Jump to content

I love my Packard

Guest 51Patty400

By Guest 51Patty400
in Packard

 Share

Recommended Posts

Guest 51Patty400

Guest 51Patty400

Posted
Posted

Uncovered this weekend. Put air in the tires. Pumped the gas 15-20 times and turned the key... Roared right to life :-)

It's been a LONG winter.

- Mark

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tbirdman 5,000+ Points

tbirdman

Posted
Posted

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I can take mine out if I were Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> </div></div>

I think I will love mine if it starts up after the work I've done this winter. The dash and the gauges are the two major hurdles. Dash should be back any time now. Got the Pilot Rays mounted on the car and they do turn in the same direction as the wheels do. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tbirdman 5,000+ Points

tbirdman

Posted
Posted

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ken,

Did you get all the wiring completed?

I still need to order my harness. </div></div>

The wiring is completed and tested...at least as far as I can go without dash and gauges.

The two things I found bad about the wire harness I got from Potomac Packard and could be easily fixed with some foresight is:

1: Fuel pump was mounted on the left. He had the wiring bundled going down the left side. I guess he assumed that my pump was at the rear of the car which is wasn't. I had to add another length of wiring to connect to it.

2. The trippe light wiring came out at the end of the headlight wiring harness. It would had more sense for it to come out right where the wiring harness leaves the engine compartment. Also he used bullet connectors on these and I rather had them hard wired. Nothing major but just some things o thik of if you get yours done.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Twitch 5,000+ Points

Twitch

Posted
Posted

Ah yes old car weather again when cruise-ins and shows are so plentiful you can't attend them all! I wouldn't trade my car anything else. It always stands out and is nearly always the only Packard at any event.

Last Saturday at Hollywood Park

P4280003.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest Randy Berger

Guest Randy Berger

Posted
Posted

Me and you both Twitch! It's great to be the only one or maybe one of two at a nice size cruise and NO, I don't get tired of answering questions about it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest AlK

Guest AlK

Posted
Posted

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'll bet that thing "flys" with that 727-type jet engine attached to the side! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> </div></div>

Yeah but from it's placement it would seem to me that it would only go in circles. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Clipper47 2,500+ Points

Clipper47

Posted
Posted

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I assume that JATO looking thing on the side is an evaporative cooler. Do those things actually work or is the benefit mainly pshchological? </div></div>

One of the Catalinas I flew had the mounts for a JATO but I never saw a complete unit before. Thanks for the photo! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Twitch 5,000+ Points

Twitch

Posted
Posted

The swamp cooler is simply an add-on accessory that cars of the 50s used. We had one for years on our cars back then and they provide cooler air, not cold. I got it simply for the nostalgia aspect. And most of the questions I get about the car is regarding the cooler! I also put the curb feelers on as they were representative of the era. And they work! Saved me from scuffing the wide whites more than once.

If anyone remembers them I found reproductions of the old Standard Oil red crown valve caps. And the old Mobile flying horse license topper used to be plentiful.

Can't see it on the dash but I have the old Guide traffic signal viewer too. Back in the olden days when lights only hung up high at intersections the viewer reflected the light so you could tell when it changed due to the sun visor.

My stainless vent window breezies aren't on at the moment but will be. Another accessory you'd see to deflect air flow on 50s cars. And as soon as I can find stainless ventshades that fit I'll put them on. I'm thinking about the vintage fog lights and finding some mounts where I don't have to drill the bumper.

Since there weren't many factory/dealer options in 1950 all these little add-ons lend a real era-feel to the old cars and out here most folks have many of them. No damned fuzzy dice though!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest BJM

Guest BJM

Posted
Posted

The more I see the 48 to 50's car - restored or nice originals, the more I like them. Thanks for sharing. Does your car have Ultramatic? I was just reading the Brooklands Book this morning and they had two articles on Ultramatic. The impressive thing I remember is the direct drive provision. How are the Ultramatics holding up after all these years I wonder?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
brainfrz 250+ Points

brainfrz

Posted
Posted

Took mine out twice over the last two weekends. Once up to the Blackhawk museum in Danville, CA and once for a slow cruise through the back country of SJ down to Morgan Hill and Back. The second trip was fun b/c it was the first rip with the whole family!! My two young girls and my wife joined me. We cruised through the south county hills and just enjoyed the lovely CA weather and the bumps and rattles of an old car! the picture I attached is of one of the other cars that made the trek. But you can see my Packard in the background. My camera ran out of juice before I could get a decent pic.

Roll down the windows and go for a drive!!

Jon

post-47942-143137933119_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Dr Morbius 1,000+ Points

Dr Morbius

Posted
Posted

Had my Caribbean out last Sunday and put some fresh gas in 'er. As I'm pumping petrol an older couple comes over and starts oohhing and ahhing over it - and I get this alot, the gent asks me am I the original owner, but I see he has a smile and a twinkle in his eye so I play along and say "yes I was 2 weeks old when I saw her in the showroom and I just had to have her" [ which timewise is correct, I was about 2 weeks old when she was built ]. I was then asked by the older gents wife, who didn't have a smile and a twinkle in her eye "do you remember what you paid for it?". It was worth it to see the look on her husbands face. A Kodak moment! Btw- I've been told I look like I'm in my early forties than my actual 53 years young, so take it from there. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> .........................Steve

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest 55_Clipper

Guest 55_Clipper

Posted
Posted

tbirdman,

I just had the most gratifing compliment a Packard owner can get. I just came back from having dinner w/ the management and I was waiting for a limo to pull in to the lot so I could get out. I rolled down the window and talked to the limo driver and commented the he had a nice limo..... w/o blinking an eye, this guy says,"Nice Packard!"

My Clipper aint much to look at, as she is needing a few things, but to me, that is one of the most gratifing rewards of owning a Packard. Mind you, it was dark and all he had to go on were the headlights and body lines. Nailed the year, make, and model dead on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tbirdman 5,000+ Points

tbirdman

Posted
Posted

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">tbirdman,

I just had the most gratifing compliment a Packard owner can get. I just came back from having dinner w/ the management and I was waiting for a limo to pull in to the lot so I could get out. I rolled down the window and talked to the limo driver and commented the he had a nice limo..... w/o blinking an eye, this guy says,"Nice Packard!"

My Clipper aint much to look at, as she is needing a few things, but to me, that is one of the most gratifing rewards of owning a Packard. Mind you, it was dark and all he had to go on were the headlights and body lines. Nailed the year, make, and model dead on. </div></div>

That's amazing because most people don't know a Packard in broad daylight...hey I was one of those until I started my Packard research a couple of years back.

Took my car out on a parade yesterday. Unfortunately it was not the Packard but it was the T-Bird. However like the Packard it gets a lot of thumps up because of the lack of restored models from this era. It amazes me as the convertible 64-66 T-Birds when restored, are great looking cars.

Well back to working on the Packard. The job today is to install the wood screws holding the dash in which is a job for a contorsionist and custom made right angle screwdrivers. Then I will start installing the under the dash hardware. The interior looks so good with the burl wood. When I had acquired the car, the wood trim pieces had been painted a dark brown with no wood grain...a short cut that the restoration shop took. Also I corrected the shops use of multiple size screws holding the trim pieces.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest 55_Clipper

Guest 55_Clipper

Posted
Posted

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

That's amazing because most people don't know a Packard in broad daylight...hey I was one of those until I started my Packard research a couple of years back.

Took my car out on a parade yesterday. Unfortunately it was not the Packard but it was the T-Bird. However like the Packard it gets a lot of thumps up because of the lack of restored models from this era. It amazes me as the convertible 64-66 T-Birds when restored, are great looking cars.</div></div>

Agreed, while most non-motorheads don't know a piston from a push rod, car people do know a classic when they see one. Don't speak disparingly of your T-bird, the "bullet birds" are one of a kind and have their own special look. I saw a "bullet bird" at the NEX gas station the other day... the jackass had put 24" wheels on it and removed the fender skirts "for looks". He said he didn't like the original wheels. You should have seen his face when I told him he could of dropped that car into the putting greens and with the fender skirts, would have looked DYNO-O-MITE <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Twitch 5,000+ Points

Twitch

Posted
Posted

I've seen some nice 64 Birds that have won recognition at shows. When I see assorted vintage cars that have some non-stock wheels and other little mods I simply recognize how easy they'd be to put back to stock and hope they might get in the proper hands someday.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest 51Patty400

Guest 51Patty400

Posted
Posted

The most common question I get at the shows is "Who makes Packard?" and I calmly reply "Packard" They tend to swallow their tongues then I let them off the hook and explain it.

- Mark

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...