Amazing! I think the finished car will look resplendent in dove gray paint but I may be a little biased.
Well, really they kinda are suicide style.....but maybe not quite. When one of these doors accidentally opens at speed it will be whisked rearward ala suicide door, but with a twist ......as you fall out trying to catch the door, the parallelogram arms scoop you up and bring you along for the short remainder of the ride...... Putting all seriousness aside, clever solution and well done! Ray
With the the round shape of the doors, traditional pillar hinges were not applicable. The pantograph is the perfect solution and acts as an armrest when closed. Don’t worry, I will have secure lap belts holding me in. I’ll start on locks next . Fore and aft. Seeing how smoothly the mechanism operates I am confident that they will allow a secure latching operation. I’m using modern positive locking mechanisms ( not bear laws) so accidental opening won’t happen.
So good to see it outside. Were you towing around the building? It's incredible how well that roof works.
Thanks for the update. Your vision of each and every detail is bringing this hole package together. All works and looks like its meant to be. It's grate. Sent from my KOB-L09 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Looks incredible outside! Even with the high suspension height, seems to add to the long nose/low roofline proportions. I love everything about this build. A couple weeks ago I bought a smashed/rolled Jaguar E-type that I want to rebuild into a roadster, this car is a huge piece of inspiration for that project. Your Packard has much more involved metalwork and is really truly custom from end to end, much more difficult than what I have planned, I'm really loving following along with this build.
Been busy moving into a bigger shed. Got lots of wall space to put up some neon art. A 12ft neon woman should provide inspiration. My porcelain Eldorado Milk Bar sign is dated 1956. Yesterday I discovered the original colour of my Packard on the remains of the B pillar. Havana Beige. Perfect.
Is that early Havana Beige or late Havana Beige, and more importantly, are you going to use it? I'm guessing that this is a Sherwin-Williams color chart whose colors have darkened.
In any case, he can't just walk into the paint shop and say "mix me up some of this Havana Beige please." It'll be the usual old toners/new toners dance to get as close as possible to what it's supposed to look like.
Forward rear quarters have just been screwed in place whilst I work out the details. But tonight I was finally able to weld the lh in. I might be lucky (or it could be skill), welding it in brought the gaps in perfect. Other side tomorrow night.
PS . Here is one of the last photoshops Rik did for me to get a feel for the look I hoped to achieve. The doors and sills have changed but the overall feel is right. ..... and it’s Havana Beige.
Rolled up the rh side sill. It came together easy. I took a limo template off the other side and then worried that the alignment might be an issue ... but my worry was in vain. Fits perfectly. Might get cowl side underway tomorrow.
This is the only remaining Convertibleof two, built by swiss coachbuilder Blaser . my car is build on the lenghtend chassis of a 1934 Chevy master. It is designed and registered as a Convertible-Pickup ! ( Pickup to deliver meat during the week, as he was a butcher, but wanted also to criuse with his wife in a proper convertible.) A similar design was build on a Ford v8 1935. Both where shown on Motorshow Geneva switzerland in 1935. it has some flip-up covers for to hide the top in lowered position and they also close the gap when the top is up. if you like i can search my pics for details. How about something like tatra doorhandles, or like the Embiricos Bentley. Anyhow, greate build fabulusley exicuted, i will follw you further progress.
That’s a very interesting body and very early use of a disappearing top. Yes send pics of the flaps if you can find. I have some Lincoln door buttons but I went for a ride in my mate’s new Aston Martin conv and the door handles a flush with the body but pivot out. I am thinking of similar but hiding it in the swage line. But I like both those examples. The Embiricos did inspire my rolled sills.
If I put a handle or button, it will be small and not interrupt the flowing lines. I can discretely attach a gas ram to the pantograph which will let it self open. Then I just have an internal handle to pull it closed ( I have the original Packard ones. I have thought about actuators but they probably aren’t legal on a two door. Though the Tesla’s have them on the rear doors of those ugly SUVs.
After the handles discussion came up I googled Aston Martin handles and Tesla handles and these Zagatto Alfa, Fiat , Arbath , Aston handles came up. Which lead to the Kindig handles. I do like the idea of hiding a handle in the door swage. But I would make them follow the shape of the swage. ... or I just dig out my Lincoln buttons. Delahaye sand Talbots used buttons even Harley Earl changed the Yjob handles to buttons.
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