Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Yes, that is the one. I use the 80 grit glass bead. Works very well.

apart from fastners/nuts and bolts etc, what do you mostly use it for?
Small items needing rechroming perhaps?

Gary,

Yes, cabinet blasting can be used for cleaning many smaller parts prior to repainting or rechroming.

Gary,

What about this '54 Convertible?

Will save a lot of the questions, problems, getting dirty that you have, and will come, in restoring a car!

All you need is $$$$$!

Mal, she looks so sweeeeeeeeeeet.
Its a exact copy of what i am trying to achieve. Apart from white convertible top, which my wife disagrees, she says better dark green as white will get ruiened quicker, i still think white top. And seats i would like two tone white and bellevue green, or perhaps ivory and bellevue green?
Just love those wheels, really makes any car.

Mal, seats easy to remove? What yar think, dark green top or white?

Also need new red tail light lens, my project one is completly melted. Easy to get and fix i think. Around it is it chrome or just chrome looking paint?

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Heres pic of Cabinet. Mentioned earlier.
And anyone use thisXenon Timing Light or simular? how much difference does it actually make?

I only now know the 54 convertible had power steering, power seats, amazing for its age.


On the Nuts and Bolts theme, any other useful items i should consider getting? I am writing my shopping list.

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Gary,

You asked for my opinions, so here goes!

Mal, seats easy to remove? - As advised by others shouldn't be too hard. I did remove the seats from my '41 Coupe, by myself, and if I can do that anyone can! Being yours is a Convertible is a plus as you wouldn't have to worry about working within the confines of a roof.

What yar think, dark green top or white? - My preferences would be somewhat different, either black or tan. Couple of pic's below of local cars, I tend to favour the tan because I like the contrasting effect. But as my wife says "I know nothing about colour"!

Also need new red tail light lens, my project one is completly melted. Easy to get and fix i think. Around it is it chrome or just chrome looking paint? - Replacement lenses and bezels should be reasonably readily available from the Packard parts vendors, so I don't see that as a problem. Bezels will be either chrome-plated steel or pot-metal, not plastic, the experts will be able to better advise.

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Yes tan looks good , and not so hard to keep clean. Would you sand blast
The frame holding the top? And just normal epoxy primer?
The bezels easily removed to get rechromed,
Is this the type of thing you would put in cabinet?

Brian, sure good web sites. Great location for getting all the fastners you require.
Eastwoods very good . Saw this regarding leather dye, and wondered if you knew anyone who had used it before? And if it turned out ok?

http://search.eastwood.com/search?w=Leather+dye&p=Q&ts=custom

Since I've never pursued recoloring the leather in any of my cars, I'm not sure about using Eastwood's interior paint for that. Though billed for "vinyl, leather, and plastic automotive interior and vinyl tops" (even carpet), I see that they also recommend the use of an "adhesion promoter", which I'd bet is geared to vinyl and other plastics.

While many trim shops here in the US offer spray-on dye services for leather interiors, they seem to specialize in reconditioning late-model used cars for remarketing. I don't know what they use, but suspect it's probably something like what Eastwood offers (but in bulk), as I've seen where the entire seat cover was sprayed, in some cases. Yet, the only place you'll find leather on the seats in vehicles of more recent years was directly under your butt and behind your back (the rest was vinyl).

The thing to keep in mind is that today's automotive leathers are NOT finished the same as those used in your Packard and other cars of that time.

I first became aware of this difference, back in the 1980s, with the acquisition of a Packard parts car - a '56 Four Hundred. The dried-out, sun-faded leather on its seats had a great expanse of swirling cracks running over the surface - something I'd never seen in leather of any other junkyard vehicle of more recent production. The condition reminded me of deteriorated nitrocellulose lacquer exterior paint.

After a little research, I found out that leather in the post-WWII era was actually top-coated in nitrocellulose lacquer, which allowed for a greater variety of colors than vat-dyeing, but with a flex agent added to keep the finish from being stiff/brittle. As such, those old leathers required frequent cleaning with saddle soap, Murphy's Oil Soap, or even Ivory bar soap, followed by application of a conditioner.

However, I learned that the use of lacquer top-coats later gave way to resin-based dyes in production. As such, I suspect that these modern interior paints are formulated with the latter in mind. My gut feeling is that you might not get good, long-lasting results from application of that Eastwood product over lacquered leather.

So, I can only suggest that you check with local trim shops in your country that deal with Rolls, M-B, and other similar marques of the same period as your car, to see what they recommend.

In the event that you need to have new covers sewn, know that modern leathers can be had in an incredible variety of colors - if you're willing to shop around.