Ed Miller

Here's my two cents worth of advice...Don't take the regulator along with the generator to an electrical shop because a 1931 Packard doesn't have a regulator. You have what my 1933 Packard (and 1932 Cadillac) have, viz.: a cut out. I'm not a mechanic, but my understanding is that it works almost like an on/off switch. It's either charging or it isn't. When the headlights are on it will almost always discharge or at best it will sit at 0. At almost all other times, other than at idle,it will show a robust charge. I've driven both automobiles thousands of miles and haven't cooked a battery yet. Good luck.

Hey, I'm still here too! And so is my 1933 Packard which is just a few feet from me as I type. It now sits next to my 1932 Cadillac.

It reminds me of the last bottle of snake oil I bought. I live in southwest Florida. Every day for four months the temperature always hits at least 90 degrees and my cars have never suffered from vapor lock. I don't have an electric fuel pump or anything else that's not original to deter vapor lock. My cars are kept in impeccable condition and I do drive them. I believe most vapor lock is a catch all diagnosis. Rebuild the engine, cooling system and fuel system and you probably will never have vapor lock.

Walt, Please, please , please keep publishing your articles. There are a few of us who really appreciate and look forward to reading them.

I haven't received my copy yet, but I'll bet you are looking at a two door convertible that if it had two more doors would be a convertible sedan. I don't know a better way to say this. Some Convertible Victorias look just like a Convertible Sedan but have only two doors. I'm looking forward to receiving my copy and will take a look.

I have a 1932 Cadillac V8. I found all the manuals are advertised in Hemmings Motor News. You'll want the workshop manual and the parts catalogue.

The Continental Automobile Company lasted all of two years, viz.: 1933 and 1934. Using Continental six and four cylinder engines of modest displacement and power (143 cubic inches and 38 H.P. for its four cylinder model). There were three 1933 models: Beacon 4, Flyer 6 and the top of the line Ace. I believe all had the same short wheelbase of 101 inches. Caveat: rarity does not equal value unless coupled with demand. This is definately not a Classic as defined by the CCCA but would be of much interest at almost any car show. Enjoy your new car.

A friend suggested installing overdrive. He has six Marmons. In all of them he installed OD, usually a Borg Warner R10. He's had no problems. He's competed in the Great American race and a round the world race with OD without bearing problems. I installed a Borg Warner R10 in my 1932 Cadillac V8. After 3,000 miles, including a VMCCA tour along the Mississippi River, I have nothing but praise for the OD. Obviously, any car with or without OD should not be lugged. I've talked to others with OD and never heard of bearings being a problem.

Randall, I'll make it easy for you. The springs are offered by Restoration Supply Company, 2060 Palisade Drive, Reno, NV 89509. Telephone #775-825-5663. Ask them to send you their catalogue, it's a good one. The springs cost $3.25 each and they have all four types. Good luck.

Since I posted my query and received an underwhelming response, I drove a 1931 Model K Lincoln Sport Phaeton and discovered the answer for myself. 1932 was the first year Lincoln had a synchromesh transmission. In 1931 Lincoln used an ingenious system that is very close the synchromesh. Lincoln employed a free wheeling device that could be cut in and out by a button located atop the shift lever. With such a device you have the ability to shift up without double clutching or crashing of gears. You can downshift without matching engine speed and double clutching is unecessary and with no crashing of gears. Also, you should be able to shift without using the clutch.

Randall, I begin with this caveat, I'm not a mechanic. Having warned you I'll continue. When restoring my 1933 Packard my mechanic cured the drooping door handle syndrome by a simple method. The door handle shaft is square. The shaft fits in a square hole. The shaft had become rounded off rather than being perfectly square. The mechanic rounded off the hole it fit in to match the rounded off handle shaft. The door handle no longer droops. The problem also presented itself on my 1932 Cadillac. This time the problem was solved by using one of four differant door springs that are inexpensive and available. Buy all four differant springs (the differance is in the amount of spring tension). Try each one until you come to the right one and your problem is solved.

The year: 1930 The series: 733 The wheelbase: 134 1/2 inches Model: Sport Phaeton Horse power: 90 Weight: 4,130 lbs. dry Only the Sport Phaeton has the little vent door between the front and rear seats below the "B" pillar. Also the extra cowl is visible. The more illustrious Model 734 did not include a sport phaeton. The 733 came standard with louvers on the hood. On special order you could have doors like the more expensive models. But you could only have three rather than four doors.

I'm considering a 1931 Lincoln K Model 202-A as my next Classic. Was 1931 or 1932 the year Lincoln introduced its synchromesh transmission?

The show is too far from Naples, Florida for me to attend. I had dinner with Tom Kaiser last weekend. He has been getting quite a lot of positive feed back from Florida Packard Club members residing in north Florida. Indications point to a pretty good turnout. Good luck.

Try this on for size... Covertible Coupe generally has two doors, glass windows (as opposed to side curtains),a rag top, two seats under the rag top and frequently has a rumble seat out in the elements. Convertible Victoria generally has the same except it has all seats (usually four) under the rag top. Cabriolet is usually a Convertible Victoria. In the United Kingdom it is called a Drop Head Coupe. Automobile manufacturers did not slavishly follow body nomenclature. An example of this is the 1936-7 Cord Convertible Victoria which was call by the factory a Convertible Phaeton Sedan!

I'll throw in my two cents worth... 1. I bought my one and only Packard because the Pierce Arrow model I lusted for was not for sale. There are only three PA's of this model extant and none were for sale. So I settle for a comparable Packard model, bought it, restored it and now am enjoying it. 2. I have since added a Cadillac to my stable. She resides next to my Packard. The Packard is only driven about 800 miles each year. The Cadillac is driven with a vengence...i.e. I wanted a driver that I didn't mind putting a ding in the paint. 3. I have no interest in rescuing an orphan for someone else's use in the future. I collect for my self satisfaction. That's called elightened self interest.

ALK, good luck from down south in Naples, Florida. I'll be at Tom Kaiser's homestead (it's called "Wit's End") the first weekend in November for the Florida Packard meet along with my 1933 Packard. I wish you success. The panhandle is too far north for me (I wonder if the Packards that far north wear tire chains?). I just read the announcement of the meet in PAC Cormorant.

The Autocar, The Motor and The Times of England are virtually the only place you will find pre WWII acceleration figures that you will recognize (i.e. 0 to 60 through the gears in X seconds). U.S. acceleration figures, if found in pre war print will be something along these lines: 5 to 30 in high gear.

I also own a 1932 Cadillac 355B (great minds think alike). Charles H. Selick is the alpha through omega of nos and repro parts for our vehicles. His telephone number is 732-842-7566. The parts books is available but it has few drawings, diagrams or pictures and most are of poor quality. Look under books or literature in Hemmings Motor News. If you can't find it advertised, let me know and I'll find it for you.

I'll see you at the AACA National in 2004. I hope the banquet has something other than mystery meat and rubber chicken.

I just e-mailed him the name and address to sign up as a member of the Peace River AACA Region. It's a very good region.

Believe it or not Punta Gorda is a veritable hot bed of old car activity! The Southwest Florida Chapter of the Florida Region of the VMCCA has a car show, meet, barbeque, etc, almost every week of the year. Down the road in Fort Myers is the Edison Chapter of the AACA and a little further down the road is the Naples-Marco Island Chapter of the AACA. Also, Naples has one of the premiere car collections which includes a one of two Duesenberg SSJs. Florida also has not one but two CCCA Chapters to choose from. If you would like names and telephone numbers of who to contact, let me know and I'll give them to you.

I purchased a high speed rearend gear set from Phil about 4 years ago for my 1933 Packard Twelve and have driven her about three thousand miles since without complaint.

Call Tom Ksiser 941-371-0070. He will give you the information you need.

Alk: You have done a wonderful job finding a place and a caterer BUT (there are too many "buts" in life), you still need to find someone to pull it off. Finding a worker can be as difficult as finding lips on a chicken. Flyers are unnecessary. The Florida Packard Club currently has just topped 300 members. It's the largest PAC Club. It can advertise the meet in its newsletter, National PAC magazine and Hemmings Motor News. The crucial element missing is someone who is going to do the work. If you would like I can send you a membership list and you can solicit a volunteer. It only takes one member to do the work. If you aren't a member of The Florida Packard Club and want to join let me know and I'll send an application along with the membership list. This is a very expensive club to join...$5!