But we got the cigars back home safely and not only that. At 3:45 we cranked up our 903 Club Sedan and drove the whole family to church to take in the year's Christmas service. There is 150 meters difference in elevation between our home and the church and the morning's slick surface had now transformed into the year's first snow-covered roads, which always seem the be the year's most treacherous. The modern cars had problems getting home after church. People in their Sundaybest clothes did as well as they could, the bus stood across the road waiting for a tow-tuck and then there was the yellow and brown Packard driving along with its snow-chains as if the road was summer-dry. When we came home the Christmas card from NPOC was waiting for us, as well as coffee, cake and brandy. It doesn't get much better than that! Those were the days, but the daring has subsided over the years. Here in the Nordic area we usually clean off our cars well before winter sets in and place them in dry storage until next season. Pictures from the year's activities go into the photo album and lists aremade of things that should be repaired or upgraded before spring. My interest in Packard started in 1977. I had just restored my 1933 Essex Terraplane and was reasonably satisfied with the result. As a newly minted engineer with up-to-date knowledge of things mechanical and all the clever designs over time, I felt that I had reasonably good overview - until I met long-time NPOC member Øyvind Ofstad. "Stop the nonsense – buy yourself a real car that you can drive to Kirkenes tomorrow!" And that's what happened. In less than a week I became the owner of the "Vinder'n Packard", a 526 Sedan that the street car company in Oslo had as its company car, today owned by NPOC member Svein Inge Strugstad. Øyvind and our good friend Kjell Erik Resell had rescued the car from certain demise way into the forests towards the Swedish border, filled it with oil and gas and driven it to Trondheimon Saturday, winning one of Trøndelag's first veteran car races on Sunday. On Monday I was owner of the Packard and the following Saturday I received a welcome-to-the-club-letter fromHarald Johnsson, the club's founder. And for me and my family it's been Packard ever since. For 31 years we havenow been a part of thePackard family with our five fantastic and very different Packards.
Page 4-6
F.I.V.A. Rally Mondial, September 19 - 27 1998
Paris-Champagne-Bourgogne-Loire-Paris
By Bobby G. Bastamow-Silferberg
An account of the famous rally bymember BobbyG. Bastamow-Silferberg who drove his Packard 1101 Convertible Sedan by Dietrich, formerly owned by NPOC founder Harald Johnson (and partially restored by the oversigned 1972-73). Five of the 182 participating vehicles were Packards, the oldest from 1928 and the youngest a Club Coupe from 1940. As a matter of curiosity can be mentioned that participant in one of the parades of the rally was a Bugatti Royal driven by Ettore Bugatti's grandson, Michael Bugatti.
Page 7
Since last
Denmark
Jens Peter Rønholt is our new member in Vojens. He has a restored 1934 1101 Coupe Roadster. Ole Hansen, owner of a 640 Sedan, is also a newmember.
Finland
Petri Kärhä in Esbo has a 1955 5540 Clipper Super Panama.
Sweden
Mikael Ohlson, Lidingö in Stockholm, has bought Göran Wassgren's 1955 5580 Four Hundred. Christer Svanteson in Brottby has acquired Lennart Lindberg's good unrestored 1955 5560 Clipper Custom Sedan.
Belgium
Francois-Xavier d'Huart in Brussels is a new member. Packard holding unknown.
USA
Norman Erik Hildes-Heim, Fairfield, CT is also a new member, with the following cars: 1929 633 Phaeton, 1941 1900 DeLuxe Station Wagon Woody, 1954 5431 Caribbean Convertible.
Packard events 2009 Denmark June 24-28
NPOC Packard meet in combination with the 7th European Packard Meeting. Invitations have gone out tomembers. For further information, contact the Danish work group.
Hydraulic lifters
Hydraulic lifter plungers are now being reproduced, both the early type for the 1940-50 356 engine and the later type for 1951-54. Lifters for the V-8 remain inexpensive and plentiful.
Page 8-16
Packard meet 2008
Text: Rune Aschim Photography: Hans Schmidtz
This year it was Norway's turn to arrange the annual meet and it was a group of members from the Toten area who were the arrangers. The meet took place at historic Gran in Hadeland and at the host Sanner Hotel most rooms and 80 percent of the parking lot was reserved for NPOC members. One of the highlights was an evening sing-along with an invited troubadour. One of the songs performed was "The big, big Packard that fell in love with the little, little Ford" from 1915, the sheet of music found on eBay by Hans Schmidtz. Friday morning July 4 was spent at the Hadelandmuseum, followed by lunch. Swap meet in the afternoon. Saturday was the day of the annual meeting and a visit at the Hadeland glass works in the afternoon. A surprise was the arrival of two Packards that joined the group, a 1955 owned by Roy Johnny Snoen and a 1956 Caribbean Convertible previously owned by Jens Petter Odberg, our late president, now owned by Ketil Raaum, who has Norway's largest collection of Packards (10 cars between 1953 and 1957 according to the latest rectory). The traditional banquet was held Saturday evening. The weather was fine during the entire meet, but no later than 10 minutes after the writer got home
Page 15
Packard 120B Convertible Sedan by Dietrich
Letter from a NPOC annual meet participant:
It was so nice to participate in the Packard Meet that it inspired me to buy my own Packard. I am sending here the information that is stored about our Packard 120-B Convertible Sedan by Dietrich 1936, A-36120. The car was produced in 853 copies. The automobile register tells us that the car was registered with tag A-9402 for the period April 20, 1939 to June 14, 1939. Then registered with tag F-454 for the period June 16, 1939 to June 5, 1961 with the owner unknown. In a letter from R. Earl Frederick in the United States (former owner) it is stated that a man in the US by the name of Harry L. Jacobs bought the car in Norway in 1968 from Lars Kile Jr. in Kristiansand. Frederick bought the car from Jacobs in 1969. He did a lot of work on the car, including painting it in a reddish brown color (probably gray originally) in 1970, and in 1978 a new interior was installed as well as a new top. Around 1987 Frederick sold the car to Dag Johannesen in Oslo. Johannesen did some restoration work, including painting the car black and it received tag DF-36120 on May 19, 1988. June 11, 1991 the tag was changed to A-36120. Whether it is Johannesen or Frederick who rebuilt the car's rear end to look more like a 1937 is not known to the Norwegian road museum. Friends of the Norwegian road museum bought the car and donated it to the museum November 11, 1998.
Ole Arvid Flatmark
Ole Arvid is employed by Norsk Vegmuseum(Norwegian RoadMuseum) and participated in the Packard meet with the above car. Norsk Vegmuseum uses the car for entertainment purposes. Ole Arvid felt right at home in our circle and we would like to see him as a member. The car is pictured at the bottom of page 13.
Page 17-18
Winterizing your old car.
Text and photography: Jens Nielsen
Since we have several newmembers who have invested heavily in their Packard, I would like to pass along some advice on how to prepare your car for the winter to avoid problems later on. Our older experienced members can skip this article. It's a good idea to keep a log book in the car where you write down things that should be repaired/corrected during the winter half year. The log book should also contain information on when wear parts, such as hoses, spark plugs and shock absorbers were replaced.
Engine
Change oil and filter. Change coolant every five years or when it becomes clouded. Wait to replace the spark plugs until spring. Lubricate (using light oil) the wick in the distributor and the timing advance weights if so equipped.
Transmission and rear end
Change if the oil is whitish (from condensation). Otherwise just fill. Be sure not to use modern gear oil which can be very aggressive on brass bushings.
Hydraulic brakes
While in operation hydraulic fluid is constantly heated and cooled off which has the effect of attracting condensation. Water in the hydraulic fluid lowers the boiling point thereof and this can cause the brakes not to work. Water also causes rust inmaster and wheel cylinders. Change hydraulic fluid every other year.
Battery
The battery contains acid, the fumes of which can cause corrosion on terminals and surrounding areas. Clean everything and put cup grease on terminals.
General cleaning
If it's easy, remove and clean carpets in passenger compartment and trunk. Wash the car thoroughly, also under fenders and in door openings. Polish all chrome and nickel parts; the wax will protect form the ravages of humid air. Fill in cracks and craters in paint to prevent rust from forming. Pump the tire hard to prevent flat spots. It's not a bad idea to put the car on jack stands to relieve the springs. Turn the engine over once a month.
Most important: Don't wait until spring to prepare the car for winter storage.
Page 18
Studebaker Packard Club Nederland 10 years
Members of NPOC with families and friends (yes that includes you George Hamlin) are invited to SPCN's 10th anniversary meet May 15-17, 2009.
If you want to participate, contact: Adrian Tepstra, SPCN Secretary C.F. Klaarstraat 229 NL-7511 CZ Enschede Holland E-mail: secretary@spcn.nl
For more information, contact: E-mail: info@spcn.nl
Page 19-21
Focus on 1954 - a year of change
Text: RichardM. Langworth
Translation and editing for the Bulletin: Bertil Dimander The original of this article was published in PAC's quarterly magazine The Packard Cormorant, Spring 1976.
Back cover
Text and photography: Hans Schmidtz
Hadelands Folkemuseum is located in an area of great natural beauty just north of Gran. This was the location of one of the events during the 2008 NPOC meet. Some 30 historic buildings are scattered over the premises and there are permanent as well as theme exhibitions. The museum was founded in 1913 and the area is a rich cultural landscape with a wealth of traces from antiquity. The museum's archeological exhibit displays finds from pre-historic times, but of greatest interest to the male NPOC visitors was a mechanical workshop with ceiling-mounted belt transmissions.
