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  • 1955 truck

    I bought a 55 truck today that I have known about for about a year. It has no engine or transmission , but is otherwise complete. I plan to install a later model inline six (possibly a 250 Ford) and 3 speed trans.I am planning to do the conversion without doing anything that can't be "undone" later. The truck has one thing I have not seen on any other Studebaker trucks. It is a plastic cover over the top of the dash which looks like a padded dash. It is not a pad however.It does appear to be factory installed and is in perfect condition. Is this common ? Thanks

    thom
    thom

  • #2
    If anyone has put a later inline six in a Studebaker truck I would like to hear from you.Thanks.

    thom
    thom

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    • #3
      Yes all "C" cabs from '55 (maybe '54) on to 1964 except Std. Scotsman's have the newer looking plastic dash top, what you remember seeing were all "R" Series trucks, your's is an "E".

      quote:Originally posted by thom

      The truck has one thing I have not seen on any other Studebaker trucks. It is a plastic cover over the top of the dash which looks like a padded dash. It is not a pad however.It does appear to be factory installed and is in perfect condition. Is this common ? Thanks
      StudeRich
      Studebakers Northwest
      Ferndale, WA
      StudeRich
      Second Generation Stude Driver,
      Proud '54 Starliner Owner
      SDC Member Since 1967

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      • #4
        Hi, Thom,

        FWIW, both the Stude 6-cyls use such a tiny bore, they are relatively short. A local SDCer was thinking about a later I6-cyl and found most of the larger ones to be a pretty tight squeeze length and height at the firewall. He ended up going with a GM V6. By the time he bought the engine, tranny and made everything fit, he coulda' had a Stude V8.

        Another FWIW, I've got a couple of 352" Packard V8s rebuilt and ready to go. Stay within the corporation and be able claim it was a rare 1955-only factory-special-order made available to celebrate the merger.

        thnx, jack vines

        PackardV8
        PackardV8

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        • #5
          quote:Originally posted by PackardV8

          Hi, Thom,

          FWIW, both the Stude 6-cyls use such a tiny bore, they are relatively short. A local SDCer was thinking about a later I6-cyl and found most of the larger ones to be a pretty tight squeeze length and height at the firewall. He ended up going with a GM V6. By the time he bought the engine, tranny and made everything fit, he coulda' had a Stude V8.

          Another FWIW, I've got a couple of 352" Packard V8s rebuilt and ready to go. Stay within the corporation and be able claim it was a rare 1955-only factory-special-order made available to celebrate the merger.

          thnx, jack vines

          PackardV8
          [)]Jack, that's an interesting idea. What tranny would you suggest behind that engine? I wonder what the weight would be?[)]

          steve blake

          steve blake...roaming the Texas Panhandle in my trusty Champ pickup
          http://tinyurl.com/kr3gt

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          • #6
            Thom, I put a 300ci. Ford straight 6 in a 63 T-cab sat in there like it was made for it. That was around 1985, raced a friend at work that claimed that his 65 Mustang could beat any Stude and I told him that I could beat him with a 6. Bet was on. Gave the engine away a few months later to another friend since I couldn't stand to see a foreign engine in there.

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            • #7
              Alan, You didn't say whether you beat the Mustang or not. What happened?

              sals54
              sals54

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              • #8
                quote:Jack, that's an interesting idea. What tranny would you suggest behind that engine? I wonder what the weight would be?
                As far as I am concerned, the T89 was the best-all-around transmission ever in light-duty Stude trucks. These are easy to adapt to the Packard V8. In fact, I have a T89 on the shelf right now modified for that purpose.

                The T85 as used in the '56J would be fine in a light-duty driver-type truck. It has higher, closer first and second gear.

                I'm going to be using a special T10-with-R11 overdrive behind the 374" Packard going in my E12. Ratios for all three are:

                T89 truck ratios: 3.17, 1.75, 1.00, .722
                T85 car ratios: 2.49, 1.59, 1.00, .722
                T10/wOD ratios 2.54, 1.92, 1.51, 1.00, .722

                Actually, almost any transmission can theoretically be adapted. The hard part is finding a Packard V8 bell housing and flywheel. Once these are in place, an adapter to the Packard is no more difficult than any other. I've done a Viper 6-speed T56, a Ford Top Loader 4-speed, a Chevy SuperT10 and a few others.

                As to weight, the Packard V8 is only 15# heavier than the Studebaker V8. I weighed a 1956 259" 2-bbl, complete with bellhousing and all accessories, at 695#. The 1956 Packard V8, equipped identically, weighed 710#. The Packard V8 is slightly longer, so the radiator and fan have to be kept apart.

                thnx, jack vines




                PackardV8
                PackardV8

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                • #9
                  Jack, What is the price you are asking for the packard engine? Allen

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                  • #10
                    These Packard 352"s are completely rebuilt:

                    Blocks tank-washed, all new soft plugs
                    New .030"-over pistons and rings
                    Crankshaft turned .010"
                    Camshaft reground, NOS lifters
                    Rocker arm shafts disassembled, cleaned inside, rocker tips reground
                    Heads milled on three sides, valves and seats reground, springs tested.

                    Complete as a long block - $3000
                    Complete, with intake, exhaust, water manifolds, valley cover, oil pan, oil pump, rocker covers - $3500

                    Located in Spokane, WA. Can crate for freight and deliver to freight dock at extra charge. I usually get my shipping quotes from freightquote.com and figure 750# of class 85 freight from 99202.

                    Thnx, jack vines

                    PackardV8
                    PackardV8

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