My next project? 1921 Packard Coupe

7 minute(s) of a 548 minute read

Hi Don

Many thanks for your kind thoughts.

Getting back to the Packard Profiles. The attached copy of the index will give you some idea of how comprehensive the book's coverage is. I found it interesting to read an English road testers appraisal of the Single Six

11-11-2011

Hi Jeff

That was the first thing I read. It is remarkable to be able to read the impressions of a "British" motoring writer of the car when brand new. He appears to have been completely bowled over by its top gear performance. This in a car that had only "delivery miles" on the speedo. All inspiring stuff. I can't wait to get the coupe finished. With that in mind the body went off this morning to commence its pre-paint preparation. The Wheel bolts (lugs) and rings are now ready to be collected from the platers.

I will take the door hinges and latches with me so they can make a start on them.

11-14-2011

Not much happening in the last three or four days, entertaining an interstate visitor. Back into it today with lots of running around. Collect the wheel lugs (bolts) and rings from the platers and deliver hinges etc. Then I have to take the doors and luggage compartment lid to the painters, collect some graphite string for the water pump seal and a new 5kg pot of grease. That should fill up this morning, more later.

11-15-2011

All the people who regularly follow this thread (there must be one or two) will remember all the drama a few months ago when rather than dismantling the water pump it was a matter of rescuing the various small and rather rusty parts from the front of the cylinder block. Today thanks to some fairly average bronze welding on my part and some precision machining on the part of my son Steve, the pump has gone back into the engine and is ready to go into service.

Fortunately Olsens included the copper ring seal to go in between the body of the pump and the surface of the block with the engine gasket kit they provided some time back. The fan blades need a light sand-paper and another coat of paint then they can be mounted on the front of the pump.

The other good news is that Dave can start into preparing the body for paint early next week. As any small child will tell you "Christmas is coming!

The eagle eyed and the super critical among you will have already spotted the socket head cap screw in there. It will be replaced with a "proper" grub screw in the next day or so. Those who have not seen it now is your chance, see if you can find it. Sorry no cigar...

Bernie J.

Ben.

You will be pleased to note that the only spanner in my collection that fits the gland nut for the rope seal is my "monkey wrench"..... if you keep something long enough you will always find a use for it.

11-16-2011

Thank you Edinmass & Rex 876 for your vote of confidence. 

Roger, Bon Jour,ca va?

We hope to bring the Lagonda Rapier to Europe again in 2014 for its 80th Birthday but have not made any plans as yet regarding destinations. One thought was to re-visit the Pyrenees which is in the wrong direction for Switzerland. The one thing that tends to be a fixture on our programme is the Fougeres Rally in Normandy. 

No work on the Packard today I have been giving the Lagonda a grease and check over in preparation for the VSCC Day Navigation Trial on Sunday, a full day, about 250/300 miles, of competitive motoring.

Tomorrow I have another of my annual check ups with my specialist Urologist. This marks ten years since my big cancer operation. 

So far so good, the alternative is not worth thinking about.

11-17-2011

After a frustrating day sitting around in Doctors waiting rooms and being prodded in the tummy by a charming young lady sitting at an Ultra-sound machine I am happy to report that I am still as fit and well as I was yesterday and the day before that etc etc ad infinitum. Now I can relax for the next 6 months until my next scheduled internal examination (you can watch the whole procedure on a conveniently placed overhead TV screen,) then another six months until the next ultrasound etc etc. 

On the way home I could call into my local locksmiths where a very helpful and obliging young man (they do still exist) had very carefully taken the ignition/light switch apart and cut a new key. In fact he cut two so I have a spare should I misplace the first one. While all this is not new to all those people who actually have in the past or do own a 1923 Single Six. (1921-2 had a different switch arrangement.) I have included a couple of photographs of the business side of the switch. First thing is to note that all the terminals are numbered, these co-incide with the numbered terminals on the dashboard side of the engine bulkhead. The other thing is of course Mr Packards patent circuit breaker. In the unlikely event of a short circuit or overload this sprang into action sounding a warning BUZZ and reducing the current going to the offending hot spot in the wiring. This while still providing sufficient current to enable the car to be driven to the nearest authorised Packard service provider.

Going back to the key. My locksmith was compelled to dismantle the lock to "read" the combination. While the Yale lock still had the number for its particular key he was unable to access the required information for a 1923 lock from the Yale Locks website.

For those aghast at the surface rust on the circuit breaker I am reluctant to do too much fiddling with it given its fragile state. In all truth I will probably by pass it and replace it with a fuse block with correct period glass fuses on the drivers side of the engine bulkhead. 

BJ.