What's Your Vehicle Project?

**East Detroit** · January-23-10, 07:55 AM

Originally Posted by MoparDan

I found this on Allpar, hope it helps you out.
http://www.allpar.com/mopar/emissions.html

Got any pics of those Impalas by chance?

One brother owned two '59s & my dad had a '62 SS; all long gone unfortunately.

Thanks, looks like they have to pick up additives whenever they're at BP getting the airplane fuel.

No pictures.. my ex-girlfriend had them [[along with my records, cue Sam Kinison).... but I have every part on those babies memorized, just in case I ever need to know, heh.

Anyone been to a Mecum or Barrett-Jackson auction? I've been watching them on TV and they look like they could be a lot of fun [[as long as you lock your wallet up in the hotel safe)...

**56packman** · January-24-10, 01:13 AM

Originally Posted by MoparDan

Packman, I posted a pic of a '53 Caribbean Convertible some time back on the "Old Car Pics" thread. It's #47 near the bottom. It's owned by the Dodge dealer & he has several other creampuffs in their showroom.

http://detroityes.com/mb/showthread.php?t=601

How much HP/Torque does the 374 put out?

Dan--290 HP,405 ft-lbs. of Torque.
Rideron--it is the Packard designed and built V-8 which was only used in 1955 and 1956, the '57 and '58 "Packabakers" used the Studebaker 289 V-8, a good engine, but nothing like the Packard.
Packard cast the engine blocks and heads in Detroit, their foundry was now where I-94 runs, the machining and assembly of the engines was done at Packard's Mound road plant in Utica, the engines were shipped to the assembly plant on Conner and East Warren where the cars were built in '55-'56. My car was built on June 22, 1956, and the last real "Detroit" Packard was built on June 25th.

**Norwalk** · January-24-10, 12:33 PM

Paint maybe this year for old "51"

Bearinabox · January-24-10, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by Norwalk

Paint maybe this year for old "51"

Nice! Good to see this thread get some pics on it so I can do some vicarious living.

**Fury13** · January-24-10, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by 56packman

I'm rebuilding the 374 V8 on my 56 Packard this spring, it's Dream Cruise [[Nightmare Crawl) or bust! that's my goal for this year.

Packman: is it a Caribbean? Patrician? 400?

The '56 Packard was a handsome car. Too bad it was the last of its line. I think Packard was really onto something good in '55-'56.

I've seen some renderings of the proposed '57 "real" Packards and they would have been unlike anything offered by Lincoln and Cadillac in '57; closer to Imperial, I think, in terms of modernity in the context of that time.

**thnk2mch** · January-24-10, 05:49 PM

My project was this until 2005 [[sold it

)

**thnk2mch** · January-24-10, 05:50 PM

Now, I am working on a '74 Corvette.

**56packman** · January-24-10, 10:57 PM

Originally Posted by Fury13

Packman: is it a Caribbean? Patrician? 400?

The '56 Packard was a handsome car. Too bad it was the last of its line. I think Packard was really onto something good in '55-'56.

I've seen some renderings of the proposed '57 "real" Packards and they would have been unlike anything offered by Lincoln and Cadillac in '57; closer to Imperial, I think, in terms of modernity in the context of that time.

Fury13--it is a 400. I really like the full-size clay models of the proposed 1957 [[Detroit designed/built)Packards, and yes,they really came more from where a Virgil Exner was coming from rather than the late Harley Earl baroque GM look, or Lincoln's look, which in '56 was emulating Packard, a result of William Schmidt jumping from Packard to Ford when the going got rough at Packard.
I was friends with Dick Teague, who headed up design at Packard during the last years and I didn't know much about those designs, just the rough "Black Bess" prototype sedan, which was not nearly as attractive as the clay models, and I really didn't talk to him about "the future that never came". He was a quality person all the way around, and a talented designer when given the chance, which didn't happen very often.

**Alfie1a** · January-25-10, 12:35 AM

'70 GTO that is not only a ragtop, it's pretty ragged too.

**MoparDan** · January-25-10, 08:21 AM

Packman: Thanks for the specs. That is some serious torque; considering Packard was the ultimate in smooth driving, I'm sure it had no problem flawlessly propelling your ride forward.
I remember you mentioning Dick Teague on another thread as well.

Thanks to you guys for posting pics:

Love that '71 Duster! Not to mention the "340 Wedge" hood graphics.

The '51 looks like a beauty. Any shots of the dash or interior by chance?

==================================================

I managed to practice for all of about 30mins this weekend on the Cordoba fender. The wife had other priorities for me around the house unfortunately. Still learning what the different hammers & dollies will do. Previously, I had added "parking lot dings" to smooth out because that's primarily what's on the Charger. I can respect anyone who can bump & shape metal properly.

**reddog289** · January-25-10, 04:50 PM

Bumping out sheet metal was one of my favorite things to do in Auto Body class.But it takes practice and more time then slinging mud into a dent.

**PlymouthRes** · January-25-10, 05:34 PM

Packman-

Virgil and my uncle were best friends. My uncle was Don DeLaRossa. Virgil was also great friends with my sister's father. They attended art school together.

The days of Buerhig, Thomas, Virgil, Harley and the rest of them all are over, unfortunately. The computer takes all the "human" out of it, that's for sure.

Toolbox · January-26-10, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by CountrySquire

I have a '74 Ford Country Squire 460 4V and a '68 AMC Ambassador 343 2V. Both cars have minor mechanical issues and have been sidelined the last few years due to money issues. This year looks better for getting them back on the road however. I do have limited space and mechanic knowledge. Can anyone recommend a willing mechanic who has worked on a carbureted vehicle before and believes in using good American made parts and not Chinese ones?

Try Kar-Go Carburetor in Garden City.

You will most likely need to replace all the rubber lines and fully flush the fuel system. The newer 10% ethanol [[corriosive) fuel blends eat the rubber lines, fuel pump diaphrams and other non compatible parts in the carb.

Different cars react differently to the new fuel blends. Just wait till the blend is upped to 20% and you need all stainless lines?

I use fuel line with a Viton liner designed for FlexFuel vehicles if I am doing any fuel system repairs.

I have an uglier version of this. 1959 VW Singlecab 3/4 ton Pickup.

**CountrySquire** · January-26-10, 11:58 AM

Wow! You never see those around.

**393Bird** · January-26-10, 08:09 PM

I have been a gear head since the 50s. I have had many cars over the years, and always seemed to have some sort of drag car in progress.

The one I have been wrenching on for the last 7 years is a 1993 Thunderbird. I bought it new in late 92 as the family car. It now has a bored and stroked 351 [[393CI) full forged internals, healthy roller cam, aluminum heads, Vortech YSi supercharger, etc, etc. It runs on E85, and is extremely fast. It goes on a lot of cruises, and at least 1 outing at the drag strip a month.

I just completed upgrading the brakes and am replacing the head gaskets on it now. I need to upgrade the fuel system next to prevent blowing another head gasket. I hope to have it ready for a shake down cruise in late Feb.

**Norwalk** · January-26-10, 08:16 PM

"The '51 looks like a beauty. Any shots of the dash or interior by chance? "

No pics of the interior. When I got the car the interior was in very good shape so for that reason I've never taken any photos there. Over the years I have replaced all the chrome and added the visor hence the pics of the exterior. Just to document my progress.

**56packman** · January-27-10, 09:41 AM

Originally Posted by PlymouthRes

Packman-

Virgil and my uncle were best friends. My uncle was Don DeLaRossa. Virgil was also great friends with my sister's father. They attended art school together.

The days of Buerhig, Thomas, Virgil, Harley and the rest of them all are over, unfortunately. The computer takes all the "human" out of it, that's for sure.

Plymouthres--Exner was one of the most original men in the business, he took Chrysler from having 17 stylists [[who all had to kow-tow to engineering) to having a full-fledged, highly capable styling department in a few short years. I thought they really did dirt by him at the end of his career at Chrysler.
I had occasions to sit and chat with Gordon Buehrig, he was a wonderful touchstone to the classic era, and he kept up with trends to the very day. His powers of recall were amazing. I was at a dinner where Gordon spoke, this was in the early 80s and car makers were going from the econo-square boxes of the early 80s to [[some) aerodynamic designs. The Ford Taurus had just hit hot, and the prediction was that all passenger sedans were going this way. Gordon warned that the wind tunnel was going to become the stylist, and that beng a stylist was going to become like being a coach of a sports team--you'll need to make your numbers. He stated "the most aerodynamic shape is the teardrop, or "jellybean", then, with a wink in his eye added "we knew that in 1935" and his plea was this: observe aerodynamics, but let the eye of the skilled stylist rule to create something individual that pleases the eye. I'm glad he didn't live to see the popularity of such aerodynamic wonders as the Hummer H-1 and the Ford leviathan SUVs.

**56packman** · January-27-10, 10:09 AM

For carb kits try http://www.maritimedragracing.com/th...automotive.htm
they make new kits from the latest material, whic can withstand what they are calling gas these days. Do yourself a favor and do the fuel pump while you are at it, they suffer from diaphragm break down due to additives in the fuel.

**CountrySquire** · January-27-10, 10:09 AM

"I just completed upgrading the brakes and am replacing the head gaskets on it now. I need to upgrade the fuel system next to prevent blowing another head gasket. "

Nice bird! It is refreshing to see some attention paid to a 90s vehicle. I've often wondered what would populate the classic car show of 2025. You must be running some SUPER high compression in that bored out 351 if you are going through head gaskets.

**CountrySquire** · January-27-10, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by 56packman

For carb kits try http://www.maritimedragracing.com/th...automotive.htm
they make new kits from the latest material, whic can withstand what they are calling gas these days. Do yourself a favor and do the fuel pump while you are at it, they suffer from diaphragm brake down due to additives in the fuel.

Thanks!!! I'll have my work cut out for me this spring.

**Bodybagging** · January-28-10, 01:41 PM

Although just recently putting her up for sale, heres my latest project, a 1978 Cadillac M&M Hearse

**CountrySquire** · January-29-10, 04:02 PM

Cool hearse! It's interesting that your hearse does not have the extended wheel base that some hearses have.

**Bodybagging** · February-01-10, 07:30 AM

Good eye, Countrysquire, It also kept its factory glass, This is my 4th hearse and by far my favorite style.......

**Mikeg** · February-04-10, 05:09 PM

Here's a one-of-a-kind project waiting to happen: 1930 Buick Pick-up

**MoparDan** · February-05-10, 07:27 AM

I'd love to have that hearse for the Halloween setup I do every year. Talk about a serious Death Mobile.

I thought the article on the Buick "pick up" was good. This especially caught my eye:
"I don't know if the truck bed came from another vehicle or was scratch-built from sheet metal. I do know that whoever did the conversion was a true craftsman, if not an artist; the bed is integrated with the stock rear fenders so nicely that it looks like it came from the factory that way."