Status of '29 645 Sport Coupe Restoration Project

[tbirdman]

After seeing you ships and the fine craftsmanship, this part of the project should be a snap

[Guest imported_Speedster]

Yes, That's what I'm Afraid of.

These thin wood pieces goin' Snap.... Snap.... Snap, and all I end up with is Toothpics.

[Guest imported_Speedster]

I now have 12 of the 14 wood Trim pieces Made and Installed. Finding enough of the proper screws was one of the problems, since they are small #4 oval/sloted head type, most are wood-screws but about 10 need to be threaded machine-screws.

I've started painting one of the faux-inlay pieces, but found that I didn't have enough brown, tan, and cream colors, since some of my older paints were just Too Old, so I ordered more from Tower-hobbies, which is delaying me some since they should already be here, but aren't.

I desided to paint both the same, with Martha and George, since I have a picture of that one, to use as a guide.

I may have to put my Initials on these 'Great works of Art', if they end up looking as good as I hope they will.

If not, I'll blame it on someone else.

[Guest imported_Speedster]

Well, I had a problem painting the first faux-inlay. When applying the coat of stain over the painted Martha and George figures, the stain acted like a solvent and removed paint, when I toweled away excess stain.

All of poor George's hair disappeared.

So I had to Redo parts of it.

This is really a Long term process due to the drying times required between multi layers of paint, stain and varnish.

I've finished one and about half way thru the second.

[Tom M]

It is probably because you used that hair stuff for men

[Guest imported_Speedster]

LOL, I've never heard of Wood-stain being used as Hair-stuff, but I guess it Could be.

My hair Is too Gray, I may give it a Try.

[Tom M]

What I meant was you used the hair spray (the colored stuff) for men on your George and it is not compatible with the stain you are using.

[Guest imported_Speedster]

Ah shucks , I was All Ready to put Wood-stain on My hair!

[Guest imported_Speedster]

I determined the paint that was removed by the Stain, was Oil-based paint. The water-based paint was not effected.

So if anyone else does this, or ever put stain over paint, use Water-based paint.

I now have both finished, except for another coat of varnish on the front side.

[34PackardRoadsta]

Pictures?

[Guest imported_Speedster]

Will do, after I get them installed.

The last coat of varnish is drying now.

[Guest imported_Speedster]

Here's a pic of one of the faux-inlay door moldings.

(This is the one I had to redo after removing paint)

(the other is almost Identical)

Carving the handles, in pieces above figures, was the most difficult part of making them.

[34PackardRoadsta]

Rick,

Very nice! Wow, do we live in a different era now. I can't imagine an auto man. using George and Martha to accent their cars!

Thanks for posting the picts!

Tom

[Guest imported_Speedster]

I suppose they were trying to put in Something that would appeal to the Ladies, also, as well as have artwork that was clasical in nature.

I think the main thing that has changed over the years is the notion of what the Ladies would like, in an automobile. Like more cup holders and mirrors, maybe.

[jrbartlett]

Great job. I'm impressed.

[Guest imported_Speedster]

Thanks, It's been a fun project.

[tbirdman]

Maybe you should be a painter instead of restoring Packards. Great job.

[Guest imported_Speedster]

Thanks Ken,

I have done some oil paintings. They were interesting to do, but once I got fairly good at it, I moved on to another hobby. I did the one hanging in our livingroom, if you happen to notice it, when you were here. (the one with knights Helm and crossed swords).

My main Hobby has always been, 'Collecting Hobbies'.

[tbirdman]

I know about hobbies. The issue is you only have so much time for any hobby so some of us tend to move through hobbies as we move through life.

[Guest imported_Speedster]

Well I've desided that the front bumper I have for the 645 is just too warped, rusty and pitted to chrome plate successfully (taking too much grinding and sanding), so I have desided to make my own.

I ordered 2 pieces of 1/4 X 2" flat steel bars and some 1.25" diameter steel rod to make the ends.

After drilling the end pieces and bending the bars to shape, I'll weld pieces of the rod on each end of the bar, for the end bolts.

I ordered A-36 weldable carbon-steel and I'm wondering if I should attempt to temper them after assembly, to make them more springy?

Has anyone ever made bumpers before? If so, I'd appreciate any advise.

Wish me Luck!

[Guest imported_Speedster]

I think to Harden/Temper them, I'll use, what I call, the 'Torch & Water-hose' method.

Which is heating to red hot, then spraying with hose nozzle set for fine mist.

That way it will cool fast enough to Harden the steel some, but not too fast to make it brittle, as completely submerging it in water will.

I learned that method when welding up landing-gear parts for experimental aircraft, and it seemed to work very well.

[34PackardRoadsta]

Rick,

I've never made bumpers, but I sure have used them! Good luck making them. It will be interesting to see how they turn out.

Cheers,

Tom

[Guest imported_Speedster]

It will be a New experience for me also.

I figured it would be worth a try, the steel stock and welding-gas don't cost much.

If it doesn't work out to my satisfaction, I can always use the metal to make a workbench or something.

[Guest imported_Speedster]

I had to put another coat of paint on the hood-trim (spears) today.

I think I now have all the Painting completed, except for the hub-caps.

So, the bumpers and hubcaps may be the only parts left to do.

[Guest imported_Speedster]

I've found a strange problem when trying to adjust the High and Low Beams of the 645s Headlights. The left one has a distinct difference in high and low beams focus points and brightness (and is correct) but the right seems to have No difference in position or brightness.

The internal reflectors, the lenses and the distance from bulbs to reflectors are Identical. I switched the bulbs (left and right) and tried turning the bulb over in socket. I even tried reversing high and low wires going to bulb, on right side. But nothing I did made any change.

As of now I'm Stumped as to what could cause the difference???

[Guest imported_Speedster]

Oh well, I give up, I'll probably never drive it at Night, anyway.

[34PackardRoadsta]

On my 733 the wires for the lights originate independently at the switch. Have you check the wiring at the switch (in the steering wheel hub)? It sounds like you have a crossed wire at the switch.

[Guest imported_Speedster]

Thanks for the suggestion but it can't be that, since one light is working correctly and the wires are all connected together coming out from the switch terminals, (connected in the wiring harness). Red wires for high, White for low, and black for running (small bulb) is the way I connected them. I can tell the harness is correct by the wires colors.

I did try reversing the red and white wires, at right light socket, to make sure, but no change.

Another thing I tried, that I didn't mention before, was that when I left the lenses off, I still got the same results, so it can't be a difference in the lenses or their position.

So the only thing that it can be is a difference in the reflectors, altho I can't see any difference, there Must be.

[Tom M]

Rick,

Do you have a good ground?

[Guest imported_Speedster]

Yes, The lights are all working brightly, just no difference in high and low beam on right side.

[34PackardRoadsta]

Rick,

Here is the wiring diagram for the lights on my 1930. I took out the other stuff as I was trying to figure out why my lights didn't work. Turns out the wiring just sucked . Not sure if there were major changes between 29 and 30 on wiring. But I found the isolated drawing helpful.

Looking forward to hearing your solution for this baffling behavior.

Cheers,

Tom

[tbirdman]

I would measure the voltage at the red and white wires to see what is occurring when you switch from high to low. If both have voltage on them, then work our way back to the steering wheel switch. If the high beam wire switches on and off then perhaps it's a socket issue.

You never know what people have done in the past with these cars. My right high beam headlight working was working when I got my car. There was some cryptic notes with the car about a loose connector. When I took apart the headligght when I restored them, I discoverd a single filiament bulb.

[Guest imported_Speedster]

'30 looks Identical to '29 harness.

[Guest imported_Speedster]

The way I think these lights work is that in the Low-beam position of switch, just 1 filament in bulb is connected to power and then in high-beam position both filaments are connected to power. But since the filaments are only about an 1/8" apart in the bulb, I don't understand how the focus point changes position. I understand it will be Brighter in high position, but not why the focus point moves Up in high position.

I has to be that the brighter light of 2 filaments is reflected differently than the dimmer light of 1 filament, so that must be controled by the cone shaped reflector behind bulbs and the position of the bulb in that reflector.

So if the positions of bulbs in reflectors are the Same (which they are), then the only other varible is the reflectors surface itself.

[34PackardRoadsta]

pgs 52 and 53 on adjusting the 7th series headlights.

[Guest imported_Speedster]

The pictures match what I'm seeing on the left side, with the lense installed.

But I still don't understand how there can be that much difference in high and low beams, with the bulb filaments so close together, inside a single bulb ??? Since any adjustment tilts both filaments the same direction and amount. Only the reflector and the brightness can be doing it?

[34PackardRoadsta]

Do the bulb filaments sit parallel to the ground, or perpendicular?

[Guest imported_Speedster]

I can't remember for sure, but I think the filaments were parallel to ground. I have the lenses back on now. I'll recheck that tomorrow and let you know if they are not.

I do know that both left and right bulb sockets were the same orintation, tho, with bulb-base pin-slots on top and bottom.

[Guest imported_Speedster]

I got the steel stock, that I ordered, for making the front bumber today and I found a good way to arc the ends of the bars. I definitely need to harden/temper them some, since they bend fairly easy.

I'll start sawing and drilling the end pieces tomorrow and try to get all four of the bar ends bent to shape.

Luckily I have my other '29's bumper to use as an arc shape pattern.

[Guest imported_Speedster]

I checked the orintation of the bulb filaments and they are vertical, perpendicular to ground. Which also indicates that it's only bulb brightness, the position of the bulb in reflector and the reflector's shape and condition of it's surface, that determines the shape of the light beam, when the lense is removed.

So, I've desided that the problem must be caused by a slight difference in the shape and condition of the reflectors, even tho they both look good and the same shape.

I would switch out the reflectors to prove to myself, but It's just Too much Trouble.