Fun Encounter on local Cruise Night

[BobPalma]

Danville is the county seat of our Hendricks County IN, the first county west of Indianapolis proper. The local downtown merchants association blocks off the town square and surrounding streets as necessary for a First Friday Cruise-In during summer months.

Tonight (August 3) was August's First Friday and a nice evening for the cruise, so I took the '64 Daytona Wagonaire out and scored an unusually-good spot right on the town square.

I'm finishing my supper Subway sandwich while seated behind the wagon and a nice guy about my age comes up and strikes up a conversation about Studebakers, although not a Studebaker hobbyist.

He confirmed that Studebaker made their own V-8 engines and then added (honest, this is what happened!),

"I was reading an article on line about Studebaker V-8 engines a couple days ago. Do you know they had bigger main bearings in 1951 than the new Chrysler Hemi?" He then went on to describe the Studebaker V-8's various strengths. It was obvious he had just read my Hemmings Classic Car column about Studebaker being America's Best V-8 engine.

I responded, "That was in an issue of Hemmings Classic Car 3 or 4 years ago, wasn't it?"

He says, "Yes; that's where I saw it, now that you mention it."

I replied, "Thanks. I wrote it!"

Then I gave him my business card (click to enlarge):



Funny stuff. BP

[TWChamp]

That's cool, and I've also said Studebaker had some great engines.
In fact the most I've ever taken one apart is when I was 12 and removed the head on my 1950 Champion to paint it silver, and the second 1950 Commander I put in 6 new exhaust valves because two of them were burnt. Never had a problem or reason to take one apart, but someday I should put rings in the 1950 Commander I bought in 1969, as it uses a quart of oil every 100 miles.

[SilverHawkDan]

If you want to know just how strong a Studebaker block is try running a boring bar on one. First time I did one I broke the cutting tool. I set up for the usual .005 to .007 first cut. Works on the other blocks but some and Stude is the worst it is a 'Don't ever do that". To this day some machine shops don't like machining Studebaker blocks. If they do them they charge twice as much as a Ford or Bowtie. And they earn their money trust me. BTDT.

[Noxnabaker]

This is way cool, "had to" post it on "Studebakers of Scandinavia" on surfacebook!
Hope nobody minds...