Found a '51 Stude Convert, an old custom, awhile back sitting in the woods. Story is this car was in Studebaker Cafe on display in Louisville , KY years ago. It had been made into a single seat roadster, no side windows and a molded-in trunk 8 feet long clear to front seat. Got a friend, 50 years running together, who lusted for a bullet nose and hadn't found one to suit him yet. We went for a look see and he had doubts. No floor at all, rusted in half frame, bare shell was about it. What the hell, I'll buy it, you build, he said, and $400 later it was in the shop. A 5 gallon bucket of lead melted out left us with no car from dash to back frame crossmember. Had to fab new trunk and back seat area. No parts around close. Necessity is the mother of invention, have to use what I got laying around. Cut 14" out of '68 Riv deck and use back 6" of Riv hood, section back in one piece and we have a rear decklid. Lot of work done and a LOT more to do. So far, '55 Chev frame, '90 Malibu rack, '85 Riv disc brakes, '84 Buick rear axle, '56 Olds Rear springs, '56 Olds dash, '62 Olds convertable top frame, '76 Olds gas tank, '61 Lancer taillites, '90 Dakotal bumper, '58 Chev wheels, Plymouth hubcaps. Chopped windshield 3", channeled body 7", Z'd frame 4", remove 3" of body from vent windows all around greenhouse. Replace most of metal on lower 3" of body, set back new firewall 4". Have 500 Cad and T400 to set in it. Total cost so far, about $1500 with new tires. Labor...lets see, 10 cents and hour times xxxx hours, aw fuck it, you help me on my next car, this is fun. Here are some before and after pics.
QUESTION? you mentioned a '90 malibu r&pinion on theStude. What rack did you actually use,how hard was it to mount and how does it steer? THANKS
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