Classic/Antique Car Repair: 49 Packard, mechanical background, side glass

Question
Dick,

 Your advice about the glass was right on.  I just called the wrong places the first time around.  I'm going to pull the window out and a guy in Noblesville Indiana will cut it for $25.

 Two fuel pump questions, if you don't mind.  I pulled my fuel pump tonight (what a job THAT was!)  and see that I can get it rebuilt for $95.  I also see that you recommend the electric 'clicker' pump as a backup pump.  Would the electric pump be sufficient on it's own?  $95 is a lot right now.

 The second question is this - it looks like it would make sense to install some sort of fuel filter in front of the fuel pump to pick up rust, etc, and keep the pump clean.  Have you done this and do you recommend any special approach if you have?

 Thanks again.  This car is sure becoming fun.  I don't have a mechanical background.  I was a foreign missionary for about thirty years and now write software here in Indianapolis.  The Packard is just what I need to stay balanced.

Jay


-------------------------

Followup To

Question -
Thank you, Dick.  

Did you have any suggestions on the driver-side window glass?  I've checked around town here and no one seems to be set up to cut custom pieces of safety glass.  

Fortunately the people I bought this '49 from included two windshield pieces with the purchase, so I'm in good shape there.

Jay
-------------------------

Followup To

Question -
Dick,

 I wrote you (via AllExperts) late last year with carburetor questions for my '49 22nd series Deluxe Eight (288).  Thanks for your help.

 The car now runs well when it runs!  That is, it looks like I will need a fuel pump.  Of course, it needs a gazillion other things too which my budget won't allow, but I thought I'd ask you if you could suggest a good source for a 6-volt electronic pump that I could use.

 Also, i need to replace the driver's side glass as it is broken and doing damage to the window channel.  Do you have a suggestion there?  A place to buy?  I see that Kanter has it for $99, but I am hoping to save a few dollars if possible.

 I finally drove the car for the first time yesterday.  What a pleasure to drive!  Smooth and comfortable!  Nothing like my Kia, I can tell you that for sure!

 Thanks in advance,

Jay Faubion




Answer -
By electronic pump, you may be asking about the silent transistorized pumps that are now available for 12 volt cars.  I'm sorry that no one makes them for 6 volt cars, as I'd like to have one for backup on some of my cars too.  They are expensive, though - around $80.

However, there are mechanical "clicker" type pumps available - I bought one from NAPA a few years ago for my 47 Packard, and I hope they still make them.  If not, I'm sure J.C. Whitney Co. has them.  I'm not sure what the price would be today - they used to be about $25, but I'm sure they are more now. They are somewhat noisy, and they don't last too long - I only use them for starting after a long time without running the car, to save wear and tear on the starter.

You can have your fuel pump rebuilt by Egge Machine Company in Santa Fe Springs CA, or you can buy the kit from them and rebuild it yourself. The kit is around $40, but if you have no experience rebuilding fuel pumps, I recommend you let them do it - it's a bit tricky, especially on a car with a vacuum booster pump, which yours has (or did from the factory).

Dick

Answer -
Sorry, I had so many questions last night that I forgot about the glass question.

Any auto glass place should be willing to cut you a new piece of glass from a large sheet of safety glass - I am astonished that some are giving you a hard time about it. They stock 4X8 sheets of laminated safety glass for just this reason, and they have the equipment to cut it and polish the edges.  

I think you need to find a glass shop that has been in business for 20 years or so.  Just take in the old glass if it is still the right size and shape, and they will replace it for you.  If you don't have a good one for a pattern, take in the one from the other side of the car and the frame for the driver's side, as the two sides are identical except for the direction the metal frame points.

Dick

Answer
Good questions all!

I'm glad you found a reasonable glass shop - the price sounds right.

The electric "clicker" pump has two problems:  One, it is noisy, and really irritating on a quiet car like a Packard, and more important is #2 - it is not very durable if used continuously. I think the only way to get satisfactory service out of one is to use it only for starting after the car has been parked for more than a day or so, thus letting the gas drain back into the tank - that is the way I use them and they last a few years for me.

If you are going to have only one pump, let it be the original type pump, both because your wipers will work better, and because it is designed for continuous use, and will last a lifetime.   The electric pump is only for assistance with starting with a dry carburetor, and in case of vapor lock conditions (which my 48 has never had, even though I live in the hottest part of the country, and use it in parades etc.)  And, for starting, you can always put a dollop of fuel (about a teaspoon full) down the maw of the carburetor to start the car if it has been sitting too long.  So, it is the electric pump that is the luxury, not the mechanical one!

The gas filter should never be in the line prior to the fuel pump.  The filter will cause the dreaded "vapor lock" on hot days if it is installed on the low pressure side of the pump - it must be in the line from the fuel pump to the carburetor.  The fuel pump is designed to tolerate a small amount of debris - in fact it has a fine mesh screen inside that catches everything larger than a gnat's eyebrow.  It is the carburetor that must be protected from tiny particles.

I don't usually give out my e-mail address, but I want to warn you that I am going to take a hiatus from the "experts" site for a while - they have been sending me about 20 questions a day for the last month, and I and getting worn out - each question typically takes me a half hour or so to research  and respond to (unless I know the car by heart, as I do Packards), so I have been stuck here typing away morning, noon and night - both my wife and my backside are getting mighty tired of it, I can tell you. I've answered almost 2000 questions on the site - it time for someone else to pick up the load for a while.

But, in your case, I feel a responsibility for your Packard, so if you have anything else you need help with, feel free to contact me at dickb@sdccu.net - I'll be here, just hiding!

Dick