John_Mereness
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Posts posted by John_Mereness
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I have no clue what someone was thinking via prior restoration shop doing the Packard - I saw the 4 boxes of wheels restored wheels from Dayton Wire Wheel and two generic boxes with 2 wheels that were not done. Was very surprised to pull out of boxes for close inspection to find the boxes of finished wheels were 2 - 20" 8 lug and 2" 19" 8 lug (with letters saying wheels did not match and saying "told to restore anyways"), then went hunting further and found the 2 unrestored wheels were tagged "unrestorable".
I will go back and double check to make sure all are 8 lug.
Thinking at minimum the hubs for the 2 -19" can be mounted/mated to 20" rims ?
Thinking the hubs for the unrestorable wheels may also be restorable as usually it is the rims that are at issue, but did see a certain amount of pitting ?
I do have a set of 6 - 20" lock rings that are near flawless redone so I have no issues with lock rings.
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You need to post a photo of fronts as there are a lot of variances over production
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For 1929 Packard 640:
Still looking for this running board molding
Also need a set of 640 Shock Absorbers
And a passenger front wheel brake mechanism that bridges from frame to brake drum backing plate
A stoneguard and mounting hardware
The aluminum grommet for the speedometer to floorboard
4 wire wheels - 20" 8 lug, 1 donut, 4 hub covers.
John
John Mereness
Cincinnati, OH
john.mereness@cbws.com
P.S. A much needed thanks to the fellow who helped with the fantastic complete set of instruments !!!
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Here is a Quasi American RR - A 1926 European PI Chassis with Brewster Coachwork/updating. I believe the body style is called a "Prince of Wales". The car is being sold by a friend for an Estate and he asked me if I would post a few photos on his behalf. They are looking for as near to 59K as possible. Runs & Drives, 1970's rebuilt engine with about 5K miles on it since, incredibly solid, very complete, GREAT Carl Zeiss Headlamps/Fender/Cowl/Lamps & Springfield taillamp, crank, wheel wrench, jack (and maybe more in tool box and trunk) that had quite a bit of stuff in it. Needs a lot of german silver scrubbing and detail attention. George Thielen, Dayton, OH 1-937-671-0768
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Who has any chrome plate-able wire wheels for a 1929 Packard 640 20"
Also, I have 2 plated 19" Chrome newly plated wires and lock rings done by Dayton Wire Wheel.
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1 hour ago, SC38dls said:
John if you attract that much water you should tour th western half of the USA they need the water! Who knows you may even be able to earn some $$ by saying you are a rain maker ! LOL
dave sThat 1941 Cadillac 60 Special Fleetwood was bought with 17,000 miles in 1979 (I was 14 when I purcaed it) and sold in 2017, with 97,500 miles on it - most people will never do that kind of AACA / CCCA touring. The 35 Auburn has 50,000 miles on it since mechancial restoration (crossed the United States twice), the 31 Cadillac 12K miles (crossed the United States once), the Franklin maybe 5K miles, and the balance of cars maybe 500 miles a year albeit I am probably leaving something regulally used out of this note.
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On 7/16/2022 at 9:03 PM, edinmass said:
I don’t do Cadillac’s anymore for myself…….been there, done that.
I still do them, though with a lot less patience than I had years ago.
As to 36 to 48 Cadillac/LaSalle flatheads and anyone reading -need a clean block (they sorta kind rust and fill water passages with rust residue), blocks full of crap also crack on drivers side rear cylinder and yet people insist they are bullet proof so never manaflux in a rebuild - that is a mistake, pay extra attention to grounding (paint is not a good electric conductor when building up an engine or a starter), ground the starter to frame and the battery to frame too, put on a 7 bladed fan from something like a 54 Pontiac, the thermostat from the radiator shutters is a flow restrictor and must be left even when blocking open shutters, wrap the exhaust (especially at gas tank), put the fuel line "in steel" into an wrap - black asphalt laden, braided cloth loom, put a high tech wrap on the "steel" into a high tech coating, and ... And, no I did not have an electric pump installed. Mileage from purchase in 1979, to sale in 2017 - 80,500 miles (and certainly helped I had a 17K mile car to begin with) in 1941 60 Special Fleetwood with automatic and matching high speed axle - magic speed 76mph). Sidenote: As to "Speed Equipment" for them - neat, but not neat (I can write a book on lessons learned feom the 1939 LaSalle Bohman & Schwartz car).
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On 10/15/2022 at 8:32 PM, edinmass said:
Ok……so now this car…..take a look……
This is was one I was chasing that was lost to the world. It’s now on EBay. I went to try and pry it out of its 60 years of slumber………..close, but no cigar. This is what makes me hunt cars……….I was first through the door. Interestingly this is not the best car I was hunting while out at Pebble this year. The big scores are still out there, you just need to kick over the right rocks. And no, I can’t identify the other car yet……….
The only thing I can say is that you have a photo with proud Packard owners and it is a shame that they just did not keep up on car to some degree for years since photo taken and enjoy car via use with AACA, CCCA, or maybe even a trip around the block. "I am going to restore it" is fine and dandy and certainly is a car worthy of restoration, but what Ed is doing with the Buick (and White's) is a really nice route.
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On 10/20/2022 at 10:55 PM, Akstraw said:
I agree with RansomEli’s post, but would add the trash bag method for re-installing. Place a garbage can liner or ‘trash bag’ over the wheel before mounting the lock ring. The two layers of plastic will allow the rim to easily slip over the wheel proper. Once the ring is in place, you can pull/cut out the trash bag before inflating the tires. I did six tires using this method in under ninety minutes, without one scratch on newly painted wheels and newly chromed lock rings. It really is amazing how well it works. Yes, there are hazards associated with lock rings, but nothing to be afraid of. We routinely changed these by hand on 5-ton trucks when I was in the Army. Always use a safety cage when inflating for the first time after remounting. Good luck!
The trash bag method is appropriate for drop center rims (ex. Model A Ford), though not appropriate for a lock ring type wheel - I guess you could try it, but do not see how you would not end up with plastic bag all stuck between rim and ring.
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On 10/17/2022 at 7:51 PM, wayne sheldon said:
FIRST! Do not let it sit on the flat! Newer tires do not like to sit flat, the rubber in the casing tends to crack and separate.
2. Be gentle removing the lock ring. THIS is where most of the damage is done to the lock rings. Try to push the tire bead in toward the center of the rim, away from the lock ring. Most lock rings have a small edge that the tire' bead sits onto. This makes the tires very safe to use once properly aired up. There is NO way the ring can get knocked loose short of a collision as long as there is adequate pressure in the tire. The downside of this is that the tire bead must be moved off of the ring's lip before the ring can be removed. Many bead breakers can perform this task, as long as they do not have to damage the ring in the process. I have two hand operated bead breakers that I can use either one.
Once the ring is freed from the tire, the "split" rings are easy. Using a screwdriver under the end of the ring where there is a little notch for this purpose, carefully lift the end of the ring. Small tire irons work better, however large screwdrivers can do the job of prying the end of the ring up and over the edge. Once about five inches of the ring's end is up and over? It will stay up and over.
THIS CANNOT BE STRESSED ENOUGH!!!! Do NOT force it! Finesse it. Work it slowly. Carefully work it loose. Up and over an inch or two at a time IF (big IF) the rims and rings were properly restored, and kept dry, and not too many years have gone by since this was last done? It should go quickly and easily. However, if a lot of time has gone by? Or rust is still an issue? It can be difficult the entire way. Work it loose. Do NOT force it!
Once the ring is removed, getting the tire off is the next step. Sometimes they will slip right off. Sometimes they will fight you all the way. Some rims have a slight drop center. The tire will push in, but does not want to come out!
A trick. I have made several (I tend to lose them and need to make another?) small hooks out of roughly eighth inch steel rod. A hook on one end, and a finger loop on the other end. Use a tire iron or screwdriver to push under the bead, and lift it slightly, then slip the hook under the bead, and twist it to hook inside the tire casing (be a bit careful to not damage the inner tube.) Then working the tire's bead while pulling the hook will usually get the tire bead pulled out.
The inner sidewall may or may not pull out easily. It is a matter of preference. But I usually do simple tube repair or replacement without loosening the inner bead. I pry the outer bead out enough (two inches will usually do it?) to work the tube out and back in. A simple nail flat, I sometimes pull only enough of the tube out to patch the tube, and then slide it back inside.
After you get the ring out? Inspect it and the ring groove carefully. Clean any rust to prevent future problems. Paint hidden areas heavily and allow time to dry.
Check the ring in all directions for round, twist, egg shaping, etc etc etc.
Sage advice has always been to not repair or straighten damaged rings. However, realistically, that is not good advice today! Many different companies made many different wheels for many years! The fit is very important, and you could probably find twenty correct SIZE rings that won't fit properly for every one ring that you can find that will fit like it should. Getting proper replacement rings is simply NOT practical! So repairing them is what needs to be done.
I have straightened and repaired at least a dozen of them over the years. Most of them are soft enough to bend back to proper shape easily, and cold. I often use a piece of cardboard large enough, then draw a near perfect circle to match the desired size of the ring (inner or outer or both?) to check roundness. And lay it on a very flat surface to check that. The two ends of a split ring like yours should lightly touch each other and be near perfectly in line and round!
I often use my car trailer's tongue or ratchet tie-downs as a bending jig. Heavy pickup bumpers and trailer hitches also work well. Do bending carefully and slowly. Be very fussy about getting it near perfect!
Wayne is dead on.
I have a playform of a couple inches for the wars with lock rings - The platform fits under the hub and allows the tire to "flop" toward backside and theat allows taling off lock ring and reinstalling (gets tire out of road of lock ring - some tires are hard as all get out, though nything is a help as to gettign tire to "flop" to backside of rime.
When, you renistall use tire talc or baby powder on the tire csing, flap, and also the tube (for flap and tube I put talc in a lawn bag and shake. For the tire casing I put some in an give it a roll.
Check tire, tube, and flap for any stickers via inspection ofr inventory - stickers will cause premature faulure and might just kill you as well.
I walk rings on by starting one end and walking around ring with gym shoes in (plenty of other techniques too).
Take the tire to someone who has a tire cage to reinflate - my grandfather was meeting his brother for lunch one day and his brother worked for Hertz to see a guy put a lock ring through his skull - did not take long for the guy to die.
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You (or anyone of that matter) are not going to tour with it enough to make a difference (so probably a Scotch-Gard or comercial equivelent - ask Eric Harrtz - good solutions that will work fine if really concerned) and the real issue is not the fabric (as most likely is Stayfast /Haartz), but is all the edges, around the rear window, and stitching seams to some extent, and thereafter problem is one of those type of cars that you get more water inside when raining than there is rain outside - just joking but not far from the joke is reality (remember being on AACA tour with 1931 Cadillac and getting caught in a snow storm to have literally 12 wet people piled in car matched to all the snow in car and leaking everwhere, being caught in the 1941 Cadillac in a monsoon and having an inch of water sloshing from drivers side floor to passengers and visa versa (came in faster than could pull over to stp car to open doors to let water out), the 30 Franklin first time out of restoration that was in a field for a show that flooded over the spokes in the rims - long night drying wheels out and 25 years later car scorred 99.5 CCCA), first monsoon with 35 Auburn Pheaton with towels in our lap), lots of evenings drying out wilton wool carpet, and the list goes on and on.
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On 10/17/2022 at 7:27 PM, 1912Staver said:
Some of the K1's and K2's had Ford / Merc flatheads. But I think most of the cars that were sold to North America had the big overheads like Craig says.
Strange { front suspension } cars . And at times a bit evil handling because of it. But wonderful all the same.
Yes, a friend just did a full alignment on one - it requires special tools for a Twin I-Beam Ford Suspension with some machined adapters. They were not known for the weak at heart.
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On 10/17/2022 at 5:44 PM, 8E45E said:
Most likely, a Cadillac engine under the hood, but could also be a Chrysler.
Craig
Yes, Cadillac Powered
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On 10/18/2022 at 12:30 AM, Studemax said:
Was this race held on an Air Force base runway?
Sowega National Sports Car Race at Turner Air Force Base, Albany, Georgia, Octover 26, 1952 - the driver was Roy Scott of Dallas. The car was owned by General Curtis Lemay. General LeMay was not allowed to race. The photo is of Joe Lunn at the wheel - 1952 Soapbox Derby Champion (a kid). The car ran in the MW Tift Pioneer Trophy Race under # 7 markings and clocked 130 on stright with Roy Scott at wheel - 3rd Overall. The car supposedly also ran in the Strategic Air Force Race (another photo carries that text), though I do not see it on the listings.
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Lovely - now, get that engine back in there and looking for the next update.
If you want to do round two (2) then there is a local 1933 that is probably not too far from the same other than very well done cosmtics that now suffer from poor storage and they redid the engine perhaps 5 years ago as had about the same issues you have had.
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I will chime in - not fond of cowl mounted spotlamps, though also not fond of repairing holes from someone priors handiwork. This is just one of those cars that regardless of personal taste should just be left alone, enjoyed, and hopefully put out onto a lot of show fields. I would probably not touch it other than perhaps the black carpet may be better suited in another color. Also - GREAT ART DECO CAR. AND AWESOME IT IS THE LARGE SERIES WHICH MAKES IT AS RARE AS RARE COMES.
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Also, it is a 50mph car unless you have a high speed rear axle.
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Gauge was a bad idea as caused too much conern (oil level was better idea).
You can maybe fix that a little by putting an orifice into the dump onto the timing chain. Lots of dissimilar metals in the engine. Goal is to have oil delivery and not necessarily pressure (ie just needs to be oiling all the parts). Test is what you have for oil pressure on a 100 degree day after an hour of driving - if like 5-ish then I would not be too concerned. And you can always run a 40 or 50 weight too for a pound extra or so.
And, work with Paul Fitzpatrick on oils - he is GREAT in knowledge.
John
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Try such as McMaster Carr or Grainger - anyway, the material was made as of a couple of years ago and commonly available, though today you may have to do a specialty company - do a google search for woven wire mesh (and it is steel and silver soldered into the frame).
Is someone looking for an original stoneguard frame - I probably have one still in a box from moving (no mesh) and probably a 153 series ?
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Wanted: 1929 Packard 640 Parts
in Packard
Posted
For 1929 Packard 640:
1 x (brass) original outer running board molding
3x to 4x - 20" 8 lug wire wheels (need 3 rims for sure, so a 7 lug 20" wheels allows for needed parts)
4x - wire wheel hub dust covers
1x - aluminum grommet for the speedometer to floorboard
1x - passenger front wheel brake mechanism that bridges from frame to brake drum backing plate
1x - stoneguard and mounting hardware
John
John Mereness
Cincinnati, OH
john.mereness@cbws.com
P.S. A much needed thanks to the fellow who helped with the fantastic complete set of instruments !!!