Roger Zimmermann

John, you are a lucky person when your boss accept changes of the day's program! The car is good looking, your friend must take care not to damage the paint when installing doors and other elements... It seems that you have no luck recently with batteries! Which year is the Suburban? Since some years, the lights are turned off after 10 minutes when no activity is sensed or the engine is not running.

This ugly little piece will be a fuel pump once finished...While I'm waiting for the wood for the body, I'm doing parts which were not yet done and there are many... While looking at a '54-'56 Cadillac fuel pump I have on stock, I noticed that the diaphragm for the fuel must be the same as the Lincoln/Continental pumps. The mounting flange is also identical...It's not a wonder, both pumps are made by AC! The Cadillac fuel pump is not combined with a vacuum pump for the wipers as these engines have a vacuum pump installed under the oil pump. Similar system but the approach was different. I have to add that the fuel pump on Cadillac engines is less than ideally placed in the middle of the V (this stupid location has a negative effect for the vapor-lock); there was no available space for the vacuum part. The pump on the Lincoln engines is placed very low, probably well ventilated during driving.

Bernie, I don't know if the attached data can be of help. They are from the book "Packard, a history of the motor car and the company" a very large book of about 825 pages I bought many years ago.

Many years ago, a dealer had a trouble to find the cause why a Trans Sport would not run as it should. They replaces also a number of parts without success. At the end, it was oxydation into the large connector at the firewall, the one with about 15 to 20 wires. It's too long ago to remember what was the problem and if it was similar to yours. The fact that the problem came gradually let me think that there is maybe a connector problem. When I was district service manager for US cars in Switzerland, there were a lot of ECMs and PROMs (PROM no so often) replaced in warranty for vehicles from the 90's . Were the real problems? maybe...

Honestly, I did not expected a rush of inquiries...but not a single one let me think: are my manuals too expensive? Or, nobody cares anymore to have a nice owner's manual or, how can a guy in Switzerland offer genuine manuals? It would be interesting to know why...I just show 2 examples of what I have... Now, as an effort to improve the situation: the first demand I have for a 60 to 80 manual (if on stock, but except Corvette and Cadillac) get it for $ 10.00 including shipping!

You are right. And it's interesting to see that there are many methods so solve more or less the same problems!

The spare wheel well was soldered to the floor yesterday. Owners of a Mark II will notice, on the second picture, the small bracket for the rod securing the spare wheel. This odd part is the last large one which was added to the floor, closing that chapter. There are still unfinished small details like adding the missing "cushions" between floor and frame. Of course, the outer wheel houses are not yet done; they will be in work when the rear fenders are ready. I will order some wood the next few days; this will be the beginning of the body. As noted above, I still have numerous of small details to finish, nothing spectacular to show. The pictures are showing the soldered spare wheel well, I could not resist adding a wheel into it!

This "small" stamped part is more or less an headache to do. Before I began with the wood pattern, I did a form with plasticine. Once this form pleased me, I began with the wood, with the hope that I was not too far away from the truth - first picture. Then it was the turn of beating the brass on the pattern. As the second picture is showing, the wheel well will be done in two parts. The first one is done by cutting pieces of brass away, trying to shape the part and silver solder each slice, the same technique I used for the wheel houses. Once the first part was done, the second one came in. I fitted both part, held together with masking tape. Fortunately I have the tires, so I could check if the spare tire could go into that well. The whole exercise was more guessing than measuring as the well is at an angle compared to the floor. The last task was to silver solder both halves together (but joint) which was not especially easy as the sheet metal like to expand/distort when heated. Anyway, the last picture is showing the well, almost ready to be soldered to the floor. It is a tight fit for the tire; I will probably use a not too nice tire as a spare wheel as it will probably suffer a bit at the bottom. The well may protrude a little bit more than necessary (maybe 1mm) just to be sure I will have enough clearance to close the trunk lid!

Your friend "Bentley" Bill is certainly not a bad man: he has two Cadillacs! The '56 one is atypical: it's a Serie 62 (base model) with options like electric windows, Autronic eye and, but I'm not sure, A/C. Regarding the dent in the trunk lid of the Jag: body shop people are not always smart. Many years ago, somebody hit my '80 Oldsmobile, the man was sleeping at the wheel. The car was repaired, had a total repaint except the trunk lid, but the body shop did not remove a dent located low on the passenger door!

Thank you for educating me about the use of that triangle!

Don't wory: this is the problem forums are faced. When one of the forum's administrator will be awake, this will be probably removed.

Most owner's manuals I have are NOS; they are mainly between 1960 and 1982, some are older or more recent. I also have some manuals in German and French (who knows...); I need to reduce my inventory. Please feel free to ask what you would need. Most years are covered for Chevy, Pontiac, Olds and Buick, almost no Cadillacs any more. I usually have more than one manual but, for models like Corvettes I have just one piece and not for each year. I'm asking $ 25.00 each ($ 30.00 for Corvettes), cheaper for models like Novas or Vegas, including shipping (I'm located in Switzerland). The most easy way for the payment is with PayPal, or cash in an enveloppe. Thank you for your interest!

As you can see on the picture, the second wheelhouse was soldered to the floor. Now, I have a strong floor as the wheelhouses are keeping the back with some strength. I added also the reinforcements at the bolt attachment points to the frame. I could have done it with a piece of flat brass, but, as this will be seen for months/years until it's either covered with carpet or hidden with the rear seat, I went a little bit further and did the parts more or less like the original ones, just for the fun.

I'm surprised that Jaguar had not a better solution to close the shifter boot...

Fortunately, my various jobs are over for the moment and I could continue the wheel houses. One half is soldered to the floor; the other one must be trimmed and will be installed soon. I began the wood form for the spare wheel well, but I'm not happy with it. I will need to make a temporary form with plastiline to continue with the wood.

Thank you Larry! I raised the bar myself by publishing what I'm doing! Sorry if my topic forced you to raise your own bar...

Sorry if there is no update for the moment: I had to finish the overhauling of two Hydramatic transmissions and I had some maintenance to do on my own cars, scale 1:1!

Thank you keiser31 (and Dale). Insteed of a rotisserie, I will spend my time with the wood form for the wheelhouses!

After some finishing work, I sprayed today the floor .It's far from totally finished, but the next steps will require some handling and the brass is getting all the time dirty. The surface is far from perfect; some refinishing will be needed; this will done when the body is assembled with solder to the floor. It's not for tomorrow! I used an industrial 2-stage paint (is that the correct term? base paint with hardener and thinner), it will certainly be more tough than the paint from the rattle can. I used a spray gun for scale models.

I do say the same, congratulation!

Yes, because it's ready! I added even the "windows" in it; they are for various maintenance works like speedometer cable or to adjust the band for the transmission. The holes I did are not exact; they were done according to one picture and one drawing. However, it's not important as they will be closed permanently because I will not install a speedometer cable and my transmission will need no adjustment! The tunnel itself is probably not exact; I did it according to my own frame and again pictures. Anyway, thank you Jay for some dimensions you gave me; they were helpful. the next picture will show the floor with a light coat of primer; I have enough to see it that way.

Last day, I took a decision: all future work on the floor will be with soft solder. The heat needed to assemble bits with silver solder is so intensive that I'm faced with minor deformation. Now, after brazing the top of the front tunnel, I cleaned the assembly. It's now almost shining like gold!

This is good looking, I like it! What kind of glass did you order, tempered or laminated?

Last week, I was very busy with two Hydramatic transmissions to overhaul (1956 & 1959) so I had few moments to continue the floor. Anyway, I managed to do both front feet wells. The difficulty here was to close 3 sides at once, with no overlapping at some places. It all went more or less well; both wells are almost identical. The next step will be with the front tunnel; it will be a funny part...

Amnother supporter from Australia, welcome! And thank you for your comments. How long did you have to read all? I'm afraid that I won't be able to help with microsurgery, I don't like blood!