Knuckle support question

[Guest]

Okay here is a bizarre one that maybe someone can answer. I'm completely rebuilding the front end on my 48 Packard. The drivers side went fine. But when I took the passenger side knuckle and knuckle support down to my local guy for a new kingpin he couldn't do it! He showed me the thrust washer that looked partially collapsed (yes saw it with my own eyes)and the lower bushing had been welded in place (they just screw in). I told him to go ahead and remove the king pin that came out with a "POP" in the press. Sure enough, the knuckle support is no longer straight, but has a slight bow to it. No way can you put a kingpin in there now. Now there is no damage to the shock, tie rod or lower control arm and not a single sign of the car having ever been in an accident. <P>There is more, though. I called a large Packard parts supplier and he told me he didn't have a single passenger side knuckle support but has tons of drivers side. He said it seems the passenger side always goes, not the drivers side! I have since located a NOS set that is being shipped to me. <P>My question is has anyone else run into this? Any reason why this would be?

[palbuick]

A long long time ago in a world not as crowded and as fast, there use to be a thing called DIAGIONAL PARKING. The left front wheel always would hit the curb first and the car would bounce back, if pulled in too fast. In my town they still have some diagional parking in the downtown area, and I ususlly hit the curb with the right front wheel, no used to this .<BR>Just think how many years the car was parked like this.<BR>Jim Schilf / palbuick@aol.com

[Guest]

Jim: Thanks for the memory refresh. You are absolutely correct. In tracing the car's history the town the original owner lived in (not far from me) still has that kind of parking!