pint4 Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Has anyone ever had to re-assemble their 37 Packard Goddess of Speed with wings hood ornament. I sent mine out to a chrome shop who did a beautiful job chrome plating it. The dilemma I have is they disassembled it into 3 parts when they plated it. Fitting the body to the base seems straight forward and fits nicely. The problem is the head is separate and looks like it should be pressed into the body but looking at how thin the wall is around the cavity where the head is pressed in to makes me nervous. Because it is old and it is die cast, I can see it cracking or a piece breaking out. Since I already have $950 invested in it, I am more than a little nervous about the process of pressing it in since it appears to be a tight fit. Has anyone done this before? Any ideas? Thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylormade Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 (edited) While having no direct experience with a Packard Goddess, I can warn you that a rechrome often leaves parts with a thicker layer of plating than was originally found on the piece. Extra copper, used to fill imperfections, can build the plating up much thicker than the original. My beautifully plated cowl lights would not accept their equally beautifully plated rims due to this problem. Be very careful. I would contact the plater and discuss it with him. Edited February 20, 2016 by Taylormade (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpage Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 I had some similar problems with fit on a part due to excessive plating buildup. My plater was gracious enough to fix it at no charge.Most platers will tell you that if they don't have all the parts that fit into an assembly, they will not be responsible for fit after plating. Your plater, however, disassembled the piece prior to plating so I would think that it's their responsibility to make sure that it goes together. I would definitely go back to your plater and see what they can do for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 If it's pot metal I would not force anything together. If it cracks or breaks then it's cracked or broken. I agree talk to your re-plater but be prepared to spend some time and effort removing metal as required to make it an easy fit. Whenever I get stuff back from plating I usually spend some time with the Dremel tool making fit ups............Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pint4 Posted February 21, 2016 Author Share Posted February 21, 2016 The puzzling part is once I remove some of the material so the protruding portion below the head fits down into the body, how does the head stay there. What holds it in place? Must be something I don't understand about how it was originally attached at the factory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted February 21, 2016 Share Posted February 21, 2016 (edited) It would likely help your problem if you had disassembled it yourself. Possibly it was a press fit originally but a press fit with new material is a far cry from what you have to work with now. The metal is old, probably work stressed, some internal corrosion/faults and built up surfaces etc etc. If the factory broke the odd Goddess or two no biggie. For you it's a $950 disaster. If your plating guy can't help (and suppose HE breaks it trying.) I'm guessing very careful Dremal work and file work and a good expoxy may be the way to go. Possibly a wire hook imbedded in epoxy in the base protruding up and out of the neck. After it sets, epoxy in the head set down on the hooked wire plus a bit of epoxy on the neck to body joint. Not how the factory did it but there usually are a few ways to skin a cat...........Bob Edited February 21, 2016 by Bhigdog (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 I suspect you may have an aftermarket Packard ornament. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen_Dyneto Posted February 22, 2016 Share Posted February 22, 2016 (edited) It's always nice to have an original part even if refinished, if indeed that's what you have, though I'm doubtful as Restorer 32 notes. But for less than the $950 you have invested you could have bought a beautifully crafted and accurate reproduction in stainless steel from American Arrow (Don Sommer), not that that does you much good at this point. Edited February 22, 2016 by Owen_Dyneto (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pint4 Posted February 23, 2016 Author Share Posted February 23, 2016 Thanks for the suggestions and input. I didn't disassemble it because I didn't realize it was a 3 piece assembly. I was surprised when I got it back and it was in 3 pieces. Totally unexpected. I am of the opinion that it is not a reproduction but who knows. The details were excellent and the bottom of the head even had a part number cast into it. Because the bottom of the head never shows, it seems a little odd there would be a part number. I have some photos that show the 3 pieces and the cavity that the head fits into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylormade Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 It looks like you could carefully enlarge the holes in the body of the goddess and take a bit off the mounting studs with a Dremel. I would tape the chrome areas just in case of a slip, although all the work needed appears to be in no visible areas. Once the head fits, I'd epoxy the two parts together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 Looks pretty easy from my chair. I agree with enlarging the holes to accommodate the studs. I would use a file. A Dremel burr inside a hole can have a mind of it's own. I would fill the head with epoxy and imbed hooked wires in it. Then I would do likewise with the body and put the head in place before the epoxy hardened. ..............Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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