...and its currently not running.

I lived on my grandparents farm in Oregon as a kid. One of the barns had an old '54 Packard Clipper Deluxe in it. I remember my grandpa getting it fired up and driving us around in it every now and then. I recently inherited that car.

It has been run in probably 15 years. My grandpa and I tried to get it running abut 7 or 8 years ago. We couldn't get it to crank, so we did what we could to preserve it and pushed it back into its spot.

Ever since I've dreamed about flying out there, getting it running, and driving it back. This week, myself and a buddy are going to try to make that happen. I'm at the United Lounge in San Fran drinking waiting for our flight to Portland. We will be trying to get the old bird running and drive it across the US to my mom's place in Texas before Christmas.

I've been shipping parts the last few weeks: inline 6v fuel pump, carb rebuild kit, starter solenoid, starter rebuild kit, brake rebuild kits, headlights, water pump, etc.

We're flying out with 6 bags between the two of us full of tools (and a couple guns). My friend is a mechanic by background, and I've got a good assortment of tools as well.

The plan is to get the car running over the next couple days, make sure it is roadworthy, then plot a route south and then east. We don't want mountains or snow for this trip.

Our load out consists of a suit case of clothes each, 3 bags and boxes of tools, and a Plano case with 14.5" AR pinned to 16" with TA31RCO and RMR06 piggy backed, and a SA MC Operator with SACS threaded barrel and Osprey 45.

We'll get to the car in Oregon this afternoon and assess the condition of the vehicle. If we can get it running in the next few days, we will start the drive.

I'll keep this thread updated as best I can.

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UPDATE 1

We made it here and picked up our stuff.

No ugly surprises on the car, except that we found out it has power brakes which was unexpected. They seem to be pumped up and we can’t get them to release so we can push it into the shop.

UPDATE 2

It was the back brakes that were stuck I think. We drug it out of the barn with a Mule and got it rolling. Managed to push it into the shop. We cleaned up the engine bay, pulled the spark plugs, and dumped a couple squirts of oil in the cylinders. Also put some extra oil in it, overfull trying to get oil in as much stuff as possible.

The plan for tomorrow is to drain the oil, drop the pan, and start trouble shooting the starting system.

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UPDATE 3
We put the new starter solenoid in and got the starter to spin, but it wasn’t engaging the flywheel. We pulled the starter apart and greased the Bendix. We put it back together and got it to work. This is the first time the car has been turned over in years!

Carb is removed.

Next we replaced the coil and condenser. An arfcommer helped with some troubleshooting on that.

Points will be tonight after an early dinner. If that goes well, we can shoot some starting fluid down the manifold and see if we can get it to cough to life.

The starter was a huge concern and what I thought was possibly going to keep us from rolling. Glad to have that squared away.

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UPDATE 4

We got it to spark to life!

Got the ignition system figured out, new points installed and gapped, and condenser installed. The carb is off, so we shot some starting fluid down the manifold. It coughed and sputtered and ran as well as it could on sprays of starting fluid. Then it caught on fire at the manifold and we had a few seconds of excitement as we smothered out the flames with a Carhart and some blue Powerade. I think we got some Powerade down the manifold so we might need to pull the plugs before we crank it any more tomorrow.

We tried taking the carb apart and we're kinda stuck on that. We are having trouble with the metering rods and linkage T shaped piece. If anybody in the Molalla/Portland area knows how to rebuild a WGD 2brl carb, I have burgers and beer if you want to come show us how to do it.

Tomorrow we plan to tackle the fuel system end-to-end. Clean out the gas tank, run new gas lines, wire up the 6v pump and maybe a regulator, and fix the carb one way or another. Our goal is to have the engine purring by this time tomorrow night.

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Updates now in the thread.

Nice ride!

Be sure to post 'en-route' pics...

Cool. Hope you shipped yourself some tires!

See you in a year!

It got new tires about 2 years ago, zero miles on them. Have a new 6v battery waiting for us at the local auto parts store also.

Awesome! Keep us updated!

One of the best cars made in the USA was the Packard.  Parts are not impossible to find but you will have to search them out.  I have a BIL who restores Packards.

Totally clean the coolant system and take the radiator to a shop.

Have it tested and cleaned.

Oregon-Northern Cali-Nevada-Arizona- New Mex - to the motherland/Texas!!!

Good luck

In, should be a fun adventure.

Well.

As they say, "Timing is everything"...

I hope it doesn't turn out that they find you later when the snow melts in the spring...



Sincerely wishing it is just a "fun adventure" rather than fight for your life in the snowdrifts to keep from freezing and or cannibalism...

It it were me, I'd have done it in the spring of fall...

But we will all raise tall a Stein of ale when you arrive in triumph, with legendary tales of adventure...

BIGGER_HAMMER

Cool.  Good luck and just enjoy whatever the adventure turns out to be.

Thought this might be of assistance, if you don't already have it bookmarked...

Packard Parts Cross Reference Database

Sounds like a fun trip!!
Subscribed for updates.
If you are around the KC area and have any issues hit me up by PM.

Good luck

I would imagine you'll get hassled somewhere along the way for registration/inspection/insurance.

Sounds like an awesome trip though.

Good luck. Being broken down in an old car with hard to conceal guns seems like a bad plan.
Either way, it's an adventure. Watch your corn hole, bud.

It won't be right without big wide whitewalls.



Good luck and keep the pictures coming.

I'll put it on my insurance as soon as we get it running. Already have a quote for it.

The title will be signed over to me, and I think I have a few days to get it registered in my home state when I take possession of it.

Awesome.  I hope you get it going and fixed up.  Looks like a beauty!  Be careful out there.

I think you are nuts. Also I don't think there is a route that avoids high country altogether. Hopefully the weather will cooperate.

Careful on old tires.

How you gonna get tags?

ETA: You're gonna wanna buy a couple bottles of tetra-ethyl lead or other valve lubrication substitute to add to your unleaded pump gas along the way. Odds of finding actual leaded are close to zero on the road.

Tag...Probably going to have to drop and clean the fuel tank as well

This sounds awesome!

Please keep us updated!

Thats definitely in the plan. Also we will likely be wiring in the 6v fuel pump, so we can evacuate the lines or just run new lines all together.

First stop is to get some new tires and brake shoes/ drums. Rather see you not get it going if you can't stop. In the winter no less.

You got me beat, I did a complete cross country from coast to coast in a '79 Bronco last April. It was fun, though!

Good call on the lead additive. We just talked about that and will probably pick some up.

+1 on the idea that taking long guns, and the suppressor on this trip may not be a good move.

If you break down and get the 3rd degree from Barney Fife, or you have to spend a night in a motel along the way...

I think you'd do better with a just a simple pair of handguns, but to each their own...

sounds like a fun idea. Tag for updates.

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Get a ' Dwell Meter ' among your tool kit.

That sounds like a great time best of luck with the car and your trip.

Look forward to updates and pics.

Where in TX ?

Any info I can look up for you before hand?

OST

Sounds awesome.  Good luck!

Sweeeet!

Packards are the kind. I lived in one in Southern Oregon in the early 70s.1950 split window convertible. That thing was a big old boat and very comfortable.

@m35ben

Not at the moment, but PM me your phone number if you don't mind in case we get stuck and need a quick reference.

We've got a lot of good tech info from the Packard forums. I've got a thread running on packardinfo.com under the same username.

Will do

Take video.  And go watch some Roadkill  videos...

That has great potential. Good luck OP; safe travels home.

What part of OR? We have a place near Portland, may be able to help you with a warm shop and tools if needed.

I've done that a drive a few times. There are lots of desolate areas were you can go hours between towns.

Are you wanting to do the quickest possible route or are you will to go out of the way for a better view?

Just outside of Molalla. Any local assistance would be welcome!

I am living vicariously through you.  Good luck!

You have to put a BFL on it somewhere

Great thread.  Tagged!

Want to go the way with least stress on the car, so minimal hills and we will check the weather if we get it going. We want to avoid snow also.

I bought the 100 mile tow package for AAA, so we have some QRF if it goes tits up on the drive.

Bad ass OP! Be safe, have fun and enjoy the adventure!