Second Wind - a Packard Gasser

[zzrodder]

Here I go again, the last one isn't even out the door but I've been collecting parts and making plans for another 37 Packard coupe. The pics of the body are 4 yrs old so it may look worse by now, sitting in a drippy shed, you can see the body of the one I just finished sitting in front of it before it came to me. I won't be able to bring it home 'till the spring when I come back from Yuma and the Yellow one goes to its home, a swaperoo.
With all this talk of electric cars, climate crisis, doom and gloom, it seems appropriate to me to just throw caution to the wind and thumb my nose at the restoration purists and leaf lickers to make a totally self indulgent, useless statement of defiance.
I'm going to break with my usual shiny car habit and leave this one unpainted, any repaired or modified body parts will get blended to match the patina of the main body. Well, I will paint the frame and drivetrain, but that's it, I swear. For power I have a crusty 1976 motorhome 454 with only 60,000 miles that will be getting a thorough going over. Rear end is a custom built 9" with a Strange nodular carrier, 4.88 Wavetrac posi and 35 spline Dutchman axles, disc brakes. Front end is a Pete & Jakes Newstalgia Gasser unit. A lot more expensive than the Speedway one but way better quality, all US made, uses a bunch of Superbell pieces plus it has Ford tie rod ends instead of Heim joints, comes with shocks and mounts, steering box, drag link, etc., a very good complete kit. The "wind" part of its title will be courtesy of a BDS 871 sitting on the shelf in my parts pile. Tranny is a good 'ol Turbo 400 with 3200 stall converter and a Gear Vendors OD unit to make it more street friendly. Tires and wheels are on the way, held up in production like a lot of things these days, American TTO 5 spokes, 4x15 an 12x15, M&H cheater slicks go in back. Stay tuned


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[bob w]

Great news, zz. This will be the best build yet. At least more fun to drive. Maybe not testing your skills too seriously. You've been collecting some quality parts there. Think you can get it done in a year?

[lowbudget50]

Ill be watching!!!!

[Old Iron]

Oh yea

[dutch]

way cool! looking forward to this one...

[DozerII]

I'm in the front row

[BillM]

I'll be watching as well. Do you have to go south? I'd rather you stay and entertain us this winter!!!

[forbigpicture]

OK, I'm in, let the party begin.....

[Burgerman]

Very cool ZZ. This gonna be fun. 👍🙂

[zzrodder]

Originally Posted by bob w

Great news, zz. This will be the best build yet. At least more fun to drive. Maybe not testing your skills too seriously. You've been collecting some quality parts there. Think you can get it done in a year?

I'm really looking forward to it to get my Ya Ya's out and burn some rubber The fenders are a little rough but that's expected, the biggest issue is the missing trunk lid. Guess I'll need to upgrade my metal working skills and maybe get a English wheel for that one. Another lid is next to impossible to find - as rare as, well, Packard parts While the other car is here, I'll make a buck from its lid so I know the shape I need to make. Done in a year? You never know, I do have more time on my hands now and taking shiny bodywork out of the equation really cuts build time down. It would be nice to bang it out (literally) and take it to Yuma with me in winter 2022-23 but maybe I'm dreaming on that one....

Originally Posted by BillM

I'll be watching as well. Do you have to go south? I'd rather you stay and entertain us this winter!!!

Yeah, now that the border is re-opening tomorrow to drive down I have to look after our place in Yuma. Haven't been able to go there since spring of 2019 due to my wife's health issues and then Covid. Need to breath some desert air and sit under a palm tree for a while to get my head straight over my new reality. Come April, sparks will fly