Features Studebaker Guys on the H.A.M.B.

You should have seen the Studebaker Drivers Club guys several years back at the international meet in Sacramento when my kid drove up in it. Sadly it's been sitting for a few years. He is in California and doesn't have room for it so it sits outside in Nevada. It deserves better and we are working on that.

 

Love me some Studebakers!! Don't have one right now because I haven't found a project I could afford to bring home. I've had 2 53 trucks and one 51 truck and 1 51 coupe over the years.. Lost all my pics in a garage fire in 96

 

I was one of the Guys in that crowd. It is a sweet car.

 

Thank you, We worked hard on it and it was driven hard. The Conestogas are built on the sedan frame and are 4" shorter from the firewall to the radiator than the coupes and the hood doesn't have the bump that the Hawks have. Fitting the supercharger in there was tough. It will return! Someone offered us another one that day for $500 and we didn't get it. I wish I had not passed that up. I have plans for a Bonneville version but we won't cut this one up. I did get a '55 Speedster Dash with gauges at the swap meet there. It may go in my '26 Chevy roadster.

 

Speaking of Studes, my Hawk will occassionally make a clunking sound when shifting OUT of overdrive into normal 3spd operation..it doesn't do it often, and usually under load and temperature extremes, never shifting INTO overdrive..anybody have any experience with this?
Cash

ps-forgot to add that this purely automatic, not using the od on/off cable.

 

When this happens is it when it kicks out to go into "passing gear" or just when you drop to 25mph or so when the governor breaks the ground? My first thought would be to check all of the wires and connections. Another possibility could be that the solenoid is sticking. There is a seal on the solenoid shaft that may allow tranny oil to work it's way inside. A little of that and Texas dust getting around the top cap can make them sluggish. It could also be a similar situation with the governor. Must of the old Studes I've been under seem to have lots of oil and dirt on and around the transmissions.
Here is a link to a thread where BW ODs have been discussed.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=830116

PS Solenoids are expensive. They can be rebuilt. Don't ever throw one away.

 

This generally happens when I'm just coming to or leaving from a stop..I have the feeling that the disengagement is a little slow, and when I take off it's finally "downshifting", thus putting the drivtrain into a little more stress. I really think the unit is a little slow disengaging.
Cash

 

Yeah, I'm a studeholic, too. Don't currentlyown one. Hope to find a reasonable 49-55 pick up one day. Welcome aboard.

 

OK, It sounds more like dirty/ sticky stuff than something broken. Check the governor and solenoid along with the wires and connections. Get a manual and read it. These ODs are fun to drive and a way to drive for less $$.

 

Going to have the car at my buddy's place later this fall..he has a lift and more tools than I can count. We're going to pull the Hawks engine and trans, clean up under the hood and update the wiring, fix the a/c, etc. Figure that will be a good time to clean up the overdrive components and service the unit.
Cash

 

Looking for a front bumper from a '28 Studebaker Erskine...I know a tall request but where better than the Studebaker thread to ask!

My pop is in the final stages of his 40 year project...not like he's had time to look!
LOL

 

Well I am an "oldtimer" on the HAMB and have mainly been lruking the past few years but I am new to Studes and just added this to the barn. My dad sold them in the 50's and always raved about Studes. Hoping to "massage" the 259 a little bit but other than that she is going to just stay as she is.

 

Great truck. Stude V8s are much overlooked engines. While quite heavy compared to SBC they have lots of torque. Somewhere I have a picture of a 60 or so Lark with a 259 pulling a front wheel. If you don'e already know the difference in the 259 and 289 is the stroke (crank and pistons). Studebaker trucks are work horses. What trans does yours Have?

 

Congrats on the nice C-cab. When you get ready to massage a bit, I've got a reground R1 cam and a 4-bbl intake which would wake it up nicely.

jack vines

 

I think I missed this tread also. 37 President Coupe and 55 Speedster and always fighting the urge to buy more. Also pictured 37 Dictator coupe from Minnesota.

 

Six Ball: It has the 3 speed OD, I read up on how to drive it before going to pick it up. Damn I love that tranny! Basically gives you a 5 speed and mine is working like a champ, though the kickdown was not working when I got it due to some bailing wire engineering on the linkage.

Jack: I'd be interested in that cam and intake. I've seen some video of the Larks running R series engines and those things are little rocket ships! My dad raced sports cars in the 40-early 60's and had a supercharged Stude coupe that he LOVED!

 

That is probably a T-85 and may have the R-11 OD. If so it is bullet proof. I agree that the 3 speed ODs are really fun to drive. I am putting a T-86 with a Jeep floor shifter in my roadster.

 

Yep T-85, will cruise at 65-70 on the highway. I want to pull the solenoid and clean it up as I think it is "slow" to engage disengage but hey it works and it is cool to feel that funny auto trans like jump when it kicks in.

 

I agree. There is a seal on the solenoid shaft and if it leaks oil gums up the solenoid. Also under the cap is a "fusible link" that melts before over current damages the innards. That is usually what makes them quit working, but that makes them totally quit. Don't ever throw one away. They can be fixed and are getting hard/expensive to find. You have a gem.

 

Hello Studebaker fans on The H.A.M.B.
Have read some nice posts on here.
I wanted to say hello to all.

 

Well, I haven't said hello in this thread, so here we go. I've got a couple Studebakers, a '52 Champion that I'm building to be the wife's grocery-getter, and a '59 Scotsman Pickup that was my Dad's from when he was in high school until my mom wanted a station-wagon when I was a young lad. I found it on the CL just after my dad passed and brought it back to the family.

Here's the Truck, and Dad, back in the '80s:


And after I brought it back home...


And the wife's Champion...

 

Good looking 52, body should'nt take a whole lot of work. Is it a standard shift! The automatics behind champion motor was pretty anaemic. 52 was a one year body style while they changed over to the new 53 style.
Good luck with both and you might consider (if not already) the Studebaker Drivers Club website and forum for advice and parts hunting.

 

I have a 50 champion starlight coupe that was once my granddads. Major project 😬 but the body is straight 👍


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The mrs has a 41 stude champion custom deluxe coupe....been in storage a few years now untouched... One day she'll let me cut it up

 

Here is My 61 Lark Wagon, pretty cool little car. 289 4bbl, Turner discs, dana 44 posi, sway bars all of the good stuff even has a cool radio delete panel
It will be up for sale soon though just moved and ran out of room!
Mark

Stude-1

 

gasser!!!!!

 

got it for sale in the classifieds

 

I assum everyone has read the "Salt2salt" Stude Bonneville net writing? The K-car turbo installation on the Stude six banger was genius.
I don't have my 55 Champ any more but have my eyes on a desert-preserved 50 four door...we'll see...

 

Thanks, I'm already on the SDC forum, but don't really post much.

The '52 is very, very strait, and all the big metal work is done. All she needed was the rear 6" of the trunk floor replaced, and two dollar-bill sized patches in the front seat floor. It was literally a barn find, it had been in the original owner's barn for almost 30 years when he died and it was sold through his estate. It's a 3-Speed overdrive car. Just a few little things to do before it's on the road again...


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That should be a fun and economical driver. You'll love the overdrive.