Dave Mitchell
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Posts posted by Dave Mitchell
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I'd be happy to talk to you about rebuilding a 356. I can help you with advice, and can also rebuild it in my shop. Cracked blocks in old cars, including Packards are not uncommon, and a lot of cars running around have them, some sideline the cars, some just result in poor performance that the owner doesn't understand until it is too late. The repair does depend on where it is - between the cylinder and the water jacket (that usually sidelines the car) or btw the valve seat and cylinder or between valve seats, etc The engine probably needs to be rebuilt anyway, in my experience, if a Packard hasn't been prefessionally rebuilt, by this point in time, it needs to be. A crack just adds some expense to the rebuild. Grinding the crank also adds expense, but that may or may not need to be done. If you are used to doing these engines, it is all pretty much routine. Now if you have 6 or 8 cracks, then your cost to repair will exceed the cost of getting another block. You can sleeve cylinders, pin cracks or hot weld them (the best solution) and also install hardened valve seats.
A lot of cracked blocks are the result of clogged radiators - people don't maintain them like they did in the old days. There was a reason that radiator shops were all over the place in the 60s - now people run with half a radiator or less and get the engines way too hot - next thing you know you have a crack.
I have had 4 41s with this engine and still have 2, and also had a 46 2106 club sedan for a few years and I would say that the 46 was the easiest driving vintage car I have ever been in. It was fast, quiet, fun, handled well, had good brakes, got good mileage (had overdrive) and got a lot of attention. My personal preference is still for my 41s, so when something had to go, it was the 46, but it was a nice car. It was nice to have factory turnsignals and a really great heater and the better wipers etc too. I put Michelin radials on mine and it was a wonderful road car that would go down the interstate all day at speed with you in comfort. It is a bonus that it is a CCCA classic and definitely that helps the value, and makes it worth rebuilding the engine. The seats are carry over from the prewar and still nice too.
Feel free to call if you want to talk about engines.
Dave Mitchell
Geneseo, IL
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For which series?
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I'm very sad to report the passing of Tom Moretti. Tom was a good friend and a real gentleman who made friends with everyone - it didn't matter to Tom if you were a ditch digger or a billionaire - if you liked cars you were ok, and he would help you out all he could. He had great knowledge of Packards, especially his favorites - V12s from 1932 to 1936, of which he owned seven prime examples. On five occasions he showed cars at Pebble Beach - all of which were done in his own shop in his spare time - all five times he won his class, this is surely a record for an owner/restorer, and is to be envied by professional shops. I suspect his next restoration would have been a contender at Pebble too. I once lost a best of show trophy to Tom, but I didn't mind a bit, and I know others who feel the same way. Tom had an excellent sense for color and authenticity and did his homework on the cars. As much as Tom loved showing his cars, I think he loved working on them even more. Once a project was nearing completion, Tom was already hunting for another one and if he didn't find one right away, he detailed all the other cars endlessly until he pounced on the next total restoration. The cars that he did will stand for many years as testimony to his talents as a restorer and historian. Tom also loved to drive the cars and went on many tours in them.
Beyond his love of cars, Tom was a good and caring friend, always greeting me with a big smile and an embrace, making me know he was really happy to see me. He was cheerful, even when things weren't going his way - like the time I pointed out the cracked winshield in his nearly completed show car - and he was always thrilled when I pulled out just the part that he needed or shared with him how we solved a problem like he was having. He could give me advice like a father and still treat me like an equal. He was just a pal. I will truly miss him.
Tom served 9 years as a CCCA national director, was a regional director and officer, served on the National Awards, Classifications, Finance and Long Range Planning committees for many years.
Dave Mitchell<!-- google_ad_section_end -->
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I'm very sad to report the passing of Tom Moretti. Tom was a good friend and a real gentleman who made friends with everyone - it didn't matter to Tom if you were a ditch digger or a billionaire - if you liked cars you were ok, and he would help you out all he could. He had great knowledge of Packards, especially his favorites - V12s from 1932 to 1936, of which he owned seven prime examples. On five occasions he showed cars at Pebble Beach - all of which were done in his own shop in his spare time - all five times he won his class, this is surely a record for an owner/restorer, and is to be envied by professional shops. I suspect his next restoration would have been a contender at Pebble too. I once lost a best of show trophy to Tom, but I didn't mind a bit, and I know others who feel the same way. Tom had an excellent sense for color and authenticity and did his homework on the cars. As much as Tom loved showing his cars, I think he loved working on them even more. Once a project was nearing completion, Tom was already hunting for another one and if he didn't find one right away, he detailed all the other cars endlessly until he pounced on the next total restoration. The cars that he did will stand for many years as testimony to his talents as a restorer and historian. Tom also loved to drive the cars and went on many tours in them.
Beyond his love of cars, Tom was a good and caring friend, always greeting me with a big smile and an hug, making me know he was really happy to see me. He was cheerful, even when things weren't going his way - like the time I pointed out the cracked windshield in his nearly completed show car - and he was always thrilled when I pulled out just the part that he needed or shared with him how we solved a problem like he was having. He could give me advice like a father and still treat me like an equal. He was just a pal. I will truly miss him.
Dave Mitchell
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I have a few NOS clips, but JD is right, they aren't all the same. Dave
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Go to the grocery store or Target and get some copper dish scouring pads - same material.
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Is that the small one? If so I am pretty sure I have one. packard12s@hotmail.com
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Thanks West. I don't have many of those, but maybe.
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I have quite a few NOS 41 front end parts. Not sure which part you mean.
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thanks dave , do you know of anyone that has ordered the complete window kits, from any of the companies that advertise on the internet,that looks like the easiest way to go but unsure about the quality and fit if i go that route. by the way my packard came from elgin ill in your neck of the woods, but cant find them in yellow pages, the dealership must have an unlisted number.
I will have to look up where the dealer was in Elgin. Probably moved.
I doubt that you will find anyone who has a kit for a Super 8. Maybe, but I will be surprised. There are just too few cars out there. I talked to a place in Washington state a few years ago, and they claimed they had all the patterns etc, but when it came right down to it, they couldn't make them. A really good local glass shop that can cut and polish flat glass will be your best bet. Besides, shipping that much glass will get expensive. We have a special tool to take the glass out of vent windows and a good glass shop should be able to do that for you too. You will want to replace the setting tape that holds it in the window riser bracket too. Some are special with a seal to the door, but I don't think 37 has that.
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Dave Mitchell writes: "Packard's dealer network has really gone downhill. There isn't one anywhere near me."
I think it's now called Hewlett-Packard instead.
Funny, now that they sell Hewletts too (must be one of those foreign cars) they don't seem to even know what a 1208 or 1608 is. I guess they just have parts for postwar Packards. Sigh. I ordered a batch of stuff from them and got a big box of really expensive printer ink... I thought the guy I talked to had a funny accent - sounded like he was from India or something, but said his name was Alex.
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Packard's dealer network has really gone downhill. There isn't one anywhere near me. I guess I would have to drive clear to Chicago. Who wants to do that!
If you have a local glass shop make new ones from your old patterns, make sure they nicely round and smooth the top edge as original. The closer they can get to original, the easier putting them back in will be, especially when it comes to the windshield. You will find that when you do this, you will most likely be replacing the channel that the glass runs in and probably the rubber around the windshield and back window too. This is a fairly big job. Have fun!
Dave
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Looking at Jan's books, I would say that the change to the covered spare was in 1937, the Berlin show car has it as well as other cars. I don't know how many survive, but there were more than 2 built. I know that with MBs there are no hard and fast rules, but it seems like most were covered after 36.
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They used the cotton reinforced belting because it didn't crush like soft rubber. I work with a man who has been restoring Packards for about 50 years, so I have picked up a few tid bits like that.
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That is a special bolt, a bit flat on top, but you can replace it with a modified carraige bolt. The spacer is body mount material, rubber with cord in it. You can put hard rubber or belting to the correct thickness and do the same thing. Remember this will effect hood fit if it is too high or low.
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Cecil, I agree, it is nicer if you take a really nice car to know that it is out of reach of people spilling Coke in it. I once had a guy, (who should know better as he owns classics himself, but he was trying to be cool) back into the open door panel of my car while holding his lit cigar behind his back, then act like he didn't do it. I also had the wife of a show off close the door on my car with her oversize diamond on her hand and chip the paint on the door. These were car people, not spectators. It is nice if you can walk away from your car and not worry about it. I was alone at Indy and wanted to see the cars, so I just walked away from mine, and there were hand prints etc on it when I came back - but the dirt from the rain was worse. Most people are pretty good. I saw three little kids who wanted to see in the back of my car, but weren't tall enough. I opened the door and they were amazed. They had never seen anything like it. Then I asked them if they wanted to sit in the driver's seat and have their dads take their photos - all three did and also the dads too. Those kids were having a good time and who knows maybe someday they will buy an old car. It is fun to have people who have never seen these cars be able to come out on a Saturday and spend $50 to bring the whole family in, and see them be amazed by the cars.
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Not sure, this one is owned by Sam Mann
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I thought this was a very nice show that has incredible potential if they decide to do it again. I was surprised at the distance that entrants came from and the quality of the cars. I couldn't be there on Friday, but heard good things about it. What other show has got Indy cars running 200+ mph a stone's throw from the show field? I really, really like the fact that regular people can come in and see fantastic cars without having to pay hundreds of dollars. The setting was great and the variety of cars was superb. It was amazing to see Model T, Model A, brass cars, MGs, as well as 2(!) MB Special Roadsters, the Morman Meteor, a 2900 Alfa, 33 Chrysler Imperial and at least 250 others. I certainly hope they do this again.
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I thought this was a very nice show that has incredible potential if they decide to do it again. I was surprised at the distance that entrants came from and the quality of the cars. I couldn't be there on Friday, but heard good things about it. What other show has got Indy cars running 200+ mph a stone's throw from the show field? I really, really like the fact that regular people can come in and see the cars without having to pay hundreds of dollars. The setting was great and the variety of cars was superb. It was amazing to see Model T, Model A, brass cars, MGs, as well as 2(!) MB Special Roadsters, the Morman Meteor, a 2900 Alfa, and at least 250 others. I certainly hope they do this again.
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Another Special Roadster at Indy
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A few photos of the Blue Goose at Indy last weekend. You can see where it was shot with a .45 in the left front fender and left door glass. Also the roll up rear armor is pretty interesting as well as the louvered armor under the car. The driver's seat is thinner to accomodate the girth of the original owner. The bulletproof glass and higher windshield doesn't look as sporty as the delicate original design, but it does set this car apart.
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Wow. That must be Jethro and Grumman.
Stunning.
"Carrosserie Jethro et Grumman of Paris" I believe.
Could have been Paris TX, ME, AL or IL...
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Oops. Wrong file. Let's try that again.
A special order for Ed MacCauley: 1938 1703 Super Eight.
Is this the same car that he two toned? He seemed to like the victoria top - didn't he incorporate that into a Darrin custom later also? This one is pretty tame compared to the earlier speedster.
Packard minesweeper engines
in Packard
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Does anyone have or know about the Packard minesweeper engines built in the 1950s? They are non magnetic - all aluminum, stainless steel, copper and brass, 4 valve per cylinder, overhead cam turbo diesels, used both for propulsion and also for powering the generators that created magnetic field that attracted the mines so they could be shot and blown up harmlessly. As far as I know they were V12s and inline 6s. I have one of the 850 cu in 6s. It would be fun to get it running, but that is pretty far down on my list of projects.