6219_Rules

Hi Travis, I posted elsewhere that you could use the Collector Car Restoration site. They offer video tapes on the process that I have found to be very helpful. www.carestoration.com

I do not think they will. I am waiting for some direction on this but I believe the precidence was set to let it stand. The concern is for frivolous legal action against the club by parties being targeted. Such law suites are nearly impossible to win but can be very costly and embarrassing. All I can say at this point, is to present facts, not opinion, and let the readers weed it out. Right now it looks like the vendor is being less than up front about what is going on. Cadillac is saying nothing (not surprisingly) so I am letting it go. I had thought to remove the thread myself but I will let it stand. I think too much 'protection' leads to censorship and I am a clear proponent against that! But were the directors to tell us to remove it or any inflammatory posts within a given thread, we will. As far as the Packard site is concerned, I do not know what will happen. This is an old thread so I do not see any point in removing it. In the future, I do think such threads should be posted with a clear intent to inform only rather than to bash or burn. That is just my opinion on it for now. I will let you all know what is decided when and if it comes down. Otherwise, please do not be concerned. We are not trying to denude your forum of interesting topics. All of us doing this job want to maintain a balance. I keep an eye on it for you so I will be sure to keep you all informed.

I agree with Howard. Now mine is a late 40s car, but the engine compartment is black, flat black except for the grill shroud and radiator. The air cleaner is flat too. The manifold is enamaled in black. The engine is a kahki green. The hood is black and covered in a rust protectant that appears to have been original. Everything else on the engine was painted the kahki green including the water pump. But definitely get as much factory information as you can. I think the Fischer Body manual covers that, doesn't it? It may not. I will look around and see what I find.

Travis...I used the Collector Car Restoration tapes and was very happy with them. They explained the guns, types of paint and how to do it. A little practice and you are on your way. I am going to do this myself this year when it warms up. I want to touch up my '47 but I may decide to just paint it all! We will see. Collector Car Restoration www.carestoration.com

Hi Ludis1. I believe that indicates a Sport option.

I am the LAST person to be making these points...I was a very hard, fast driver for most of my life. Training plus a natural effinity with automobiles made this just part of who I am. The right car, like a well made and suspended sports car, meant I really flew. But age, and unfortunately first hand experience, has taught me the lesson a little too late. For those who are unaware, traumatic damage caused in a car accident, especially soft tissue damage, can be and is devistating to your health and well-being for years after, and it is something you do not recover from completely. Damage once done is done. A living organism does not mend the way a car does. My disability is in direct relation to the accident I had in 1998. Nothing else makes sense...and while I had no bone trauma, the shock and damage to my spine and brain has crippled me for life. I get by and live well because while I may whine a lot <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I am tough and refuse to give up. All I can say is please...PLEASE take time, drive according to the road conditions not the speed limit, and think of those around you before worrying about yourself. The few seconds saved is not worth wrecking another persons life and yours potentially. Sure I drive very conservatively now but at least I am certain I am doing all I can within my power to drive responsibly to myself and others. Sorry to be so preachy...I just see what goes on and wonder why no one takes this seriously.

Ah that would work! I can pull the rear fender skirt! Thanks Wayne!

Those are great ideas! I knew you could buy the springs but have not yet found them...I have been working on other problems...eh...joys. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Thanks for the heads up!

Thanks, Dave. I will check this out.

I guess all of this is my point...as far as I can tell these huge trucks are not crash tested or really tested for safety in regard to braking rates, etc. It was hell finding this information out. Now as I drive down 25 towards Denver at 65 (usually under the speed limit and about 35 mph slower than everyone else) I get a sickening feeling as these monsters ride my bumper a mear 5 or 6 feet away. People really do not know, or care, that they are way too close, as long as they get to where they are going in their momentary lives. Obviously these trucks, used like smaller SUVs, are really quite dangerous...to everyone else around them. All I can do is advise everyone to rethink their driving habits. 3 seconds between the car in front is no longer good enough, especially if you are in a heavy truck. (common sense some would say but well there you are). I drive old cars, most only go 65 comfortably, so I live in the right lane. But I am much more aware of this distance problem. You need time to react, and at 75 mph, 2 car lengths is just not enough.

That does not surprise me. See the response I have in the Ford Other forum. Ford is very stingey with its ratings on this vehicle but we found that along with a possible tendency for the inertia switch to trigger on sudden stops, there is also a tendency for brake fade. This is not good considering it takes 260 feet to stop the truck on dry pavement in daylight from 60 mph cruising speed...not excelerating. Consider that for a moment. At what time have you ever seen anyone maintain nearly a football field distance between cars on the highway in town or out of it? Add to that the fact that these tanks are high profile, and therefore prone to tip on sudden swerving maneuvers, and you have a sense of what could happen.

Not a stupid question at all! It is an automatic. The Excursion is a V-10 and when the brakes were applied suddenly...and I mean VERY suddenly...there was no tell tale squeal, no rubber laid on the highway...no studder from the ABS...nothing. However, we have tried to get some determination yesterday from the computer log and found, because the check engine light was not lit, there was no corresponding error and therefore no log of the event. We did find out from the various Ford forums that there is also a tendency for brake fade on these vehicles. But that does not explain the engine cutting out and refusing to run after. The truck had to be towed. It is still a mystery and now the Ford dealer is playing mum. Either way, the indication is that there was some kind of mechanical failure which was not cause through driver carelessness. My son is contemplating rebuilding the entire brake system with much larger rotors and trying to improve an obviously inferior system for such a heavy vehicle. By the way, did you know that it takes 260 ft to stop that truck at a cruising speed of 60 mph on dry pavement? This does not count the loss of response time due to the driver. Consider that the next time you are whizzing along at 65 on the highway and one of those monsters is a car length and a half off your rear end. It gives me the willies.

Chuck, I am very sad to hear that. My mother is fighting Cancer and looks like hers is a pyhrric victory. My sincerest condolensces to Mr. Schellen's family.

What did you have to take with you to get that match done properly? I have a paint that I need a can to touch up spots since repainting is out of the question for now, and would like them to match the color.

I placed this in the Ford area but I think I need an across the board viewing so I am putting it here too. Does ANYONE know if the 2001 Ford Excursion V-10 has had a problem with the engine shutting down on an emergency stop? What is the stopping rated distance? Is 75 feet enough at 48 mph cruising (not excelerating)? Could the inertia switch turn off the engine if the brakes were engaged at 48 mph as hard as possible? This is a very serious situation and I am looking for as much information as possible. Your help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

I sure wish I could have gone this year. But next years venue is attainable. Hope to see you all there!

Well now here is an exception to the rule as it were. Craig's Pannther project is, I think, a marvelous continuation of the art form that car companies have been doing since the 30s. Designing and producing a Project to show what COULD be accomplished within the marque. It is still a Packard, and it is following a tradition. Of course the same could be said of the kustomizer and hot rodder. I think the two pictures you show are really interesting...I like the slope and rakish style. My only point was that preservation is a reasonable goal if we want to have any of these cars left for future people to enjoy. The fact that Packard is a name that requires definition to the uninitiated simply underscores the point. I am eager to see how Craig's project goes. I have thought that the available performance option on the '47 Cadillac might be an interesting project to follow but it would be absurd on a sedan...but on a coupe or sedanette it would be a lot of fun! Check out Schneider for that option - Edmond's speed equipment with dual carb intake manifolds, aluminum heads, hotter ignition components and high rise exhaust cross-overs...that car would BOOK. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Then again, it might be fun to have the old sedan juiced up using the available equipment at the time. Hmmmm. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Does ANYONE know if the 2001 Ford Excursion V-10 has had a problem with the engine shutting down on an emergency stop? What is the stopping rated distance? Is 75 feet enough at 48 mph cruising (not excelerating)? Could the inertia switch turn off the engine if the brakes were engaged at 48 mph as hard as possible? This is a very serious situation and I am looking for as much information as possible. Your help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

I am looking forward to seeing them, G. I also wonder about not seeing many Packards at local shows. I guess they are 1. rare enough to not be seen in the west as much, or/and 2. many collectors locally go for cars that are more familiar to them. I would NEVER suggest that a Packard is more trouble prone! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Just kidding.

Craig, that is a wonderful schematic of the heater controls. I would love to have one like that for the '47 heater controls. I have an original owners manual but I am still a little confused on which position is which. Good job!

G', I do not think that it is good to kustomize any car that is of age or value that is in good condition since it serves as an example of what they were new, an accomplishment of our past. However, as Brian said, once the title is in a person's possession the question is up to them. There are many hulks ready for crushing, which may begin soon in earnest if not already, that could be kustomized. It is a shame that we lose a valuable well kept example of any marque because as time passes they become more and more rare. Attrition will take care of many so it seems a shame to lose what we have in our power to preserve. I forgot the name of the car, but my memory serves to remind me of the Willys, I think, for 1932 that is now almost entirely extinct in any shape because it was so highly prized by kustomizers..hot rodders...in the past. A beautiful car with very few original examples left. While this is not likely to occur to all marques, it does demonstrate the extremes that can be had. I maintain in spite of these feelings, that a car is the property of the owner and can be done with as they so desire. This is not a moral issue as such, certainly not one of law, but I think an issue of importance. Hopefully there are more who would preserve than there are those who would modify. I managed to save my '47 from being chopped and channeled and while it is not esteemed as valuable as a sedanette or Series 60, it is still a beautiful example of a working, well maintained Cadillac from 1947...which makes it valuable in itself. So do as you will with your car. I have modified some aspects of mine, like the radio, for convenience and use...and have been summarily lambasted for it, I can tell you! I am not judging what you do, only trying in some halting fashion to explain why we value originality and preservation over modifications. Now, as John Amphicar would put it...I will don my ass-bestos long johns, helmet and get ready for the blitz! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I would love to see pictures of your car, G. (I apologise if you have already shared them...my memory is none too good today.) <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I just wanted to say that I think Wayne's newletter is well deserving recognition. It was a pleasure to read and a very nice, easy format. Thank you, Wayne for sharing!! May I subscribe? <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Truly a wonderful job, sir!

Mike, glad to help. From what I can tell, the series 75 may not have had a wood grain dash. But it could have been an option? I am not sure. Here is a post I just wrote for the CLC but it bears repeating. I am very enthusiastic about this as you can tell! <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Hi guys! Thanks for all the good information. It is way early but I could not sleep (migrain and the effects of the medicine) so I put on the Goldberg Variations and sat down to tell you all about the Collector Car Restoration series video #5 on painting and wood grain detail. It makes it so simple! Well...until you have to pull the dash board out that is. After preparing the dash or other piece, spray it with the base color. That will give the grain tone. Take standard artists oil paint, in a darker color, and rub it all over the piece to be detailed. Then wading up a news paper, drag the paper across the piece giving it a subtle but telltale grain effect. Once this is done, you can apply some simple tools and techniques to develop the grain of your choice...from a burl to a pine, if you so desire. Since my car has an oriental mahogany grain, as Jeff said demonstrated on page 115 of Schneider's "Cadillacs of the Forties", which is a straight grain, you can take a grain tool or make the proper tool to drap the proper grain pattern. THis would look like an irregular comb with thick and thin teeth. The video shows a nice grain tool you can buy at Home Depot for this. If you are disatisfied with the effect or you did something like lean on it inopportunely like would, then a rag with mineral spirits wipes the oil paint off and you can start over as many times as is necessary. Once you have the pattern to your satisfaction, have the piece sprayed with four coats of clear lacquer. Then using a 2000 grit paper sand the unit to a high gloss. Follow this with a non-wax polish and buff to luster. The finished surface is amazing. The nice thing about this video is that while the gentlemen are very knowledgable, they have not done this much so you get to see them make errors and what an inexperienced hand can produce. I was greatly impressed.</div></div>

That is a sin. To waste a beautiful car in good condition like that when there are so many hulks around waiting to be crushed. What can this man have been thinking? Oh, wait...who thinks anymore. GGRRRRRRRRRR <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

As a matter of fact, Howard...yes! It was Diogenes Laertius who was a cynic, looking for an honest man. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />