studebaker to chevy conversion

has anyone that posts here ever put a small block chevy in a studebaker Hawk?
It looks like the center steer pivot arm will cause the engine to have to be mounted real high, which causes 2 problems that I see, the hood is really flat and may hit the air cleaner and and the transmission hits the floor board.

I know I can experiment around and find out for myself, BUT there is such a casche of information on this board that someone may save me some time and labor.

 

Hurst once made a complete conversion kit to do this, and I don't belive it was too complicated. If you can find a '60s Hurst engine adapter catalog, it would probably show some good pictures of it.

 

I put a 327 and T10 4 speed in my '54 Starliner. No problem with the steering pivot clearance. The rear sump on the Chevy engine makes that easy. No problem also with hood clearance...and the Starliner's hood is much lower than a Hawk's (although they are basically the same car from '53-64). The Studebaker V8 was quite large (dimensionally)...more like a BB Chev is size. A little 'ol SBC fits nicely.

I used universal front mounts from Ch***is Engineering in Iowa. Just mock up the engine in the ch***is and cut them to length. For the trans mount, I welded a tab to the wing shaped center crossmember.



Give a shout if you want more details or pictures.

BTW, that Stude V8 is pretty stout and you might consider keeping it. Ted Harbit runs mid 12's at the Pure Stock Muscle Car Drags in a bone stock '64 Lark on street tires through full exhaust.

-****-

 

The great thing about Studebakers is they are structually all pretty much the same.
Late Model Hawks are extensions of the earlier Bob Burke C/K coupes/hardtops. There's lots of stuff around to help with the conversion, and in fact, hood clearance is almost the same in a '53 than any later hawk. '65/66 Studebakes has Chev Drivetrains, so.....
Studebaker Parts online or the SDC are great sources

 

When I read your question I couldn't help but wonder why you think the Chev would mount any higher than the Stude. If you install the Chev with the centerline of the crankshaft in the same location as the original engine, which is where it should go, it shouldn't have any more issues than the original, The pan clearance could possibly be a little different, but as stated by a previous poster, the Chev is dimensionally smaller than the Stude.

Ray

 

I just gotta, I just do!!

Drop a 500" Cad in her and make a "Studellac" like of old!

Turn her into a real cl***ic rod..

pdq67

 

Got one in a Lark. Have to agree with Hnstray. I never thought about clearance. Had to fool around with the exhaust on the left side and the steering and clutch linkage and oil filter. But it worked.

 

Here's a 327 I put in a '62 Lark. Fit fine with no major issues. (not a Hawk though)

 

Check out the Dec. 1959 (I think) issue of Hot Rod if you can find a copy. It has an article on installing a SBC in a '53, which is the same as your Hawk.