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« 1 2 3 (4) 5 6 7 ... 257 »

Re: BigKev's 1954 Packard Clipper Deluxe Sedan
#31
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BigKev
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I have been busy looking for bargins on Ebay lately. I found a 70" spool of Packard 440 wire, and vintage Delco-Packard boots and termnials sold as a lot. Everything is still in the boxes. Not a bad deal for $40. It just arrived on my doorstep.

So I will make myself a new set up plug wires with these. I bought a set from a vendor about a year ago, but I always felt they appeared to be cut a little short and the wire was a generic unmarked type.

Anyways here is a pic of what was in the lot:

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Posted on: 2007/7/2 13:33
-BigKev


1954 Packard Clipper Deluxe Touring Sedan -> Registry | Project Blog

1937 Packard 115-C Convertible Coupe -> Registry | Project Blog
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Re: BigKev's 1954 Packard Clipper Deluxe Sedan
#32
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BigKev
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Well I managed to get a few things done this weekend.

First I got the entire engine painted. I will let it cure till next weekend. Then I will check for and do any needed touchups.

I also painted the manifolds in cast-iron gray. They are ready to go back on the engine after all the touchups are complete.

I also engineered a new alternator bracket. I never liked the universal generator to alternator bracket I was using. First the universal bracket bolted to the generator bracket and then to the alternator. This made the alternator mount further outboard from the engine. It also gave the bottom mount two possible pivot points and required the use of a different top bracket.

So I took parts from the universal bracket to provide the alternator mounting tabs, and then made a new bracket that bolted directly to the block in place of the generator bracket. I made that bracket out of 12 gauge cold rolled angle iron. I made the bracket mounting holes enlongated so it would give me a little bit of adjustment to make sure I could get the alternator pulley on the same plane as the other pulleys.

This bracket worked out very well. I brings the alternator in closer too the block and provides only a single pivot point. It is stronger in design, and provides adjustability for aligning the alternator. Another bonus is that I can now use the original Packard top bracket.

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Posted on: 2007/7/8 21:11
-BigKev


1954 Packard Clipper Deluxe Touring Sedan -> Registry | Project Blog

1937 Packard 115-C Convertible Coupe -> Registry | Project Blog
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Re: BigKev's 1954 Packard Clipper Deluxe Sedan
#33
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BigKev
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Well getting a little closer on getting the engine and the accessories painted. I like that the engine no longer looks like something that was recovered from the Titanic.

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Posted on: 2007/7/18 21:56
-BigKev


1954 Packard Clipper Deluxe Touring Sedan -> Registry | Project Blog

1937 Packard 115-C Convertible Coupe -> Registry | Project Blog
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Re: BigKev's 1954 Packard Clipper Deluxe Sedan
#34
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Tom (Packin31)
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Looking good Kev. Did you spray or brush on the engine paint?

Posted on: 2007/7/19 5:37
Tom
1931 833 468 Coupe
Packard Registry|1931 Project Blog
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Re: BigKev's 1954 Packard Clipper Deluxe Sedan
#35
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BigKev
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I used a brush. But I made sure to clean the brush with thinner as I went along. I also let it cure for 7 days between main coat and touchup coat. You can't see any brush marks, but surface on the head and the block is not that smooth except for the machined areas, so it hides the inperfections that a completely smooth surface would not.

The cast took the paint very well. But I had to make touchup on the primered steel surfaces, as you could see the brush marks. But after the second touch-up coat, they have leveled and disappeared.

The accessories were painted with rattle-can high temp gloss black. The vacuum advance was painted with Eastwood Cadium spray paint.

I had also bought a set of reusable silicon caps/plugs from Eastwood that I used to keep paint out of the bolt holes and off of any exposed threads.

Posted on: 2007/7/19 15:35
-BigKev


1954 Packard Clipper Deluxe Touring Sedan -> Registry | Project Blog

1937 Packard 115-C Convertible Coupe -> Registry | Project Blog
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Re: BigKev's 1954 Packard Clipper Deluxe Sedan
#36
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BigKev
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Well now that I am finally back at home after almost 2 weeks on the road, I was finally able to get some work done on the '54.

First I alternator mounted on it's new bracket and also bolted the ground strap the the same bracket.

Also I pulled the valve covers to inspect everything. Everything looks good. When I pulled the oil pan last summer I had found 4 value keepers in the down in the muck. So I was worried I might have had a couple free values. But as you can see everything appears to fine. I guess the last time the valves were worked on, someone must have dropped a few keepers. I also rotate the crankshaft and verified that all the values are free and nothing is sticking. Fresh gaskets and a little gasket sealer, and I buttoned the covers back up.

I also started to reinstall the engine accessories back on to the engine. The transcooler was reinstalled, as was the fuel pump. You can see that the top hose has two different style hose clamps on it. This is acutally correct. All the hoses use spring-style wire clamps, except the hose end that hooks to the water pump. It uses a screw-style wire clamp. This is called for in the PI engine judging guide, and also there are a couple of pictures in some some of the service manuals that verify this.

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Posted on: 2007/7/29 22:26
-BigKev


1954 Packard Clipper Deluxe Touring Sedan -> Registry | Project Blog

1937 Packard 115-C Convertible Coupe -> Registry | Project Blog
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Re: BigKev's 1954 Packard Clipper Deluxe Sedan
#37
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BigKev
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Well I managed to get the manifolds bolted back to the block.

I still say which ever engineer designed the placement of those two inner stud locations should be shot (if he was still alive). The only way to get to nuts on and off those to inner studs is with a relatively short 11/17 wrench. Impact Wrench, Socket Wrench, Gear Wreach, nothing will fit in there. Not even a socket on a swivel extension. Even with an 11/16 inch box wrench you can only turn it bout 1/6 of a turn at a time. What a pain. I only hope I never have to pull that manifold back off again.

Anyways here are the current pictures. The car is going to sit for the next week or so, as I am off the Vegas with wife for a little vacation time.

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Posted on: 2007/8/5 12:39
-BigKev


1954 Packard Clipper Deluxe Touring Sedan -> Registry | Project Blog

1937 Packard 115-C Convertible Coupe -> Registry | Project Blog
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Re: BigKev's 1954 Packard Clipper Deluxe Sedan
#38
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Owen_Dyneto
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A standard "manifold" wrench does the trick on those two lower manifold studs.

Posted on: 2007/8/5 15:50
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Re: BigKev's 1954 Packard Clipper Deluxe Sedan
#39
Just popping in
Just popping in

Herb Phillips
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I am enjoying your reports on the Clipper. I have a lot of memories of our family's Clipper. It served us well for several years but I think the Ultramatic went out on it and it had some ugly front end damage. It sat around for a few years and dad decided to scrap it. We towed it with a chain several miles from our home in Osceola to a recycler in Elkhart, IN. They weighed it and gave dad some cash. We towed it near a very large pile of cars near a shredder. The guy got off the crane and said where to put it. He got back in the crane and dropped the big magnet on the roof. The Clipper flew slowly to the top of the pile and was dropped there. I was probably about 10 years old and had never seen a car that had safely carried us all for so many years end up like that. Never will forget seeing it sitting there on that pile as we drove away. Still feel guilty about it all because it was a good reliable car for so many years. Dad had a lot of cars that came and went but that one was one of the best. Glad yours was lucky enough to end up with you! HP

Posted on: 2007/8/9 19:44
Old Kentucky Studebaker
AKA, The Kentucky Open Air Museum of Hoosier Automotive History
Herb Phillips, Curator
oldkystude@hotmail.com
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Re: BigKev's 1954 Packard Clipper Deluxe Sedan
#40
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BigKev
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Well not much has been going on with the '54. The summer heat is finally here with a vengence. By 10:00am it is already 95 degrees in the garage.

The heat here has been very bad in the last week. On Sunday it was 115, humid as all hell, thunderstorms, and we started the day with a minor earthquake.

It was 104 today. It is supposed to be cooler before the weekend. So I hope I can get into the garage this weekend.

I did manage to find a spare complete dash cluster for my Clipper. The dash cluster and all the gauges are one year only on the '54 Clippers. So finding one in good shape can be a challange. I'm not sure the mechanical condition of the one in my car currently, but I figure for $50, it makes good insurance.

I also made a few inquires to Tower Paint, and they can make me a few rattle cans of Metallic Bikini Blue (the original color of paint for my car) so I can touch up the firewall. The more cans you order, the cheaper the each can is. I think 5 cans was going to run me around $65. Still expensive. But at least it is something I can do in the garage. Why so many cans you ask? Well I want to spray the dash and interior windows mouldings to match. Mine are a little worse for wear and I never really cared for the grayish blue color they came with. So as my car is going to be a driver, I am going to paint them body color.

Posted on: 2007/9/4 23:29
-BigKev


1954 Packard Clipper Deluxe Touring Sedan -> Registry | Project Blog

1937 Packard 115-C Convertible Coupe -> Registry | Project Blog
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