History 1956 STUDEBAKER SURVIVOR TRUCK....

1/2 ton trucks had 6 1/2’ beds 3/4 ton 8’.
Studebaker used the same block on all their v8’s starting with the 224 in 1955 before finally punching them out to 289.
The grille on the transtar pictured is fiberglass and imo has the looks that only a mother could love.
In later years they produced the Scotsman truck reverting back to a 1950 grille.

 

I don't really feel qualified to comment, but I would suggest leaving the truck and the bed as is. It looks great.

 

Everybody likes a stake bed if they're over 30.
I still want to scratch that itch and own a stake bed vintage work truck... Only thing I would change but this goes with almost every old car is a overdrive unit so I could go down the freeway at modern highway speeds.

 

Designed by Bob Bourke, the same guy that designed the beautiful '53 Studebaker cars, (Not Ray Loewy). Studebaker trucks of that era are scarce. I'd leave it alone.

 

Leave it alone, great survivor.

 

pretty interesting piece...looking in the cab, new seat, headliner and rubber floor mat...every thing works... heater wipers and all the gauges...the exterior pataina if you will is very respectful of a surviver farm work truck. while watching the above video.. they brag about the ease of steering??? not so with this truck...armstrong steering at best.... but i could be just old froze grease in all the joints..so that'll be first thing to address..... every thing feels tight in the steering... too tight...that and the tires are way low air pressure... also from what I've learned so faar... the 2 bolt valve covers verify the 289 motor..and it's a 4 barrel carb.. parked next to my 51 ford and my 59 ford...pretty interesting how simulare the trucks of the 50's were... the cardboard head liners and small gauge clusters.. giant steering wheels and such..I remember back in the day... every man worth his salt had a grease gun hanging on the wall in the garage.. now most don't know what one is or how to use it.. LOF was common thing to get done....now days people own cars for years and never change the oil...never check the drive shaft till it's laying on the side of the road...I still say,... every kid should get to grow up on a farm...you learn a lot about life on a farm..

 

Love the truck! Flat beds? Not so much. 50 years ago I owned a '52 Stude pickup with a '54 Ford 239 Y block, auto trans and a BOP rear end.

Dave

 

FWIW, I'm a third-generation Studebaker truck guy; been driving them for almost seventy years

Yes, for '49-'55.
No, the '56-'64 1/2-tons could be either 6.5" or 8" beds.
Maybe, since it's a survivor, I'd vote for removing the overload springs, (from experience, if it's loaded heavily enough to need them, the brakes won't stop it; and the ride will be way more better.) but otherwise, as is.
jack vines

 

Thanks for the clarification.

 

brakes, breaks or broke.....

try'n to figure out the brakes.... seen the self adjusters on the rear brakes... but not on the front???? and does the self adjusters work in reverse??? as in stompping the peddle when in reverse..or does the button constant adjust the shoes???? and for the front,... how do you adjust the shoes???

 

every self adjuster, all you do is get going in revese mash the pedal and they adjust... looks like studebaker adjusts going forward???

 

sounds like those brakes have been apart before!

 

Setting isn’t too far from WI. Rollag, MN, home of the Western MN Steam Threshers Reunion. Awesome place. I have a 16 year old daughter that has been going with me since she was 4. Still wants to go. Guess it is our thing.

A few years ago I got to see a hand built 150 hp Case steamer. A young man by the name of Kory Anderson built one from scratch, since there are no survivors of the 9 built. He got the blueprints from Case IH, bought a foundry and machine shop and went to work. Last I knew, he pulled a 51 bottom plow with it.
When hooked to the prony brake at Rollag, it registered 175 hp, iirc; and over 5,000 lb/ ft of torque. They backed her off because the belt was starting to jump violently.

 

I don't get it???what sounds did you hear???

 

what did I miss???

 

First thing you need to do is join the Studebaker Drivers Club, great group, the monthly mag is full of great info and ads for parts. Look into Turner Disc brake set up for the front, a easy great upgrade.

 

Oops, reply to someone who quoted nice setting for the 4wd.