted the brake linings, also along the lines of a "black art". I'm sure that with both of the techniques employed that the more you do it the better you get but seeing I'm only doing this intermittently it seems much more a "black art" than a science.

All this while Harvey was beavering away masking up Big Red, preparing the surface and applying primer, but back to the Coupe. It was then onto the left front brake and while I was blowing out the brake dust Wade observed that that wheel cylinder looked to have a leak. By leak I mean there was some seepage of brake fluid which was forming a film with the dust on the inside of the backing plate. So the flexible line, wheel cylinder, shoes and linkages were dis-assembled. I might add that this side also had the bearing seal running against the stub axle flange and will also be addressed in the near future. The wheel cylinder when taken apart appeared fine but to make sure Wade and I went round to see Col the brake guy. We left it with him for new seals and also a new fitting to replace the one connecting the flexible hose to the wheel cylinder because some threads were shot on it.

Returning to the workshop Wade started on re-assembling and re-installing the rear spring shackles on Big Red. Amongst the parts he'd POR-15'd were the two new shackle bolts Ivan had made, see pic. Wade first greased up a new shackle bolt, screwed it through the spring with a new felt washer between the bolt and the spring, rubber greased a new shackle rubber and installed that into the fitting at the rear of the frame. Next the inside shackle rubber was rubber greased and installed then the shackle plate installed and everything tightened up. Next the front shackle bolt, and apart from a minor POR-15 overpaint fix, this too went together well.

While Wade was under Big Red during the front bolt process he had a call from Col to collect the wheel cylinder and parts. So leaving Wade to finish that off Harvey and I walked up and picked up the brake parts. On returning Wade re-assembled the wheel cylinder while Harvey got back to applying clear coats. Wade re-assembled the shoes and hardware to the backing plate leaving me to put the brake drum on. But before doing so I noticed the connecting links between the brake shoes and the wheel cylinder pistons were still lying on the floor! No wonder it was relatively easy to get the springs on the shoes! No worries......a quick partial dis-assembly and re-assembly and I was back in business. That is until it came to bleeding the brake. The used replacement fitting into the wheel cylinder that Col had provided, was leaking! So tomorrow it's off to Pirtek, before going to the workshop, to pick up some new fittings.

Harvey, meanwhile, had continued his ways and had finished clear coating and was removing the masking from Big Red now assisted by Wade. Must say much as Rick did in his dry manner when he came over for a look "pretty close colour match". And Harvey will come back at a future date for little brush touch-ups to some body chips around Big Red, it's that close!

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Friday 3rd July 2009

Chased around this morning for the fitting for the wheel cylinder. Pirtek at Rydalmere didn't have it but they pointed me in the direction of Brake-Pro at Parramatta who also didn't have it! Instead they were able to cobble together two fittings into one that should fit but the trouble was it didn't! However Wade determined that the hose fitting would work directly in the wheel cylinder so that path was pursued. And at one stage, while bleeding the brakes, had "no pedal". Although the master cylinder had been refilled with silicone fluid, there was air in the line which caused some heart palpitations before it was all bled out. So now I'm ready for the run to Kembla Grange which is about a 200 km round trip, should be a nice Sunday drive.

Yesterday after I left Wade had partly mounted the other new rear spring shackle in Big Red. As well, he worked on the boom-gate motor which has been giving trouble for some time. Found the problem to be bearings on the motor. One had square balls, well they felt that way, while the other was seized. This morning John picked up a pair of bearings which Wade installed and then re-assembled the motor and the boom operating mechanism. Probably will be re-mounted on it's pedestal next week.

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After 2 years of entries, replies and much enjoyment I've asked BigKev to close this thread. It's well served it's purpose in showcasing to the Packard world my so called '41 120 Coupe "restoration". However posting on all things Packard including the Coupe, which is on-going process, will continue. As well as many un-Packard but related matters in the "Wades Workshop" thread here in the Project Blogs Forum. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who's contributed during the course of this journey to making it such a pleasurable and enjoyable experience.