I haven’t seen that pic Jimmy. That’s the Bohman Schwartz 1940 Maybeline Packard . ( as in the cosmetics). I took lots of inspiration from this one. But seeing it again , haven’t looked at it since I did my doors, I’m amazed that the design cues are so close.
Been busy doing other stuff lately but I did get the other rear guard done a week back. Sometimes a break is good to let ideas germinate. Ive also started formulating a plan for the floors which I have decided to drop 4 inches into the chassis rails by sectioning the X member.
The retainer for the top grille posts was rusted away. I was lucky enough to visit a local 39 Packard owner who graciously gave me a rust free one, so yesterday I pulled out the grille and put the new piece in. Aligning all the pins in all the holes without the others falling out, is a bear of a job. But after 47 attempts I got them all in. Huge difference. Now it opens and closes like new. (Remember this grille has been sectioned 3 inches from stock height.)
I just have to say this is going to be so beautiful. I am in awe of the work you are doing. This is a special project for sure.
Trial fitted the (cut down on the sides) Jag mk 10 rear bar on the front. It’s a perfect fit. Lost one of the special hexagon retaining bolts for one of the overriders. Must be somewhere in my workshop.....
Sorry, not "feeling" that bumper. It's just too much. Can you do two thin strips through the center instead of the full strength there? Maybe make the transition behind the bumper guards.
To answer Alchemy, I always have to start somewhere. Then let it evolve. I’m gonna extend the overriders to the back edge of the bumper and then stand back and look. It presently follows the Aerodynamic theme of the car and I do like the smooth unadorned form. Remember the car has no motor or box in presently so the front will come down a lot. To answer Brian, yes it was originally thermostatically controlled. I’m thinking manual lever with a warning light on the dash when closed.
Extended the overriders tonight for a more bold and masculine statement. Perhaps some recessed blinkers can go in the old wider spaced overrider holes.
It'll look different too with the right had wing (fender for us) on. I wasn't sure about that bumper either, but it does look good with the guards fit.
I'm liking the bumper more with the extended overriders. It may be a lot of work but if you could cut the front bumper into four pieces and make it follow the front grill and fenders more that would be a great styling. Maybe bumper only needs a v-notch in middle and then opposite v-notch to get back straight on the ends? On the back bumper, the width at the forward ends is bothering me. I think they need to taper to match the outline of the rear fenders better. So the forward ends are more pointy.
I’ll be putting valance panels front and rear which will tidy up the gap between body and bumpers. I’ve studied many of the 30s Coachbuilt classics and the integration of bumpers to twisting and turning body shapes is not as easy as it looks . I don’t want a twisted moustache bumper like a lot of otherwise stunning creations have. Like I said to Alchemy... I have to start somewhere and then let it evolve. There is a little 6 inch scallop I had to cut off the front bumper. I was about to chuck them and then I put it on the back bumper where the ends wrap around and it harmonises the rear transition with the fender and even has the little Packard quill tip.... you’ll have to wait and see.
I’m looking for another Packard road/ spotlight like this one I found for a $ong locally. Keep your eyes peeled. Any leads appreciated. Saturday morning I got a bit of consolidation on the right had side sill. Forgot to take pics but it came up well. Everything true and square.
Always making bits of the jigsaw. These are the hinge plates and two of the pantograph door gates as well as the window frame. All made in stainless. Was a bitch to drill the 36 1/2” mounting holes but it’s done. Meanwhile I keep making 53 Eldo bits to pay the bills and drawing inspiration from the classics.
X38 , or Tony to his friends (he insists I call him X38) who is building a wild traditional 39 chopped Custom Ford Sloper and never sugar coats, came over to critique the Packard. So I wisely used the opportunity of having “a crash test dummy” in the workshop.
The cowl on the Packard needed some alignment support on the top of the cowl. One side was dropping down no matter how much portapower muscle I threw at it. I thought about making the support in metal but it was a difficult piece to construct. Then I thought a 6x2 piece of timber could happily coexist in my otherwise timberless creation. I went next door to the cabinet maker and asked if he had any bits of wood I could have. He dug out a length of Cypress. Not too light, not to heavy. I made up a cardboard template and managed to find my jigsaw and plane. Cut it out planed it off and banged it in. Perfect fit. No more alignment problem. This is the first piece of timber I have EVER used in a car. But it was kind of nice to give it a bit of old world, Coachbuilt heritage. I’ll coach bolt it to the 50mm angle frame that I constructed
Braced cowl allowed the Rh side to be done , so fabricated the cowl bead which I tacked in place. Took a million measurements of the body to check alignment and everything is within a couple of mm any which way you measure. Considering there isn’t a straight line on the car I am pleased and relieved.
Two hours on the English wheel after work and I got this far on the Rh door top. First one took a whole Saturday. Bit of tweaking on the cowl to bring it out a bit and it is gonna be like a bought one.
Great work....but on the side view, the rib's transition from the cowl piece to the door seems abrupt...it angles down rather than continuing straight across and gently arcing down. I hate to point that out, but when everything else is so damned nice, it sticks out.
I appreciate your concern but there is still a lot of work to go before it is anywhere near done. That’s just a preliminary trial fit at the end of the day. Making a hand built part is just that, hand built. Once you understand that metal is elastic you can move it around and change the shapes. You can stretch it and shrink it. Bulge it and flatten it. Presently the cowl bead is inwards at the rear about 6 mm which throws out the bead line (especially from the camera angle I took). Light and shadow also throws the eye. But I’ve learned that you have to make it first and then tweak it. Yes, sometimes a piece gets overworked and you have to start again but that is par for for the course and often you learn more from mistakes than getting it right the first time. It’s only metal... and they still make it. I read the other day that the Hirohata Merc is different on one side to the other. Apparently George Barris said “You can only see one side of the car at a time. “
Just checking in on the progress here. I mostly follow on Instagram. Hope you can get back on your Cadillac soon.
Thanks Ron. The Cadillac has been hibernating for too long I know. I only have two hands and one meagre credit card. Once I get the Packard body panels done I plan to get the Cadillac beside it and bounce from one to the other.
So here is what 4 hours of alignment looks like. Had to slide hammer the back edge of the cowl out 7mm . Then had to define the line on the end of the hood a bit sharper. Pushed the bulge out of door upper and it’s looking good. Next job is to roll up lower skin and then doors can really start to come together cos all the inners are made. It’s getting exciting.
Easter Monday is a holiday here so I pulled on my work clothes and tidied up a few details and finally locked in the dash sides. It’s nice to have everything falling into place now and all the seperate pieces becoming integral. Every step is one step closer.
The Jalopy Journal
