First Step of the New Project

[345 DeSoto]

Dan - What sort of condition is the top, rear stainless on the Power Hawk in? Are you still planning to sell it, or has it already been sold?...

[S2Deluxe]

Trying to get an idea of how the Packard Hawk will look at Bonneville height. Even with the tires off it still is not as low as we plan to run it. SO I need to figure out another way to set it up so that the desired height can be achieved. Looks pretty cool though lowered.

Dan, there's something I'm not seeing in any of these pictures. Isn't there supposed to be a lower air deflector on this car? It would have a lower appearance, in the front at least, if there was one. Do the rules allow you to use anything other than a stock piece there? Raising up the back end some, would also lower the front more and allow air to escape from the rear. Isn't that your plan?

Mark

[rkapteyn]

Today was shuffle day. Moved everything but the Bronco to make room for the Packard Hawk. Got it off the trailer and parked where I want it.

Since the grandson was there I had him take all the brake shoes off the hawk. He got a lesson in brake drum and shoe removal. Good student.


Things in front went as expected but the rear was weird. The drivers side drum popped when I was tightening the puller. Didn't need to even beat on it once. The passenger side had a hub and slide on drum set up with no finned drum. Did not look Stude to me but what do I know.



So all the brake shoes are off the car it is ready to go to Australia when we are finished with it. I took some time to get familiar with the car and noticed the fan was on backwards.

That kind of stuff bugs me so I turned it around to correct the issue. While I had the fan off I put a socket on the crank bolt and it turned over real free and smooth. Makes me wonder, does it run? So I changed out the burned up battery cables and put a battery in it. Turned over smooth and quiet and a quick glance showed 40 psi oil pressure. So now the question is, does it run?
Before I left I took this cool picture from a ladder in the corner of the shop. Coolness factor times 10 plus. I might have this one blown up and framed to hang int he shop.

So Monday is Bronco day but Tuesday I hope to get back on my stuff. More as it happens.

Dan , Please do not let your grandson work on the brakes without an asbestos filter.
You have no idea what asbestos will do to his lungs.
I hope others with asbestos related breathings problems will pipe up.
Robert Kapteyn

[SilverHawkDan]

Good call Robert. It has been so long since I worked around the stuff it just slipped my ,ind. The good thing is we didn't really encounter dust as things were clean like someone had inspected the brakes. But excellent advice. Thank you.
Dan

[SilverHawkDan]

So things are progressing here. One of our team members, Andy, drove up from Palmdale this past weekend and we spent two days getting some work done. We got the front nose off the Packard hawk to see how it is attached to the frame and fenders. Figured out how to fabricate a mounting that will allow for it to slip on and be pinned. Then took the Golden Hawk fenders and modified them to match the Packard Hawk. Removed the core support to allow for measurements for the coming modifications. Found the front valance had taken a big hit or two. Too a few minutes to see how easy it might be to straighten it out. Not bad so an hours work it could be made like new. Got the welds cut off and removed the fins from the Packard. We will be modifying them to match the Packard fins.








Day two saw Andy get the President race car body stripped of all brackets and trim. Piled up all the sheet metal so all is ready for the media blasting guy who is coming on Friday to clean it all up. Hardest part was removing the door hinges. Heat and PB Blaster got the job done along with the impact hammer of course. Andy brought up some tools and parts for the car so I need to look them over and decide what can be used for the project. Andy and I took another shot at removing the pistons from the 289 Avanti engine that Dave Bloomberg donated. It has been soaking in Marvel Oil for two months. Yep it worked, all the pistons are out and the crank and cam removed. This block will serve as our foundation for the "C" engine build in 2020. So it was a good two days. More as it happens.
Dan

[SilverHawkDan]

Just found out we are now in need of two (2) front valance panels for a 1953 to 1955 Commander or Champion. I am no expert so I am not sure how many applications used the same valance panel so maybe someone here can help me out with that info. We are going to be using one of them on the Packard Hawk race car. The other is for a 1953 Champion. SO if you have what we need let me know. Would of course prefer something here in California. North would be great as I am planning a trip to Sacramento to the engine builders so I can fit it in my travels.
Dan

[Commander Eddie]

Dan, do you have repair and parts manuals for these cars?

[SilverHawkDan]

Ed,
No I do not. That is why I was asking here. I figure someone has BTDT. I found one today and will go by and see it tomorrow or Monday. It is supposed to be in good condition. Still need one for Toms car.
Dan

[Chris Pile]

I'll be watching closely, Dan!

[SilverHawkDan]

Chris,

Welcome to the build site. You planning to go to Bonneville in September? If so we would welcome you to our team as a crew member and if you wanted a job to oversee we can arrange that too. We are a bunch of guys and gals who are looking to have fun and hopefully go fast.
Dan

[Chris Pile]

No can do, Dan. But keep an eye out for a guy named Roy from our chapter who is a course steward during Speedweek. He'll be looking for you, too.

[SilverHawkDan]

Got some automotive jewelry in the mail today. Ken Evans four bolt main caps. That should help hold the 20 pounds of boost we are planning on applying to the Stude engine.



The one thing you cannot do when building a maximum performance Stude engine is be a CASO. SO progress is being made. Need to make a trip to Sacramento to the machine shop to drop these of and pick up a bunch of Alston Engineering stuff.
More as it happens.

[SilverHawkDan]

Finally got a break in the weather and got some media blasting done. Four fins and two fenders and then it started raining again. I really like this new method. Paint ready with no having to sand before hand. No danger of warping the metal as it is delivered with water so not heat. I had him not spend too much time on the insides except where repairs will be done. This guy does nice work.






More as it happens.

[SilverHawkDan]

Picked up the 3 5/8" stroke crankshaft today. Had the machine shop clean and polish it. It mic's at .001 under which is what I requested. Ready to go to work.


Got the Corvair, both Hawks and the Bronco covered so I am ready, if the weather is as predicted, to spray the primer on the parts that got blasted.

Moving forward a day at a time. Starting to feel good and it will last this week then another chemo next week. Got to get as much done as I can while I am feeling up to it. So more as it happens.

[Commander Eddie]

Dan, is that the crank from the engine you picked up here in Oregon?